The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-05-25


cellasswould have been much larger in the South,
Moreslaves have been freed by the act oftheir
owners inthc South than at The n North.l George
Washington owned about one thonsaid, which
he frced;ats his death. Mr.. Randolph di( lie
same. General Oglethorpe opposed slavery in
Georgia. There is man on this stage who
knows that had an angry controversy many
years ago in this city for endorsing Horny
Clay emancipation scheme for Kentucky. He
was my political leader, never knew him to do
wrong, but fear we will never look upon his
!. like again.
The gentleman from Massachusetts, says you
ought to indcntify yourself with the Radical
party of the North, because they have wadcd
through bloody war of four years to set YOU
free, to give you the right,to situpon iuries, to
ride ON railroads, to testify as witnesses in
courts, and much else. / deny every assertion
he has made OH thescpoints, and challenge him
to the proof. He who says that this war was
commenced by the North to set you free aud
confer on you the rights which you now enjoy
falsifics the history of the country; not inten.
tionally, hope. The Government of the
United States, during the war, again and again
declared most solcmnly that this war was not
commenced or being wagcd for conquest, or
with TTicw OF interfering with our property in
slaves i'll the States. Mr. Lincoln urged us to
return to the Union, pledging the Government
to receive us most cordially, and give slavery
its protection in the States. We were threat
cncd with emancipation if VIC did not come
back. In one hand the Government offered us
"Union and Slavery" and in the other was
''rcbcllion and emancipation" Having gone
to war Oh principle the South chose the latter.
No man knows this better thon the honorable
Senator. Nor will he General Swaync,
who is OIL the stand, deny the assertion that 1
am going to make, that We could have
| ypnc back i'll the Union and hold YOU as our
slaves to-day. Yon arc not indebted to the
North or the South. for your freedom, but to
God. Instead Of abusing us you ought to re-
member that this rebellion which you are
taughti to dcspise, by your enemies and ours,
! who only come amongst you for your votes,
was an instrument i'll the hands of G cd for your
dclivcrancc, 50 far as msrtal eye eau divine the
purposes of the Creator.
The Southern people do not envy you your
freedom They would not restore you to bon
dagc if they could. They have your we'll be-
ing at heart. L did not fire gun for slavery
More than half the Southern army never owned
Il slave Hardec. Clcburnc and many others
signed Il petition long before thc war closed
for your freedom and to afford you an opportu-
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Of the South in achieving Southern inlcpcn-
dcncc.
President DAVIS recommended this course,
and I i'll the thrtatrc, III. this city, endorsed
his policy i'll the presence of Il very large as
scmhly, and stated that l would take great
pleasure i'll commanding colorcd troops You
acted well Your part during that unfortunate
struggle, fer which you deserve, and have, the
gratitude ofcvcry Southern man and woman
in cur midst. .,s
The gentleman s,ya that tic Nfcxican war
wss fought on and advocated by Mr.. Calhoun
for thc n,,rntsc Of incr,,,..r tic aron of free
dom. No man ought to know better than the
honorcl representative of Massachusetts that
the statement is untrue. Mr.. Calhoun and
also Mr. Clay, the great Southern giants alive
ut the time, opposed the war. Mr.. Calhoun
was to the last the bittcrcst opponent Of that
war--prcdicting as he did the disastrous results
upon the peace of the country. lnstcasi of
that war being wagcd FOR slavery it was very
evident, as the result proved that ;.ay- territory
adjoining us which could bc acquired wocld
be free territory. That war gave to the North,
California, Utah and New Mexico Though
only a boy, l followed the old flag through
that war, with many thousand good and true
men from my section who only regarded the
National honor of our common country. Again
ms to how you became free. The North aided
to free you with bayonet and by Military Pre-
camatons only as they believed it would in
jurc us and raise you upa hostile element in
our midst; and seemingly making your welfare
a secondary consideration. To render this act
of theirs valid and constitutional, it was neces-
sary that we should act We called together
our Conventions and without hesitation made
you constitutonally free forever. We also
gave you the right to testify in cases where
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