The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-04-12
To tho Freedmen of. south Carolina.


Phoenin by several writer's on the
matters at issue between-in this
State-the white and black races. If
you could not (all of yon) read these
'"Tracts" foryourselves, You may have
had some one to read them for you.
Those .'Tracts," or communications,
are we'll worthy your notice, for they
contain words of truth and good ad-
vice. But the writer of this address
desires to have plain talk with you,
something which you will understand
for yourselves, and something which
is truly important to both races. It
does not matter now, whether he can
dress up his thoughts in finer Ian
guage; it is enough to know that it is
plain English, and can be under
stood.
And first, then, you have been
made freedmen by q certain procla-
nation of one Abraham Lincoln,
now deceased. We will not stop to
inquire as to the right of this man to
deprive the people of the South of
80 much Of their wealth-for such is
the fact. Well, then, let it pass.
After this act of Abraham Lincoln,
then comes to your help a radical
Congress, to help you to enjoy this
freedom, by allowing every one of
you to vote (of twenty-one years. for
Convention, to meet and form a
Constitution for the State; while this
radical Congress-, your precious and
great friend, denies to thousands of
white men, the right to vote for dele
gates to that Convention. The next
thing in order, you are called upon
to vote "for or against Convention.
You go to the polls and vote "for
Contention. Very we'll, so far you
are obeying orders from your white
and black leaders, most Of whom are
imported from the North, and actual
ly have not any true interest in, or
for the South, and have not ary real
and abiding friendship for your
selves, your wives and your children;
and this you will certainly find out
before you are two years older. Very
well, let that pass too. Next in or
der, you are told you must vote for
delegates to the Convention. The
polls are open; you go there, and
some white or black man gives you
piece of paper, with q picture on it;
you put it in the ballot-box, as you
are told to do. Did you know sohat,
or for aohom, you voted? No. Did
you ask any white or black man to
tell you what Convention was, or
whether the men whose names arc
printed on that picture ticket, were
the true friends of the black man?
No. Then you voted just as you
were told, and you were satisfied so
to do. Very well, again, let that pass
too. The next matter you hear about,
is that the white and black men you
have elected to the Convention, have
met in Charleston and have gone to
work, to the tune of eleven dollars q
day, to make q Constitution to go
vern you und me. and all the people
in the State. Well, then, with the
nelp OF Two lawyers, OaISlde the Con-
vention. and some black lawyers (so-
called) inside, and with the assistance
of copies of the Constitution of overy
State in the Union, and out of the
Union, and maybe, too, some foreign
Constitutions, these delegates
these sixty black men and fifty white
men-after hard work of several
weeks, and no little talk among
themselves. made up and have had
printed, paper containing what they
call Constitution for South Caro-
lima. Very well, again, you say. Bnt
stop n moment and think for your
selves. Do You know what that
paper means? No. Have you read
it carefully? No. DO you intend to
read it? No; [ can't read. Well,
then, we would ask you, what are
you going to do? To vote for it. nre
YOn2 Yes. These white man nnd