Year: 1867




In bis appeals 70 the negroes for sup
port down South. it does not sppesf that
Senator Wilson bad every shinephi own
way. AT Montgomery, Alabama. he
challenged the natives to combat and Gen
ersl Canton was permitted 10 answer him.
The audience were mostly negroes. 20
whom Wilson had been appealing for po-
lisical fraternity, alleging that they owed
their dcliverance from slavery to the good
will and not to the necessities of the rad
ical party. Upon this point. Clanson took
ISSUE and proved that the Government
during the rebellion declared. again and
again. that the war was not commenced
nor WAS i. waged with any view Of disturb
ing the relations Of master and slave in the
South. Mr. Lincoln, be further urged.
had repeatedly pledged in the most public
manner that slavery should not be inter
fered with, if the South would give up the
rebellion. The South was threatened with
emancipation if she persisted in the war.
On the one hand, says the General, "the
Government offered Us union and slave
ry," and iD the other was rebellion and
emancipation" Having gone 20 war on
principle, the South choose&tke latter
No man knows this beq1r than the honor
able Senator Nor wilL he or General
Swayne, who is on the stand, deny, the as
sertion am now going to make, oat We
could have gone back in the Union and
held you as our slaves to-day. You are
not indebted to the North or the South for
your freedom, but to God. Instead of
abusing us. you ought to remember tha,
this rebellion, which you are taught to des-
pise. by your enemies and ours. who only
come amongst you for your votes, was an
instrument in the hands Of God for your
deliverance, so far as mortal eye can devise
the purposes Of the Creator.


The Southern people do not envy you
your freedom. They would not restore
you to bondage if they could. They have
your well-being at heart. did not fire
gun for slavery. More than half the South
e1n army never owned slave. Hardce.
Cleburne. and many others. signed pc
tition long before the war closed. for your
freedom, and to afford you an opportunity
to volunteer and assist your white friends
of the South in achieving Southern inde-
pendence.


President Davis recommended this
course, ard |, in the theatre. in this city,
endorsed his policy in the presence of
very largo assembly. and stated that l
would take pleasure in commanding COL
ored troops. You acted we'll your part
during that unfortunate struggle, for which
you deserve. and have, the gratitude of
every Southern man and woman in our
midst. Again as to how you became free:
The North aided to free you with bayonst
and by military proclamations only as they
believed it would injure US and raise up
hostile element in our midst To render
this act of theirs valid and constitutional it
was necessary that we should act. We
called together our conventions, and with
out hesitation made you constitutionally
free forever. We also gave you the right
to testify in cases where you are interest d I,
and | advocated. in this State House, your
right7 to testify in all cases.


His party is in power, and he is he-e aid !
ing to keep them So He is here to form
> political alliance with you and what few
whites can be induced to join him. They
want office, they want spoils, and they want
to retain power. 1t is quite pleasant and
profitable to them. 1t is not because they
love you better than other people. l warn
you against him and all like him, at home
or from abroad.