The Van Buren press., 1871-04-25
To tho Colored People of Crawford.
VAN BURES, ARK, April 24th, 1871.

VAN BUREN, ARK, April 2ith, 1871.
EDITOR VAN BUREN Press
SIR; AS / am in your city for few days,
please let me speak to my colored friends
through the columns ofyour paper
say to my colored friends In this county,
that we never have had all the rights that the
Constitution Of the United States and the Con
stituton of Arkansas guarantee to us all. 1t
seems that 1t has been the case, when we have
been put on trial and our interest in property,
our character or freedom has been put In itl-
CATION. we have always been regarded and
treated as belonging TO An inferior caste, and
as having no rights. lin the expressive words
of Judge Taney), which the white man is
bound to respect, and it seems to me that q
great many OF our white Republicans take the
same view that the Judge does, by the way
that they treat us now. And hence it is, that
not few of our sons, our brothers and our
fathers. in all parts of the country, have been
carried to the gallows or incarcerated in Of
fensive prisons, when the law and the facts
warranted no such result | will say to my
friends, if we expect to be respected we must
respect ourselves and keep out of tie saloons
and dram-shops. and save our money and
buy homes for ourselves and families.
My friends. slavery is forever abolished in
this country. We are no longer things, but
persons; we are no longer beasts of burden,
but men. To-day you can say myself my
body. my wife and my children without us
ing figures ofspcech. The Lord God Himself
has come to the door ofour national sepulchcr
and lifting his voice far above the din of bat
tie and the roar of cannon has led us forth !;
and, indeed, we have awoke to newness of
life, our chains and fetters have fallen to the
ground. and we stand erect In the semblance
and attitude Of disenthralled and regencrated
freemen. So let us thank God. With our
freedom, dear friends, however come new re-
sponsiblities and new duties. Life with us,
MS never before. is earnest and real, and he
poorly understands his new life, his new re-
iations, and his new duties, who fails to ap-
preciate this assertion.
Three things are essential to our elevation
in life The first is education. We ourselves
as we'll as our children,arc to be educated, and
by our education we are to remove forever
the charge of Ignorance, so often brought
against us by our enemies. The second thing
is property. Industrious, economical habits
of life, will bring this into our possession and
this once secured we may use 1t as moral
lever to lift us out ofdegradation. and rs an
incontestable argument in refutation of the
foul aspersion so often made against us. that
we are wanting In thrift, energy and enter
prise. The thlhd thing is. character. And
herein Is found all truthfIIness and trust
worthiness. Let us but make for ourselves n
CHuiHCltT anu Uout VIII tNti again &c US
with being unfaithful and unreliable; then
our word will be pronounced good our con-
tracts sure of performance, and all will seek,
will covet our patronage.
Without these three things, we can not, we
must not expect to rise In society to place,
power and influence. There Is no short.
nowery and pleasant path by which we can
make our way to elevated and digniiied posi-
tons. We are to work out our own salvation
in this respect by earnest study, manly en-
deavor and thus show ourselves capable and
worthy as citizens Of the State.
am not insensible to the fact, that you
have already made commendable progress In
this work; indeed, what you have already
done, gives the gratifying earnest Of the glad
and glorious success which at no distant day
will bless and crown our efforts. God help
the right.
keer out Of law: let me admon.sa you-
don't let every frivulous thing take you to
to the courts. Quarreling and drinking lead
TO the Justices office, and no matter how In.
nocent many times you suffer for the crimes