The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-29
Speech Delivered by Francis Nc
Neil, (colored, } Of Savannah, Ca,
at the Conservative Meeting in
sWilkerson County on the Fourth
Of July.
Friends and Felloac- Citizens.

i - GCHdo uttI Il cttOU-CttSGES! -
1t is with degree of high gratefuluess
that l acknowledge the honor bestowed
and confidence imposed. For thirty years
OF honest toll l have been welded to the
| Conservative cause. Freedom is, and was
ever boon to me--bdt we were not freed
by Radical sympathy nor Federal bayonets.
1t was God who freed US. AS a great war
policy the President, after offerin to South
| ernors the right to hold slaves if they would
only return to acknowledgement to the Union
proclaimed the slaves free.
The different nations of the~wide world
were represented in the late and bloody
struggle. The army which crushed us as a
Southern people was composed of hirelinps
in fact, from divers people. Then, it was
not Yankees who set us free. It was God
In His infinite wisdom, which pervades all
nations. 1t has been and is still argued
that we were never out of the Union. The
leaders OF the ruling >fanaticism have de
cared the Southern States never to have
been out for one purpose, and at other
times, in order to place seeming veil on
shame, they would swear by high heaven
that they had broken every tie, and had
severed every link.
We are colored men and in the South to
live and then to die. It's progress is our
fortune; its fall our ruin. The degree of
protection due between US rs colored and
white men is mutual. Our old masters own
the lands which give us support, and we
are dependent alone upon these lands; for
every one of us who lives thereon owes
allegiance to the same and its owner. But
my friends, how is it with the scalawag
oifice-seekerf Does he or any one of the
black swarm own, any property with US !?
DO the laws which they make to draw
heavy taxes from us reach their Infamous
pockets? They do not, They own no
lands of consequence, and one remarkable
fact is that you never meet carpet Dagger
or scalawag but whom you find an Office
seeker or Government leach, who is suck
ing the vital blood of the Federal Treasury.
They love the colored man SO long as the
colored man will feed them through
Government quill: They come down with
great prospects for heavy cropping, and the
poor, innocent and ignorant blacks will
flock around them as sacred center-as
peculiar friend and preserver to whom they
would bear true allegiance ever, and at the
end of the year they carry off their effects
to New York or some other market in the
North, and always, as generall thing, for
get to return-but seek another portion of
the land of farming. These scalawass have
no right here. White Radicals of Georgia
birth voted not for radicalism--howeve
rediculously they acted--bat forreliei! Re-
lief from what ? Relief from paying those
honest debts which they have promised to
pay. Relief from paying your employees
such moneys as are due them, and if
possessed would raise your wages to a
much higher stand. They wished to rob
honest men to feed their trifling deeds, at
which the vile Congress itself recoiled in
demonlike awe. The great constitution of
Georgia held out as one of its highest
traits of virtue that an honest debt, made
during certain times, should not be paid
Congress, with all of its dark features,
stood against at this helish attempt suit
ed alone to regions of darkness. The
worthy br1ther Of this band, Aaron Alpe-
oria Bradley, stood out to the enlightened
world as standard of the praiseworthy
virtues Of this brotherhood. He visited
Washington on important business, and l
am told visited "Sing Sing on important
business ola every Legal nature. Geor-
gia has returned to the Union, and now
may every man go together against scala
wags, devils and perdition. They are dar-
ker in deed and viler intention than Judas
Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ. Colored
men, do not think you have the Southern
men as your enemies because you find ene-
mics in few of them. Southern lands
are subjngated, and white and black Of
Southern climes must unite in one COM
mon cause. In union we will yet see
a proud nation on this troubled land
but in disunion the blacks will eventual
ly find home in the earth or another
land. Then, white and colored men, unite
and defeat Grant, the Butcher of man,
who placed the poor black man in the
bloody van to receive the deadly fire in
many horrible strife; who marches the
ignorant blacks into the very jaws ofdeath,
in order to build o generalship upon his
"Horse Fame" Run any man on the Con-
sentative ticket-even Judge Chase-for
we know not but, if Grant is elected, our
days of suffrage may be no more White
friends have landed property with US car
pet.baggers have nothing save prospect
of dallying with colored ignorance and
white objects Of pitiable contempt, My
colored friends, you must appoint time
uuA hOm SOiOtVu VluUc VI SUlScTSdlifc Us
for common protection. Shall these
bands Of Northern jail-birds rob all, white
and colored, and yet be supported by us in
preference to our own neighbors, whom we
can trust God forbid the awful omen of
the fallen land! Give the white man his
right, colored friends. and protect him in
it. White man, give the black his rights,
and bear and forbear with him, for he is
yet young in things OF a nation. I am
Conservative to the back bone every hair
of my head bears true allegiance to this
grand, great and glorious order. Colored
men were freed by changes which are Incl
dental to the great workings of nature. /
am for the South. Who made slavery !?
A Dutchman brought the irst in 1919.
Christ .forgave His enemies, and certainly
we ought not only to forgive those who
brought us up. but should be grateful to
their prosperity.
Who can give us land to work Will
Joe Brown? Take him away from Geor-
gia.- He has been to Chicago, and brings
the devil over our head He took no in
heritance in the troubles of the late war,
had nothing to do with Fort Pulaski, kept
not up much "home spunk at Milledge-
vile. See him when General Wilson ar
rested him and carried him to Macon how
humbly he bows, and seems to have ever