Year: 1867

A large meeting was held at Green
vile, April 4, of which Richmond Will
liams was elected chairman. He ad-
dressed the meeting as follows:


Ny FRIENDS AND FELLow-CITIzENs
None of us here tonight are orators.-
None of us can express ourselves elo-
qucntly, or even properly; but we are
here as Freedmen. We have rights
and privileges which we never owned
before. We have a right to vote.
Ours is the privilege of helping to elect
officers who shall make laws for us, and
[ want every man to understand who
are his friends, and when the day comes
to he careful who he votes for. We are
exposed to enemies wolves will come
to us in sleeps clothing they will try
to turn us from our friends; we must
be very careful Our conduct, if good,
will keep our rights if bad, we may
lose them. / want every man to be
united. Let us all pull together, and
be good and faithful citizens. We are


under one of the best Governments that
God ever let the sun shine upon. We
want every man to understand his posi-





defies the world to trample upon it.
Our former position was that of a lone
boatman upon the wide waters without
rudder or paddle, while near him were
plenty of human beings who might if
they choose put paddle in his hands,
but they did not choose when some
body, further removed from the poor
boatman, made desperate effort and
threw a paddle over the heads of
the unhelping, unfeeling men around
him, with the words, "Now paddle
your own canoe" We hear much talk
about who are our friends. This now
we know that until now we never had
any rights or privileges. 1t must have
been a friend that gave them to U.S.
Three years ago some of us had little
knapsack or carpet bag. Thank God
mOac we have got a Bureau great ap-
plause), and in that Bureau there are
many provisions for us. Let us pre-
serve them. 1t is thought and said by
some that we can never be anything;
that we are an inferior race, and Of no
account. Let us resolve to be as good
and faithful citizens as the country
boasts.


Wilson Cook addressed the meeting
as follows:


My FRIENDS Il am proud of the
opportunity of expressing my feelings
to this body of gentlemen. It's the
first time in my life that I've had the
privilege Of expressing my feelings in
public. Who granted us these privi-
leges Did our Legislature at their last
session grant us these rights? | think
not but the best friend we have in the
world gave them to us. Beverly Nash
Potomac. I think not l know they
are not. Our former masters should
be our best friends, but are they? The
Scriptures say we must prove them
Mr.. Nash says he had rather trust old
masters than any other men, but where
did they leave us? why in the mud
We must reason among ourselves, and
decide who are our best friends. Be
careful that you cast your votes not to
cut your own throats. If your old mas
ter comes to you and draws bad pic
turc, and tells you what will happen in
ten years, you be very careful! The



After all the Republicans have done for
us shall we say they are our enemies ?
| had rather be taken out in some old
field and hung first. [ have offered
81 800 in gold for myself, and they said,
Wilson Cook, that day will never
come but the day came when the good
old Stars and Stripes waved over here,
and they said, Wilson Cook, you are
free, and have got your 800 yet
loud cheering, and now shall [ turn
traitor to the ones who planted the good
old flag in our midst? Rather hang
me. Once we were slaves now we are
freedmen. Let us do our duty by our
country and we will be people yet, if
we behave ourselves The United !
States says so, and believe it. See all
they have done for us and what they
are now doing. Look at the teachers |
who have left their homes, deprived |
themselves of society, and sub jected |
themselves to the sneers of our former
owners-and for what? Why, for us. |
Who built our school, houses, and who |
teaches our children ? Did we or can
we do it ourselves? No; without help
we can do nothing. We are thankful |
that darkness is going away, and as the
light dawns upon the freedman's mind
he will know who to vote for, and we
will prove ourselves a grateful people
yet. Look man in the eyes when you
talk to him. Some have said we would |
como to nothing. [ am not uneasy
We will do right, and if we die with |
the United States on our side, then say
come death quick.


Resolutions adopted by the Union
Republican party, Charleston, S. c..
were then read by Frank Williamson,
Secretary, who referred particularly to
the fourteenth resolution:


s'That we will not support any can
didate for office who will not openly in
dorse, advocate, and defend the princi-
piles adopted by the Union Republican
party, as herein set forth"


The following remarks were then
made by Mr.. Williamson:


The Southern people say they are our
best friends. 1t is for us to decide.
The privileges we now enjoy would
never have been granted US by our for
mer masters. You all know by whom
they are granted, and it seems to me
MIGHTY hard fo turp oroinct ou, NJ