The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-04-04
MEssRs. EDITORS or THE PHOENIX:

your paper to reply to the statements
of 8. B. Thompson and A. Williams,
or 1 should have said, statements of
some persons unknown to me, but
published over their names.
s. B. Thompson says, first. that
the resolution That was not published
he did not approve, and that it did
not pass the meeting. I assert that
it did pass, but he fears to publish it.
The composition that was got up by
Thompson's allies is we'll got up-pity
tbs not true. The missionary that
he speaks of came here in December
last, and called meeting of the
freedmen. At that meeting, he ad-
vised the colored people to send three
delegates to Washington to offer uni
versal amnesty for universal suffrage.
S. B. Thompson was one of the dele
gates chosen; but, unfortunately for
him, but lucky for his constituency,
he tried to make speech in favor of
universal suffrage. Mr.. Pickett ther
rose and made some remarks, when,
to the utter astonishmcnt of every
person present, Thompson againro rose
up and tried to make n speech in
favor Of partial suffrage. Great was
the indignation of the people, when
they found out, from his voice, that
it was not the lion, but certain ami
NAL that had on the lions skin;
though they did not see the ears, they
knew the voice. So, at the meeting
in January, the election in December
was set aside, and the gentleman who
could make, or tried to make speech
on both sides, the same night, was
left out, in the cold-he only getting
eight votes, and Pickett thirty -four.
At this meeting, I opposed the policy
of instructing our delegate to offer
universal amnesty for universal suf-
frage; and if the same state Of things
were existing now as then, should
vote against it now. The cruel treat
ment to my race, then, had, or should
have, aroused the Indignation of every
man that had one drop of negro blood
in his veins; and you will allow me to
say, here, that feel rs proud of
having sprung from that race us if I
had the blood of the Howards OF
Pcrcys coursing through my veins.
When l saw my people were driven
off without any pay for their services,
half-starving, with their children beg
ging for bread, day after day, and
reports come of cruel murders COM
mitted in the upper Districts upon
the freedmen, Il had done every
thing i'll my power to get justice for
them, but the authorities seemed
powerless,) 1 then felt as if every
colored man should leave the State,
and said so publicly. 1 have ever
defended the rights of my race from
those that would oppress them; and
from the reports, and from the suf-
fering that then saw, my feelings
were bitter against the ruling powers
in this State; and feeling so, I had
the manhood to say so, and to SO act.
When I saw my people rushing from
the State, Westward, l felt proud to
see that they would not stand oppres-
sion in their native State longer
they showed the true Carolina spirit.
Thompson mentioned the name
of Gen. Hampton. Now, Gen. Hamp-
tons name was not mentioned ut that
meeting; but there is set of men in
this community to whom truth is
stranger than fiction. The name of
Gen. Hampton seems as terrible to
evil-doers now as the horn of Roderic
Dhu was in days past, never had
spoken to Gen. Hampton that I know
of until L met him on the stand, on
the 18th of March; but when L heard
the noble sentiments expressed there
by him and other gentlemen-thc
representative men of the District
threw down the hatchet, and called
on my people to do the same, and to
meet our white citizens half way in n
Christian-like spirit. I repeat, am
for the honor and interests of my
State. L feel happy at the change in
the public sentiment towards my peo-
pie, and L believe that am safe in
saying that it is mutual.
Now for Alexander, the copper
smith, who asks me some questions.
When the convention met in Wash
ington, on the 10th of January, I was
in Mobile, on my way to Louisiana.
When L returned here, Mr.. Pickett
had returned home. He told me that
when he offered the name Of Cover
nor Orr to the convention, that the
people all cried out, "Treason! trea-
sonI' This is all that I know of it.
This was in January. I arrived i'll