The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-05-11
A Black Demosthenes.

We publish bOlow part of speech
delivered by Henry Boyd, negro a,
Carrollton, Miss. Read it:
My CoLoRED FRIENDS: appea,
here to-day in your interest alone. The
white man is able to take care of him
self and, as you all can see, have
not ono drop of white blood in my vein,
(laughter.) lam a regular old-fashioned
plain, cornticld niger, and have not
the capacity to instruct white people as
to their duties, even if had the will.
[ was slave from my birth-I always
endeavored to servo my master faithfully
according to that letter of tho Bible
which reads {: "Servants, be obcdient
to your masters, for this is right" And
[ can lay my hand upon my heart to-
day and say, before God, that 1 cnter-
tain no i'll will toward any white man
on earth, and least Of all toward my old
master and his sons, whom loved as
my own brothers, and with whom I
played in boyhood. In all our neigh
borhood romps and frolics aud fights
(for boys will fght,) they stood at my
back, as did theirs, whenever it came
to the pinch (laughter) and thank
God, I will do 80 yet. I will stand by
them SO long as they stand by me,
whether the oppression comes from the
Yankees, or from wherever else it may.
Whenever it comes to my making choice
between white men, shall prefer those
of my own section to all the carpet
baggcrs in tho world. laughter and
applause. There amt very much
difference between white men and Yam
KEGS (laughter,) and whenever you find
it at all you'll find it in the white man 3
favor. White folks are all pretty much
cut of the Same cloth, and both
sections have mado their love for the
niggers subscrve their own interests,
all men are selfish by nature and can't
help it, and can't blame them.
When tho late war broke out, I am
free t. acknowledge, was mighty glad
Of it. l felt that my freedom was going
to come ou: Of it some way or other, and,
as am, perhaps, as selfsh~a as white
man, I tell you didn't-wcll I didn't
cry much at the prospect. Well when
the first company left my county for
cold Virginny" to fight the Yankees, 1
enlisted with the balance of them, aad
went along as first cook and head wait
er for one of my young masters l had
q pretty good time too, for while the
whitc folks were out fighting and march
ing aud suffering and dying, 1 was
laying back with tho meat and bread
wagons. QLaughtcr) 1 felt for once
in my life it was pretty good thing to
be nigger after all--for the white man
wouldn't let me fight alongside of him
and after | heard tho first she'll 60 off
God knows wasn't very anxious to do
it either. Renewed laughter ! knew
if I had been along on the Yankee side
| wouldn't have had such an easy time
for as selfish as the Yankee is, he
never objected to getting somebody to
do his fighting for him whenever he
could. Not he. Loud laughter
Some folks say he was willing
enough to let the South do it
all, during the aiexican var. Gap"
plause.)
1 used to be right smartly amused
hearing the white folks talk. My young
master came in one night after battle
and says he, "IIenry, we've just had a
big six hours fight. We whipped the
id Yankees like smoke and drove 'cm
thirty six miles" Thinks 1 to myself
"IIunph pretty good drive--all iu six
hours too p But heap of people
think the nigger is u fool.
Well, sortcr thought. maybe, the
Yankees were really fighting to free The
niggcrs. But they dida't keep the wool
over my eyes long I watched 'em
mighty close. One day tho news came
into camp that Mr.. Lincoln had done
issued his proclamation, saying, that if
Mr.. Davis would lay down his arms and
come back into tho Union and 20 to
paying tariff again tho Southern people
might have their niggers! Thinks T.,
humph! Mighty poor chance to get
any freedom rom you, MIR. Lincoln.
Inugltcr.J tell you what felt
mighty bad for long timo. | had the
blues so bad [ was almost black
Laugh,cr.] think in two weeks l
must have fell off twenty pounds. l
was so afraid Mr.. Davis was going to
do it / couldn't sleep Dnt by and by
the good word came that Mr.. Davis said
"he'd be ID if ho'd do any such thing
| ain't fighting for tho nisgcrs. Let
tho niggcrs go. Pm after my own
freedom first before anything in the
world" l toll you my heart jumped
right mp 10 my mouth. Thinks |, bully
for JEFF. Davis los my man! Ah, my
friends, If the Yankees had been in MIR.
Davis place you'd been in the cotton
patch to day, with whip after you, iu-
stead Of sitting up here in this court
house hearing me speak Laughter. -
But don't you SEQ tho difference between
the Southern man and tho Northern
man. The Northern man never missed
the chance Of taking care of the dimes
first.
And now the carpet baggcrs come
here and toll US they are our irieuds
and tho Sontheru people our one-
mics. Thyytell as they set us free. =