The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-10-23
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To the CoIorea Peopls
,inetcn {Ark.) TELEGRAPH.

From Washington fArk) Telegraph
There is large class Of You, who have very hon
orab.e and praseworthy desire 10 make honest hv
ing, support your wives and educate your child
rem 1t can be easily how the cares Of ife and
anxietes about the future are beginning to oppress
ali such. Yoo are in position that is to you.
You do not know where the bread and clothes aud
shelter for YOU and your families are to come from.
In former times you aud they had that and whatever
other hardships slavery had, this fear of the future
was not one of them. Now you know you must work
for all these things, and you not you will all
ways succeed in getting them that way. You have nc
holidays. You lie awake of nights planning for the
future You think about these things of Sundays.
our faces begin show signs already of minds in
trouble. You work harder than. you ever did, and
your constitutions are not so strong. =.
This is all right. II is good sign. Far better thar
to be fddlng and dancing, and singing the days away
like crIcketS and grasshoppers, to die next winter
But 1t Is serious matter for all that, and makes 1t
very important for you to consider well the best
course to get the most and best employment in the
future, and the best pay for what you do.
If you think awhile you will confess that voting and
taking an interest i'll elections is not setting you for
ward much. I gu not making anything while you
are attending clubs Those who induce you to neglect
your business and spend your time this way, will not
pay you for loss Of crops neglect Of business What
you want now is quiet protection of law, and the
sympathy and help, and patronage OF good men who
are able to deal with yon, and pay YOU for work OF
produce and who will and then throw f3vors in
your way You want to be learning something how
to read and write and pher and be able to transact
your own business better. This is more than you
do we'll in all your leisure time, and it is the first and
most important thing for you to do for your own vel
fare and that of your families.
Politics will ruin YOU. You do not know any thing
about what is best for the country what is best for
the government to do, even for yourselves They are
just making tools Of your These Radicals only want
your get Offices for themselves. They do not
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throw you overheard any day when they make any
thing by it, Meanwhile you will have been negectng
your business, and making enemies out Of all the
good in the country ard find yourselves al last
without money without friends
Perhaps they will tell you they going to pass
laws to give you lands and set you up. If 50, they
tell you falsely. They cannot do it, and don't intend
to do it. They do not mean to give you thing
Perhaps they tell YOU if you don't take interest
in politics your old masters will try make you slaves
again. If so, they lie, and know it. After having
been free there is not one OF you would be worth
victuals and clothes as slave Your former masters
do not want you any They are willing to trr
free labor that it is begun, aud even if they
not, they could not reduce you to slavery again
leuceforth long you live, and commit crimes,
you will be free to come and CO. and do what you
please with your own, without any to interfere 1t
is very important matter with you however to deter
mine whether it is best to be friends with few men
from the North or with the Southern people amongst
whom you were raised and whom you know, and who
have the only means of giving you any substantial
help and among whom you have to stay.
This is addressed to the better class Of you--men
WHO have families and who look forward to raising and
supporting them. The young and foolish amongst you
will be much under you influence and will look to you
for Guidance You must do the thinking for all. :
The best proof of our sincerity with you is that We
do not ask anything of you We have candidate
we wish you to support. There is nothing under the
sun Just now that You can do for u8 1t is for your
own good entirely that is for your good in the first
place; but if you act wisely will no doubt all be
better off and happier than if you go ahead after new
friends and bring on trouble.
And we are candid with you, at the same time, in
saving that think it for you to at all
We believe the law allowing you to vote is wrong and
not for your good We alter that just
as we can do so-that is, the Southern people viii,
They will pass laws to protect and defend you, and put
you before the law tar your rights concerned,
on the same footing with white people. Bat they will
not extend the right of voting until you know more
about it,