Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-11
Examples TO be ImI tated.

tcle under the heading of the ''Negroes
of Nashville, how they live, move and
have their being" Then, IS now, we
we've careful to investigate the facts
whereof we spoke, and used the word ne
groes in no disrespectful sense. We pre-
sented the dark side Of the picture,
though truthful one. Let it not be I'M
derstood, however, that all the colored
people belong on this dark side. Il is
gratifying TO none more than TO ourselves,
to state that the contrary is the fact. We
had intended that on the Sunday follow
ing the first article the facts in this should
have appeared, but the press of matter
and many intervening circumstances pre-
venting, they have been deferred till to-
day. The same spirit of truth and cam
dor that dictated our former al
ticle shall guide US in this, and we
hope that in contrasting the facts included
in the two, the colored people embraced
in the former may be induced to initiate
the examples of those embraced in this.
As indicated in the former, the war
produced an entire disruption in the sys-
TEN of Labor in the South, and dissolved
forever the relationship between master
and slave. In none of the Southwestern
States were the effects of this great
change more apparent than in Tennessee,
and in no portion of her limits were they
30 marked and clear as in the immediate
vicinity of Nashville and the country adj
jGcent. AS we before said, hundreds of
these colored people were induced to
believe by false teachings that the Gov
60. mould
be their protector without effort on their
part, through evil and through good re-
port, and that with their serVitude ended
their days and years of labor and toll
even for a support for themselves and
their families. The condition of this
mistaken and unfortunate class was
set forth in the article re-
ferred to. But hundreds there
are whose good sense, manly energies
and experience, taught them that they
must rely upon their own exertions to
elevate themselves and their kindred, and
be worthy of the freedom and privileges
the new order of things had conferred.
Not to be csjoled or deluded with false
glitter and promises, they went "a work
with hopeful hearts and strong arms 70
yindicate their claims to freedom and TO
citizenship. Their efforts have been full
well rewarded, and they stand to-day
leading the councils of their people, pos
sessed of q competency aud enjoying the
esteem of their race everywhere, and the
confidence and respect of all classes, both
white and black. We have examined
into the condition and spirit of enter
prise of this better, Ligh-minded class of
the colored population, and can say freely
that their exsmples are worthy of emulation
by every colored man in the community.
This class of our colored people-we
> mean the class who went 10 work, relying
upon the will and the strength given by
the God that made them, for elevation
and support and improVement-has &C
cdnplished wonders during the last few
wears. We have the names OF many who
deserye sll praise. We know some Of
them personally. They are regular as
clock-work. They are honest, sober, in
dustrious, frugal, peaceful and quiet, and
some of them religious, cOnscientiously
anxious to prosper and be useful in their
day and generation. We have seen them
at their daily avocations; we have con
versed with them; we have trusted them;
and they have in every sense been weigh
ed in the balance and not found W anting.
So numerous are this better class Of col
ored people we cannot begin to mention
all their names, but we win give few,
enough 10 illustrate what they have done
by industry, integrity and upright dealing,
and Whist others of them may do if they
will
1t shows, too, that every encourage
ment is given 10 the colored man, as il
should be, who honestly tries to make
something of himself, in Nashville. Take
Henry Harding, who previous TO the war
was slave; by energy and good manage
lnent. he is independent in this world 8
goods. William Sumner was free before
the war, but since, through his own OK
ertious, he has accumulated excellent
property in and around the city. Samp-
son Keeble is well known all over the city,
and few persons enjoy more confidence or
better credit if he desires il. Before the
war he was a slave. He Is now one of
the mariners in the Maxwell House Sha-
wing Saloon, and owns good property 90
BROAD street. Nelson Walker, the other
partner, is known and respected by every
body. He has good property, acCumula-
ted since the war, and has done much for
the benefit of his kind III this section.
Few of our gentlemen readers IN the city
who have not been into the elegant sha-
wing and hair dressing establishment OF
Alfred Mckay and Walker Lspslcy, on
Cherry street. They are doing well and
have good starts. Before the
war Lspsley was a slave and Mckay had
nothing. George Barteas who has long
been a pressRsn in this office, was q
slave before the war. He y an excellent
pressman and is doing well, upright in
his d eslings, honest and industrious,
Elijah Donaldson, who has tOUriShing
grocery on Cedar street, was slave be-
fore the war, owning nothing at all.
Enhralm Pickett and George DickeFs1n,
whose I'm shop on Cedar street, doCs al
excellent business, were both slaves be-
fore The war, without penny; they are
8 doing well. Abraham Smith, the former
tailor of Davidson county, was also a
Slave: he is doing a god real estate and
agency business, and enjoys universe
confidence. The following named co.oEed
persons, WIN nullsI '''o -, -
careers could be given, who were slaves
before the way, have bought pro
perty and butt houses in Hard
ing's and Watkins Additions, aud are
doing well: Lewis Fort I'd. Hudson,
Henry Griffin, Pryor Watkins, Henry
Mays, Alfred Watkins, William Saddler,
William Liton, - Lowell, aDd very
many others.
Sandy Porter, who was slave before