The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-12

were present proudly displaying on their apparel
Seymour and Blair badges
The following letter is from coored man of Will
kinson county, Georgia.
To THE CoLoRED voIERs OF WILKINSON AND
MY DEAR FRIENDs-Feeling that It ia nv sacred
duty TO beirend my race as far am able, in any
letter, kindly advising and speaking with you in it
upon the great subject now distractng and disturb
And in this advice desire you all earnestly to
understand that intend to utter only what my
heart tells me is the truth, and what are my
to understand that have not come upon these con-
victions and facts In moment or day but they
the fruits OF actual experience for the past three
course of that time; and rest assured that my
eyes have been widely and eagerly open to the inter-
ests Of my race and my people.
Them my friends, know now that am colored
man. born and raised in Georgia, and have spent the
greater part Of my NE In Twiggs county; and believe
s can read and write, and of course can spell very
WELL and am the author Of the feelings and senti-
have this then, to say to you:-That have come
ont openly and boldly upon the conservative dem
ocratic platform with our true Southern Will men,
whom we might have and ought to have known long
before this were and are our only friends.
And now say to you, my friends, that 1t is not
only our duty to come out and 60 with them and
vote with them the conservative VOTE but beg them
and ask them to forgive us for voting with set OF
heartless liars and thieves and scalawags, against
every principle Of honor and truth-yes against my
good and your good and the Southern gentleman's
interest, and'f0r whatf Ask yourselves will you,
for what2 Have you got your muller amt got
mine yet; and they told us right here In Irwinton
they was going to give US one. Have you got your
forty acres of land? Have you got your 81, 900 in
greenbacksa Echo answers wha~s your mule in
stead OF here's your mule,
Well, now, what do these radicals do with your
vote when they get its I'll tell you, my countrymen.
They get into office tax us and our white friends
everything we make call II government money for
free schools for us and buy mules and land and to
keep up the army, to keep honest Southern from
putting us back into slavery and all such lies and
thank Coo that have opened my eyes to our true
condition.
Every white man in the State of Georgia was repre-
sented in Miledgeville in 1865. and there took
solemn oath that slavery never should exist again in
the State; so that settles going back into slavery
with me. This know, my friends, and am satisfied
fully upon the subject. 1t Is my object to do all
can from this time to the November election to wake
my people up, and beg them to think about the
matter Think who is your friend. Now, ask you
who is your friend? The man who proves 1t every
day that you live, or the man who has promised to
be your friend for the last three years and lied and
proved that he lied to you, every time.
Wake up my friends, wake up. How can you go
to your Old MASTER or your employer, with anything
but sneaking look on your face and ask him, please
to do this that favor for you, when you have just
been and voted against him. for somebody that never
has, nor never WILL do you fnvOr2 I'll tell you
how felt. Just as mean as II my employer had
many one that felt so, but was ashamed and afraid
to own 1t. Now look upon these matters. All that
have said is true. am for the conservative party,
and assisted in organizing cOlored conservative
club in this county and shall 60 on with the good
work.