Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-09
Joe Williams speech At Decatur.

The Black Eagle Orator of Tennessee, the Hon
orable % Joseph Williams whom Parson Nasty,
of Confederate X Roads, attempted TO throw out of
the car while on his way 10 the New York Sanhe-
drinl, for "cussed niger" made speech few
days ago at Decatur Ala, to his colored brethren.
Through the kindness of friend we are enabled TO
record few points which be made to convince the
coored people that the retes their best friends.
BE said these miserable carpet baggers were not
friends 70 the coored people that they had no in
terest in the South thai. they had no property
that those Of them who tame down here and gave
US our freedom only actuated by the impelliDg
motive Of $l3 per month and hard tack; that the
Republicans in Congress who gave us a vote and
gave the right to hold Office, that Republicans of
Tennessee who gave our race the right 10 vote, 20
sit on juries and ID hold Office, are none of them
friends Of the eolofed man We owe them nothing
for their priceless boon of liberty; we owe them
nothing for comforting upon all the rights of
American citizenship, and we ought 10 vote against
them in the coming election, and vote for Seymour
and Blair vote with our real friends and benofac-
tors-tbe Democrats. The Democrats are our
friends, and invoke your prayerful attention while
prove it TO you beyond the possibility of doubt
contradiction. They give you employment they
give YOU work 10 do. II is true You nave 10 work
work hard, work late, work early work all the time,
but they pay you for it, and they ara our friends.
Before the war we had 70 work hard for them
cruel overseer dro5e hard over the cotton fields
from morning till night with whip they bound
I'd DOWN VIII bn6 puhlus Anu eHhCkito OF sidfbI1
they sold our wives and children from and sepe-
rated ns forever they carried 10 auction blocks
all over the country and bid us of Tor paltry
of filthy ucre thBy did ell this and much more be-
fore the war, but row they friends, because
they have wisely concluded TO pay for our labor,
AID not disturb in any manner our family ties
But again. There is another point l wish TO inn
press upon your minds TO prove that they are our
friends They, my hearers, they are our friends by
nature, as / will presently show. Look abroad all
over the land Of the sunny South; look from the
sandy shores Of the Carolnas the east 10 the roll
ing prAries Of Texas the west look from the Po-
tomac on the north 10 the Gulf at the SOuth-look
all over this broad land Of our nstivty which our
strong arms have made 10 yield fortunes TO our
friends and see in hundreds and thousands OF breth
rem q plainly visible admixture of the races
Look at that beautiful lady &C. nay right, pointing
TO a bright mulRtto nesr him. in whose veins
courses the nohlest blood Of South Uarslina HUI
guenot look al over the country and sec the best
blood of the chivalrY eevsting our race from the
qusgire of African ignorance 10 The highest types
Of mankind, and impelling US onward TO deeds Of
glory; look what the truest Of friendship has done
for you and longer doubt the pleadings OF nature
itself why, my friends, how can you doubt that
the democracy are your friends when such eyiden-
oes are visible on every hand. They are our rela-
tives their blood lie our blood end naturally they
sre our friends.