The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-17


that there.is certain class of gentlemen, call
ed carpet-bageers. speak of them with great
kindness, for am liable to be classed with
them myself, and because they have better
position here than have; they can come here
and vote and I can't, because could not swear
to support your constitution. l don't KNOW
that I ever met any OF these gentlemen; only
know them by this name Of carpet bagger,
but I hear that they are gentlemen WHO came
down here for the purpose of representing You
and holding your principal Offices, and from
that suppose they must be the best men IN
the community and that beng so. [ am told
that you do not allow them to speak, or that
you do not encourage them to speak, or that
you cast some kind of slur upon them when
thoy do epeak-that you consider 1t rather a
wrong to those who should properly speak
among you to allow these interlopers to sIeak
at all. Well, believe that good deal myself,
but not entirely. knew that there we're so
many good speakers at the South, that did
not think it surprising that you should
not leave them all at once and take
to running after the carpet-bageer. But
imagine my amaz,ment when l was coming
down on the cars to-day, t, learn that there
was to be political debate near Charleston, IN
which two or three gentlemen of native growth,
if may 80 speak, anl like nI..hber OF these
carpet-baggers were to take part, and l, an
other carpct-bagger, was expected to part1ci-
pate also. Now there was free speech With
vengeance.
l see great many colored people here this
evening-the people whom the Radicals tell us
are the only loyal people at the Southland l
want to say few wolds to them. My coiored
Icllow-citizons, you occupy very difficult and
painful position, aIfd I am as anxious as you
can bc that you should find some way to ex-
trlcatc yourselves from it. But IN consid-
ering your position you should remember
that you are in o very small minorl-
ty. In this particular State you may be
10 the majority, but IN the nation you are M
very SMALL even an insignificant minority
And, moreover, through no fault OF your Own,
you have no education and no property, and,
besides, you have been subjected for long
series of wears to condition Of slavery in
which you were debarred from some OF the
most precious privileges Of life. This was no
fault of yours. 1t was no fault OF the late
shareholders or OF tho present race Oh white
men, but of thoir ancestors who lived long
ago. But still it has its effect on you. Now
speak to you plaiuly. am not going to stay
here; am going away tomorrow. doht
want your votes. am not one OF that class OF
carget.ha haggers. I want to tell you what Is the
best thing for you. [ A voice, vote for Grant. ]
Yes vote II Grant if you want to. But that Is
not the question. understand that great
many people come here to get your votes, and
tleV SLTlHG W BUN OlSpCllolOd DOpVSOh = W. eAAN
your former masters. MANY negroes, THAT
is not SOL Well, am glad to hear 1t is not
so; but will tell You why it should not be so.
/ have never seen your Governor, nor your
Legislature, and cannot express any OPINION
about them. But, let me ask you, do you When
You 20 up to the polls honestly inquire who IS
the best man for the place warn you against
the formation Of Q black mans party. Ii you
allow tho idea to take possession OF you. that
IL fl,n inc n
negroes, and hence that the negroes must
now be the enemies of the shareholders, and
that negroes must only vote for negroes, L
warn YOU the idea will inevitably descend with
horrible weight upon the black man. It's OIL
very well now, when there ls great pontlcai
excitement and you are settling Presldentlal
election, but that must como to an end some
time and Whit thea? Imagine how tho blacks
will be crushed down then. 1t may not be as
bad as the old slavery. bu. 1 think 1t will be
worse. at all events I am glad 10 hear that
none of the black people intend to use lorce. L
want to say something now to my white friends.
1t ls charged that some OF tLem try to lnfin-
ence t ieir employees by threats OF discharge,
&c. Is that true? [tries of Yes! yes!"l We'll,
about at last. We'll, if this is true, it is as
bad as the attempts Of the Union Leagues
to inf ,ence the colored vote tho other
way. On my farm in Massachusetts,, where
I have white laborcrs, l never say WORD TO
them about politics. / treat them kindly, and
thev alH avs vote for me when lam candidate,
and I am alw $ running for something III
Massachusetts. | am running for Governor
lust now. When was Republican they voted
the Republican ticket and since am Dem J.
crat they vot. the Democratic ticket. Let the
people hero take the same co Irse, and they
can defy any strangers in the race; anu IL tney
cannot they deserve to he beaten. But to DC
even in the race no man should pc o!s-
qualified. And what is the object or DIS
Qualifying q man from holding office! DJes
it keep him out of power2 Does 1t destroy
his influence? Has General Lee no infu.
euce? Has General Hampton no infence? Lee
wIelds O. greater power than any other man ID
the South, and Hampton has more influence
than any other MIN in this State. 1hsn,
saw. let them 90. Let all men have equal
priyiIeges. Let us all discuss the same ques-
lions on the same platform. Then let Inc
black people vote if thoy want to-]ust as
many as want TO. But do not believe In uni
yersal suffrage either lor white OF BLACK: line
Massachusetts qualification, SIX month I5E resi-;
dence, o tax, reading sentence IN the unlteo
States Constitution in the English language
and writing ones name, is little enough III
deed. balleyo that tne white peope OF the
South will soon be willing to stand on
this platform. Many Of them agree to
il even now Massachusetts has been
called q negro-loving State, but she Is Is
not. She only asks equal rights Tor a.
When freedom of speech IS secured III ooutil
Carolina. when slavery Ii dead III e'ery snape
and form. and when the people OF Massachu-
srtis are convinced that such is the case, then,
and only tnen, can the old friendly relations oi
the revolution be restored between Massacnu-
sett. and South Carolina. l don't believe that
there is any great divergence between the
sentiments Of the people Ut Massachusetts anu
tic people OF South Carolina. But they don
understand each other. They have no moro
idea of you, or you of them, thai have OF tne
man in tho moon, or the man IN the moon OF ME.
What we want is to understand each other.
But until this rule OF the bayonet is over, that
can never be. II the fathers OF lhe republic,
Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin,
could 81 and here and see what nlons.roslty
has succeeded to the government Which they
cstabl,shed over the Uuion, aud usurped Its
name. thoy would be horrlfled.
But wish, after discussing the topics which
have touched on, TO ex.end erecting roHi
Massachusetts to South Carolina. 1 DO not
represent very large section OF the people OF
Massachusetts but believe that in the words
| am gong to say, represent nearly the
whole people Hold fast to the new opinions
which are gaining ground IN your midst. with
slavery i,I the rounds for anmusity Detween
the Sta-es passcd away. Let Us be 1rlends
once more, as our fathers were-each ono Try
ing to come nearer and nearer TO tne concep-
tiops of the other Then the time VIII llot Dc
far distant When Massachusetts aud South
Carolina eau stand by their representatives
side by sldo in these very streets, and we Will
have q new Union under the Constitution.
Immense epplause.]
After aIr. Adams had taken his seat, the
crowd called on Colonel r. W. Seymour for q