Year: 1867

RICHMOND, VA, April 10,
Watchman! Tell US of the night" 1t
is to do this that have come to Richmond.
1t is to do it that l am going through the
South to the Rio Grande How about the
negro vote How about reconstruction
will the rebels or the loyalists, Johnson or
Congress, get the votes Of the negroes Will
not number go with their masters even
though the majority may not do so2 Ques-
tiOns like these were asked me often while |
was North that determined to answer them,
if possible, by knowing whereof l affirmed.


Yesterday l was in the midst of about
two thousand of the black men of Richmond
and vicinity, and in an address embracing
the present condition of affairs in the South,
| touched upon the colored vote which the
colored people would soon cast for or against
those who vet believed slavery for them was
right and freedom a calamity. and for or
against the great principles of the Declara-
tion of Independence and those of the Chris
tian religion. The audience surprised that 1
should have put such questions and at the
close OF the meeting one man came and said
Friend: do you 'spose we colored people
forgot how de fire burned US once? ?" DO
you 'spose we is a gwine to put our hands





versation with the old man, ascertained
some interesting facts. He said that the
man who formerly owned him came to him
the other day and said: Robert, now you
are free, and suppose you will soon vote
like the rest Of US. want to know wheth
er you will vote for the yankees or for the
old friends who stood by you all your life"
Nov Robert, you know always loved
you and cared for you as father would for
a son, and now could YOU vote for a strang-
er against me 2" Robert tells me he answser-
ed lin about as follows: Well, Massa,
you was kind to speak to me so dis mornin.
and dat subject what you mention is some
thin new, and hasn't given it much atten-
ton yet when, Lord bless my soul my
heart was like to split, for 1 knew it wasn't
so at all, cause has given more attention
of late dan has to my church and religion;
and when 1 was talking to him knew we'll
enough I would never vote de way he votes
He was kind enough, to he sure-I gives
him credit for dat-but still he was an off
Ger in the rebel army, and he fought mighty
hard against you all, and against dis free
dom what l now enjoys, and isn't gwine
to forget dat very soon, no indeed isn't
Several smart-looking men stood by and



terested in all he said. They would say, oc-
casionally, while Robert was speaking, "Yes
Lord, dat's how feels exactly"


The men who calculate on the negro vote
of the South in the interest of slavery. or in
the interest of those who fought for slavery.
are foolish. One of the walters of the hotel
where 1 am stopping told me that there was
crazy "nigger" in Petersburg who saws he
will vote for his old Massa-" now since de
black people has got de right to suffer-" He
thus expressed the fact that there were none
OF that mind in this city. DE right to
sufer"-said the waiter-"Dat shows he's
crazy; and if he should vote for his old mas
sa, and ever become sensible man, he will
think he deserved the right to suffer-"


The idea of voting that way is simply out
OF the question in this city. They may in
remote places, and in too large numbers to
he pleasant, vote with their old owners
through fear, but if we strengthen them
with organization and a thorough knowl-
edge Of the situation, as we are now trying
hard to do, the case will be the same in the
country as in the cities.


= The harvest is ripe for the Republicans,
and all they have to do is to thrust in the
sickle and reap. If they neglect to do it,
they must not grumble by and by if they
find others, the enemies of the blacks, fore
ing them by threats and violence, or by
and enticements, to vote with
them.


A half million of dollars now expended
in the promotion of loyal organizations and
the circulation of loyal literature through
out the South is the thing of necessity this



saw some white Unionists to-day, who
are in here from the country They are
clamorous for help. If they only had the
means werewith to organize and work they
would go right on. They are burning with
zeal but pinched with poverty Our friends
In the North have no idea how anxious
these loyalists, black and white, are to be
united for work in the loyal cause. They
say they can carry the State if they are help.
ed little now.


A Radical Convention meets here on We'd
nesday, when some steps are to be taken to-
ward State organization. Some of our
trends think the organization of a State
republican party had best be left to a sub