The Osceola times., 1885-10-03
lCnInmnnicaieI |

SHAWNEE VILLAGE, sept. ~, 80
EDITOR TINES Dear Sir: Please
allow me space to submit the follow
, ing, while uniting in AN act Of JUS
tice to a'call of duty to my colored
; friends Of Mississippi county, Ark
, see in the Oscecla Times that DR.
ii. &. Dunavant has made an open
confession he has acknowledged
that he was born and raised among
colored people, and has no race pre-
judice, to which fact he says many
of his cplored friends can testify
but while he makes this acknowl-
edgement, see him trying to deny
it by claiming that this is white
mans country, and says that the
white men own the wealth and intel
ligence. l fankly submit to the
fact, they do own the wealth and in
telligence; but if ! understand any,
thirg about oul two Title Deeds the
word white found no place in the
original common Law; nor did it
find place in our two Title Deeds of
the Constitutional Liberty, each in
terpretting the other, and being the
fountain out Of which are derived
the rights and duties of all american
citizens. Nor again, did it find in
the constitutional amendment ex-
pressly defining citizen. How then
can it become limitation upon the
colored citizen of Mississippi county
that this is white mans country;
by what Title can any one say that
| am a white Lord? Every statute
and all Legislation, whether Nation-
al Or State, must be IN complete con
formity with the two Till, Deeds;
to these must they be brought as to
an uncrring Touohstone; and it is
the same with the State as with the
Nation. 1t is strange indeed, if an
odious discrimination, without sup
port in the original common Law, or
the Constitution, and openly con-
demned by the Declaration of In,
dependence, can escape judgement.
| hold that these truths are to be
self evident, that men arc created
equal, that they endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable |
rights; that among these, life and the
pursuit of happiness. Unquestion-
ably the Constitution supplies the
force by which these great rights
are maintained. hut | insist against
my friend and against all Others,
that every word in the Constitution
must be Interpreted by these pri
NAL, self eNident truth; sir, | camot |
see it otherwise. ! cannot see this
mighty magma oharta degraded to
the level Of a casual letter, or stem
of history. Why sirs, it is the Bap-
tismal vow of tie Republic; it is the
pledge which our four farthers took
upon their lips when they asked the
fellowship Of mankind as free and
Independent nation, Then ! would
beg him to show me how he can
claim this to be white mans coun-
try; have always thought that this
was country that all coul enjoy
his Potion, let him be white or col
ared. Although we admit that the
white men are the wealthy and do
possess vast quantities of wealth and
Intelligence; but mark, ii You please,
how many times the word white isl
mentioned in our two Tide Deeds,
but gentlemen understand that ! do
not alludc to these things in any
spirit of malice, Tor we have all to
lose and nothing To gain, they be
long to the history of the past, and !
treat them as would any other facts.
Of history.
For IN churchs charunl house.
Chuhs ar, hand 10 know
NJ = D,Nzry