Mississippi Democrat. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1875-1???, 1875-08-18
Theaghfs for sAs Csiorsd
People.
From the Pamela star.

an article for the colorcd people of
this county, In this weeks issue OF tho
Star. | now address myself 10 the
task. ! cannot in one short article
tell them all l wish.
Ten years have passed away since
IA the providence OF tod, YOU have
been freed. Not quite 50 many have
passed since you have been made cit.
izens of the country in which vou
live. From my heart | can truly
say, ! am glad that yaa are nov
irced Ifom slavery. And aIn sure
the white people ia general are glad
OF this, and arr more than willing
you should enjoy all the rights and
privileges Of citizens. At the same
time We desire % sec you exercise
these rights and privileges jujlcious-
lyi aud left 10 yourselves, We believe
the time would soon come vixen such
would be the case. At the time Won
received your freedom aud CitiEeI-
ship, owing 10 your previous condi-
uon ~ lie, you were poorly prcpar-
cd for the exercise Of either. Parties
i
who came among you readily saw
this, and soon learned that by ap-
peallng 20 your passions, you could
bo used n instruments Ia establish
ing themselves in political power,
thereby enrching themselves. am
not nj all surprised under all the cir.
cumstances, that you were then
blinded by them; and further, that
you suffered prejudice, yea, malice,
90 kindle ia Your bosom towards those
who formerly owned You. A great
many whites blamed YOU for being
so readily made the dupes OF those |
seeking Office at your hands. AT
that time / could not blame YOU.
But now years have passed by; IL -
time YOU should know why you pur.
sue certain course ol condact. Ar.
guments which then controlled your
actions without consideration should /
now be carefully weighed hy you. Ifl
YOU are citizens prove yourself wor-
thy Of being such by acting wisely. |
The time has come when you should |
seek aud labor 10 promote the l,eace !
and prosperity of the land la which |
you dwell.
IL - not nay purpose 90 ridiculc the !
men who have controlled your nc
tions for 50 long a while. So far n
the great body polite Is concerned, |
We care not 50 much who il Ia Office. |
provided good, wise and wholesome
laws are enacted and executed. That
such laws have not been ~ made ap- |
parent 90 even the carnal observer.
There i no material prosperity m
the country. Ten years have passed
away and with but very iew exccp-
tions your condition financially Is no |
better than when You were first
freed. You have been working here |
all this time, still you arr poor. Now
why Is snch the case To more !
than any one thing else, il is 10 be at. |
tributed 20 unwise legislation. With |
good government, there u no reason !
under the sun why Mis~issippians
should not be as prosperous a. other
people. There is no doubt 3ut Rad !
ical legislation has teDded much 10 !
deprcss the prosperity of our people. |
Many unwise and obnoxious laws
have been enacted. Your passions
have been appealed TO; diabolic lies
have been told you 10 prejudice you !
against the whites aud perpetuatc |
them in office lou should hear In |
mhnd that you suffer more than any
one else while such Is the case.
Now consider what say TO you.
At first you was offered land and !
mules II you would but support the
Radical party. You were told that
ifyou eountenanced any support to-
wards the Democratic party, yon
would be pat back into slavery. You
were then piomised that you should I
share with them In all the offices of
Tthe county. Now how have these |
promises been fulfilled Where j.
your male and forty acres Of land
Where Is the evidence Of your being
put into slavery. Tennessee, virgi- |
MIA, North Carolina, Georgia, Alaba- |
ma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and
KcntncKy have ell become Demo
cratic by large majorities, yet no
steps have been taken 10 enslave the
colorod people. Nor will there be
when Mississippi passes, a. II certain
ly viii, from under Radical rule.
How have the Offices been divided
with youf How do they propose
dividipg nowl. 1 viii admit a few
petty Offices have been given Won,
but in every instance where an Office
Is profitable, they have been gobbled
up by those who love you 40 fondly.
The time viii soon come when these
Offices are TO be pareeld out again.
Already you see they are striking
directly aher the paying ones. What
care they for yoa, 80 they grow iai
by deluding yous II II not time
YOU were opening your eyes and
looking TO your true interestg L. II
70 that you will always turna deaf
car 10 the voice of reason aud COM