The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-04


| to suppose their only friends were in tb'
| North, or in those coming from the North
as every feeling of seifinterest, if not old as
sCciati0ns bound the Southern people to aie
! and assist a race whose well-being was 81
intimately connected with their own. Hc
had been accused Of being buttcrnut, o.
c0pperhcad but he denied the assertion
and proclaimed that he stood fairly upon
the platform Of the National Republican
party, &C."
Now continued Mr. Harris what is al
that. but what | have said before in sub
stance but not in language? have told you
that you had enemies in the North, have
told you that all Northern men, who came
South, were not Republicans or friends to
the great cause of equality and humanity
/ have told you that was a Republican; l
have told you that the Republican party was
the only one to which "A cOlored man could
honestly adhere; and / have said that
would remain in that party so long as II
would advocate the principles which it now
advocates, and no longer. do not tie my
self hand and foot merely to party, forever
and forever. But do bind myself TO the
principles of humanity, liberty. equality and
Justice, and will follow whithersoeyer they
lead into or out Of parties as it may be.
But some of you say that speak TOO
harshly of the Northern people; that do
not give them sufficient credit. | reiterate
that no man has expressed himself in terms
OF deeper gratitude towards those philan
thropists Of the North, who have battled f0i
the rights of man for thirty years. and who
have dared all in our defence. And there
are some in the S0uth-soinc that / could
mention-that are worthy Of being placed
in the same category.
Neither can any one object to my saying
that the ties of self interest bind the whole
people of the South together. Upon prop
erly regulated system of domestic economy
rests the prosperity Of both races. We work
for the white man, we need money and he
must pay u.s. CHATS so) Now let every
white person recognize us as fIeemen and
equals. Let him give up old ideas Of force,
and seek our labor and respect by offering
proper inducements. That is my position
and hold that is correct. That is the tie,
which will bind US each and all to labor for
the development of our resources, to educate
our children, and make the barren wastes of
the South bloom like garden of roses.
Neither does the advocacy of such princi-
plies involve social equality. The white
men that talk of such things are either fools
or knaves Can there be any sense in the
assertion that because white men meet US in
public assemblages. and treat us as men, en-
titled to the rights of men before the law
or because white men go tc the bail0t-boX
and vote with us, that negro man is ex-
pected to marry one of his daughters or sis
tiers! Thousands Of white men associate in
public, who in private are as far separated
as thousands of black men are. Now there
of bad character. | would not associate -
And there are some black II en- in the same
list also. So I say that the white man who
opposes the political and civil rights of the
negro. for fear either real Or pretended Of So
cial equality is either a fool or a knaye. Gap
plause.)
Mr.. Harris here read further from the
Edgecombe speech. as reported.
Now l say that I used strong and deter
mined language on the occasion. There was
a concOurse of rich white men before rle-all
of them rebels so far as knew. They lis
tened to me with great attention. There
was not blue coat in forty miles, for aught
I knew. did not insult any one-I never
do. But pointing to those men, 1 told the
colored people that they were as free as the
most powerful amongst them, entitled to all
the rights of life, liberty and property
which any of them enjoyed. (AppIause)
further told my race that they must now
study and fully understand the responsible
ties of freedom. l inculcated such lessons of
truth that thought were essential to their
happiness, and pressed upon them a strict
observance of their contracts. And l appeal
ed to them to educate their children and elc-
vate themselve politically and morally. by
the development of their minds and the cul-
tivation of all the virtues.
Now as to egistration-what advice did
give upon that point 7 l told every colored
man to register his name That he was now
free, anc there was no power on earth TO pre-
vent it. If his employer however objected,
tell him to deduct for lost time, taken up in
registering. If he fatty refused, told them
to call a meeting, and resolve to 60 in a
body and be registered and then if Tom
was turned away, because he took the lead
for all of them to leave the farm and let it
go. 1 appealed to these rich farmers. if
what said was not right IF it was not
fair, and no more than could be expected
l told them that when they hired the ne
gro's labor they did not buy his vote. That
even if the black man went and registered
and took time in which to do so, there was
no Court which would declare that to be
breach of contract. say that the law allows
every man to perform public duties. And
yet after telling the negroes in Edgecombe |
all these important facts, spending time and
money in so doing, there are some Solomons |
who say that my speech was made in favor
of the rebels. daughter and applause. A |
voice where is Solomon ~
l further told those who were present on |
the occasion that it was duty which they |
owed to God, themselves and their country, |
to aid in the reconstruction of this govern |
ment, and to thus transmit to posterity tree |
institutions, promotive of the welfare and |
happiness of all men. How can this be ac- |
complished without voting promptly and |
for the proper men! No person on earth |
can prevent the performance of this duty
and no power can now prevent US from vo-
ting. (Cries of no, no)
Now, gentlemen. have given you in de- |
tail what l said in Edgecombe You can
now judge for yourselves. The paper in
which the report of my speech appeared was |
the Soutterner. You may also judge con-
corning that report, from the politics of the
paper. Now let me tell you, that there are
designing white men and designing colored |
men, who are sowing the seeds of discord.-
You must discourage such men, by not lis
tening to their advice. Certain persons have
been put forward as your leaders, and am
one OF them Will you sustain me in my la
bors. (Cries of yes, 60 on)
appeal to you here tonight. What