The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1868-09-03
PLAIN WORDS TO THE COLOR
ED PEOPLE.

| have few plain words tor the
Colored people-directly to them
truthfully, ifnot ;agreably. I have
a right to advise them, because I am
their friend. They know I am. I
say to them, thcn." You cannot, and
will not, be permitted to participate
permanently and substantially in the
political power of this country, or
any part ofit.. Remember what I
say. You may be soothed by the
illusion of a qualified suffrage. That
will be for the educated and property
holders among you. They are SO
few that it will give you no power,
not even the shadow Of it. This is
the 'wh:te mans countsy;" it is bis
government, and he intends to keep
both. You cannot and will not hold
either, nor will either be held by
others for you. You may live here,
if you will, peaceably, happy and
prosperous under the protection Of
our laws, just as We are protected,
with no distinction or inequality; but
you cannot govern us. You cannot
say this is unreasonable or unjust
1t is what you say to the white man
in your own countries and govern
ments. THERE'S a free and prosperous
colored government, republic upon
the model other own. 1t bas Presi-
dent, Senate, House Of Representa-
tives and Judicial Department like
ours. From it you have excluded
the white man. He is assured Of the
protection Of your laws, just as you
are protected by ours, without dis
tjnction.. But he has not, aud can
not have political power, or vote or
hold Office, or participate in the ad-
ministration Of the government. Such
is}the republic Of Liberia. That is
no place for carpet-baggers. There
are in that atmosphere no attraction
for them. So, also it is in st. Dorin-
go and Hayti. They are the color>
ed mans government. And isyou
will, you, also, may have other 60
vernmeuts o. your own but they will
not be in the United States. If every
white inhabitant Of South Caroline
if every white man, woman and child
in the Southern States shoull con-
sent and agree to it, you would not
be permitted by the people Of the
North and West to establish Libe-
rjan, or a, Dominican or a Haytien
government within the United States.
. This matter is in their hands, not
ours. Norris there to be any partner
ship between the white ond cofored
mal in The government of,this coun-
try There is no middle groundin
this matter. The government must
be all white or all colored. Do not
your pretended friends tell you this,
or at least show that they mean this,
when they shut you out by their com
mands or eutreaties from the Con-
gress where they are for a time su-
preme.
know it is said, you are told, you
say it too, that the suffrage once
gwen to you and exercised cannot be
taken away. Some of you even
threaten that the attempt will be fol
lowed BY bloodshed. That will be as
YOU may choose. Twas once voter.
It was my birthright. My ancestors
Under Washington and his compeers,
thought they had forever secured the
rights to their descendants. 1t has
been taken from me. The bayonet,
and powuer and ball, with blue coats,
didit, and they will do the same for
you, when law or the color Of law, or
the voice of the. white people, bids
them do it. Our people fought them
four years, and we had enough oft.
You may try It'll you choose.
II shall not fight them for you for
my right to vote. twill come without
it. Yon trust to your present allies,
who forced suffrage upon yon, not
for your own sake, but against US,
and for their own gain. You think
they will stand by you? You are de-
1uded. ~"Blood is thicker than We
ter" The great masses of the people
will stand BY us-by their own race:
Your champions will be scattered and
powerless exceptions. Mr.. Sumner,
and such warlike heroes as follow
such warlike chief, may sound loud
and long and echoing exhortations to
battle for you, but they will not be
found in the forlorn hope"
The poor Indian thought as you
think when he boasted, as you do, N
calm security of his g;eat and pow
erful allies and friends. England
and France, in the supremacy of