The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-05
GOOD COUNSEL
How q Democratic Governor Talks to
the Negroes.

Governor Smith, of Georgia, by request
addressed the late colored emigration con-
vention at Atlanta. In substance ne said
81 will tell,you what think, plainly and
honestly. and it is for you to digest. 1t is
said that the object OF your convention is
to consider the question of emigration to
the west You are free American citizens
free to go anywhere in this country, or
expatriate yourselves, and no one has a
right to say nay. There is nothing wrong
in the mere fact But is it to your inter-
est to go? There's the rub Each must
determine that question for himself. One
man may find it to mis- interest to 20, while
another may find it to his interest to stay.
No convention can determine this ques
ton for you. He who goes to strange
land relying upon the statements OF others
cheats himself, The man who lures him
loses nothing, but gains. What though
you die and your wife and children suner
1t is nothing to him as long us ne gets MS
ner cent. Is it proper fer you to go from
vour own country? 1t is fashionable for
some TO classify the people into whites and
colored, as if their interests were separate.
but don't think so. have no interest
at stake. but tell you plainly and candid
ly that il every colored man left the state,
in ten years Georgia would be richer than
before. This. is no reflection on your in
dustry either. Georgia is too rich in her
resources to grow up wilderness. In the
north and Europe all the agricultural and
mechanical labor performed by You here is
performed by white men. The richest of
these countries is not blessed so much nat
urally as ours. IF every white man left
the state, still it would not grow up will
derness. There would be men who would
come in and appropriate what and you
have abandoned. If il is to your interest
to leave, in Gods name gol BUTT is a
fearful risk In 1866 recollect there
was an exodus of negroes to Mississippi
from Georgia. Many of my old servants
went. Scores Of those who went now
sleep under the sod along the banks of
that river. They were unacquainted with
the climate or its people. see among
the list of delegates to this conventit n
the name of one who figured in that
exodus as a leader, and sent them
away without going himself, He is here
to-day to enact the same role lCries OF
we will stay, from all parts ofth house.
Do you intend to trust such men? You
can't live without labor. There is NJ
country where you can live without labor
and wouldn't want to live in such {
country if it existed, Labor, instead o.
being the primeval curse, is the primeva
blessing. The colored people who lef
Houston county found no such paradise
and many of them walked back becaus
they had no money. The remedy for dc
feat in election is to emigrate, is it? Yo
needn't talk about congress or legislature
doing YOU any good. 1t is achieved not D
LEGISLATION. but by intelligence. Iii ,."
ourselves in Gsesssia' a"1 you VIII s'an
yout ',- --.%srits as men, lou say you ar
on Med out of your labor. Where will 20
go that you will not be cheated? Don
you find amoung your own race sharper
to take advantage of you? Sharp shrew
men always slip through the fingers c
the law. Will jurors Of your own cole
gre you more justice than white men
There are counties in Georgia where NJ
groes are placed on the jury, and justice
no better administered there than an,
where else. The jury is governed by ey
dence, and the great wrong is false swea
ing. Intelligence is the criterion for Juror
and not color There are not 1000 me
in Fulton county who are on the iur
The guilty may desire the ignorant to II
them, but the innocent are sure TO wal
men of Intelligence as jurors. He is sho
sighted who expects absolute peace in tn
world. Will you go to country whe
you won't suffer? Are the people of t!
west any better than our people? I'll
only guarantee of peace you can have
that the law gives. When the law is RICH
then fortunes depend on the citizen. [
your duty here and you will live as peac
fully as anywhere under the sun. AS go
ernor of the state, ] know no distinction
color in the enforcement of the law. TT
law is supreme. Because a man is Igno
ant, is no excuse for crime [ have pa
doned as many colored as white. IF III;
commits crime the law must be enforced
aye, shall be entorced-for in that enforc
ment is guarantee of peace and prospe
ity. Do you duty to yourselves Al
take my advice: if you find it to your i
terest to go, then 60 and make your lea
ers go with you.