Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-08
THE TEXAS FREEDMEN.
Their Views and Wishes-DO Not Ask
sunrage-A Sensible Address.

Their Views and Wishes-DO Not Ash
suTrsge-A Sensible Address.
The freedmen of Texas held q State
Convention at Bastrop on the 9th ult., and
adopted an address, from which we extract
as follows
We desire to preserve a nationality OF
color; to remain a distinct race; 10 avoid
partisan conflicts for we are fully per-
suaded in our own minds that any contest
with the superior race would reduce and
lower our condition, entail upon us all the
preiudices Of caste, ALLEVIATE all the sympa-
thy that humanity in the old world or the
new have for Us. 4 conflict would engen-
der all the horrors of vengeance and
hatred; would arouse all the debasing
qualities of anger and the lower passions;
would stimulate an unnatural lust; would
remove us far away from the smiles Of
benignity Of our Heavenly Father, and
place us at the mercy Of the sword, as an
avenging deity TO punish the crimes of folly
and superstition; involve all the races Of
our continent in wild, indiscriminate ruin.
The chorus Of death would arouse the
slumbering grave and disturb its repo5e.
The wailing winds would mourn our hap
less fate The tears would drop down from
the weeping skies.
We are therefore willing and anxious to
act in concert and in harmony with the.
white race, and are satisfied TO be secure in
our persons and property, home and effects,
free from arrests only for crime; TO enjoy
the protection Of an impartial administra-
ton of the laws, equal an exact justice,
free from unreasonable searches and SET
zures, allowed an oath or affirmation in
civil and criminal cases to keep and bear
arms in conformity to law; enjoy all the
rights of citizenship without suffrage, and
exemption from taxation for a term Of
years.
Educating our children with our own
means, with such contributions assist
ance as an enlightened and christian civili-
zation may dictate our white brethren every
where to voluntarily contribute This
brief synopsis Of our desires we feel called
upon to make known.
Attached as we are to the soil Of our birth,
with a sacred regard for the sepulchres Of
our sires, with supernatural instinct for
locality, we nor our ancestors having ever
been nomadic people, if in the process Of
liiiAS biih tliS pAoBLtna VI GfCHLSi AAilA
Providence should appoint the Rio Grande
az the Jordon Of our hopes, and any por-
ton Of Central America as our promised
land, We will oppose no obstacle to seeming
fate, and will mingle our destiny and cast
our lot in a country where the distinctions
of caste will oppose no barrier to our set
tlement
We make no demand for impartial suf-
frage We have indicated our desires in no
partisan spirit. We will shun thi sarena Of
conflict. We will cultivate the earth with
industry. Our artisans, smiths, shoe-makers,
joiners, carpenters and mechanics of every
kind, will follow the occupations with
whicE they are familiar The body of our
people Of both people of both sexes will
do likewise, direct their labor to the pro-
ductiOn of grain, cotton, raising domestic
animals, meat for their own consumption,
poulty, vegetables, etc.