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VOL. 1.
CAPTAIN J. E. BRYANT’S SPEECH, DELIVERED BENORE
THE FREEDMEN’S C'NVENTION,
G entlemen of the Georgia Equal Rights Association :
Having met in convention in pursuance of a call to, the friends of
impartial justice in this State, and having formed an Association,
you have elected me President.
l{i.ppe“ before you to accept the honor, and to thank you for the
coufidence you bhave manifested in me.
The call for this convention was addressed to the friends of impar.
tial justice, but was responded tv by colored men only. I trust tnat
I shall live to see the day, when a call of this kind will be responded
to equally by both races.
I am informed that some of your number felt, that, as colored
men only were represted in the convention, the officers of this As.
sociation should be colored men exclusively But that, after care
fully considering the subject, you were unanimous in your
selection. While I believe that you acted wisely in choosing your
President from among your white friends, I could wish that the
honor had been conferred upon some other person. But, after lis
tening to the remarks of the President of your coavention, who, in i
words that touched my heart as it has seldom been touched, assured
me, that in choosing one from the race of your oppressors, to act as
President of an Association, organized to secure for your race equal
rights, you manifested the confidence and esteem entertained for me
by yourselves and those whom you represent; I can not decline to
aocept the position, and I promise, that, with the help of Him, who
rules all nations and has by an almost miraculous display of power
given you freedom, I will not disappoint you, 1f my 'efforts in the
past have been such as to lead you to place confidence in me, I trust
' that nothing in my future conduct shall cause you to lose that con
fidence. I shall fyabor earnestly and fearlessly with what ability God
bas given me,
You have organized an Association to aid in securing for all, with«
out regard to race or color, equal political rights. 'lf you had chosen
for officers none but colored men, an impression would undoubtedly
have been created, that, although your Association was known as an
‘Equal Rights’ Association, it was, in fact, a society of colored men
alone. But, by your action, you have shown that you desire to co
operate with a// your friends.
You have taken the initiatory step, but, I believe, you will be
joined by a large number of the white race, friends of freedom and
progress.
You ask only political equality ; conscious that social equality doey
not exist, you neither expect or desire it, but you claim for yourselves
the right, conceded to wfiite wen, to select your associates and pro
test your wives and daughters from insult, promising safety to their
wives and davghters, so far as yourselves are concerned. .
I believe that this position is right, and that the time will come
‘th!_-,aqual political rights will be conceded to every mau in this
aßtry without regard to race, descent or aalor
’ “Truth, erushed to earth will rise again,
T The eternal years of God are hers,
? But error, wounded, writhes in pain
‘ Aud dies amid her worshippers.”
A few hundred years ago the inhabitants of Kurope were ignorant
of the existeuce of this Western continent. ‘But, suddenly, the
world, as it were, cpened on its hinges and revealed to the wondering
gaze of the old world a new continent,” rich in everything which
"nature could give, with mighty rivers, broad lakes and lofty moun~
tains, whose snowscapped summits pierced the clouds.
Men, who longed for civil and religious liberty, came to that wils
derness country, braving almost insurmountable difficulties and hard=
ships. Amid the storms of winter one company landed upon the
inhospitable shores of what is now New England. .
Other colonists settled in different parts of the country until they
numbered some more than threc millions.
Strange as it may seem, these men, who came here to escape from
veligious presecution, themselves persecuted those who differed from
them in religion.
And; what is yet more strange, men, who sought these shores that
they might escape from tyranny, established a tyranny mora hateful
than that which they bad endured. |
Such is human nature. Men deny to others what they claim for
themselves. The injunction of our Savior, ‘as ye would that men
should do to you, do ye also to them likewise’ is little regarded. The
ichabitants of this country were oppressed by the Government of
Great Britian, and after remonstrating until remonstrence ceased to
avail, they declared war against the mother couantry, and, presenting
tothe world the Deciaration of Independence, fought to establish
the truths therein contained. They declared that ‘all men'—not ‘
white men—but *all men’ are created equal; that they are
¢ndowed by there Creator with certain inalienable rights; ‘
that, among these, are life, liberty and the pursuit of bap-
Puess’ Standing upon this broad platform of egnal rights for all
mer, aod appealing to the God of battles our free fathers fought
B¢ven years, when victory crowned their arms. :
. There were then thirteen colonies, and, to unite them, establish
Justice and secure domestic tramquility, they formed a coustitution,
Which, with some amendments, was the Constitution of the United
Btates before the late war.
; We would suppose that a people who had fought for equal rights
t all men would have established a Government that would secure
¥ all that blessing,
But the descendents of those men. who escaped from tyranny in
”lle °‘: W°'H.,‘Rd established religious presecution in this; the peo
sn e_}: On :anc‘l‘et hon 3 Seven years struggle to establish a free Govern~
?n‘efbéi:_ v;; midcszom tyranny that ever cursed the earth, to exist
_ltis true that the statesmen, who framed the conrtitution, con-
Nidered slavery to be an evil that woulq be soon remedied, but interest
‘&revailgdi anl the institution speedily found able advoc’gtea’ and, in
vxme, o o the Goegel _held:\ that it was a divine institution,
%only at the South, did this feeling preuail. but. at the North
large numbers of men were found hg a 0 eeb v £
davery T and, who publicly or privately defended
vout the year 1854, many of the leaders of the two politi
b . reat politica
‘ m?‘o which the eouniry was then divided, believing e
Bt g o Loatependence sud loving liberty, brok-. off from these
I v a ncw pu:ty. P
ogy ering slavery an evil, not ovly to the master, the slave and
-~k but to the whole country, they determined, if possible, to
‘“c'::t its extension into the territories. ’
Vet could not, 'withc'gt'i‘”flo!#tjin% the Constitution of the
Py States, which'is the ‘supreme law of the eountry, interfere with
%fi? ' the States;' but'it dould réfuse to’ admit a State, whose
hfi:’l (;htl' not' prohibit slavery. This the’ Republican party
0.
1856 they attempted to elect a' President but fhiled: In 1860
Augusta, Ga., Saima
: 21;{35 again made the attempt, and were successfal, electing Mr. Lin
The Southern States decided to secede, aad this brought t
f |late war. At first the President attemptezi to crush the nfillig:, ax}:;
)| at the same time, protect slavery, but, after_fighting nearly two yoars
and becoming satisfiéd that the rebellion eduld not be crushed and
| séavery. preserved, on the Ist day of January, 1863, he issned his
mT:anxpatl.on P;ot(;llatgatwg. »
e armtes of the South were ;
{ exist in nearly all of the States. TN NN iy |Gt
. The Republican party, which, at the commencement of the war
intended to protect slavgry in the States, now advocated universal
freedom. _To secure this, Congress passed a resolution to amend the
Constitution of the United States. :
This havig been ratified by two thirds of the States (une of which
[am bappy to say, is our State of Georgia) slavery has ceased to
exist in the United States, Now the Republican party places itself
lupon the broad platform of Equal Rights te aZ. ~ There our fathers
stood when they fought the war of the revelation, and thers we stand.
l _ Haviog been a member of the Republican party since its organiza~
tion, I am happy to acceot the Presidency of an Association, which
advocates its policy in this the Empirc State of the South.
Be.cpt.ning, ad you do, a part of the great Republican party, so far
as thig is possible in your present condition, it is important that you
do your part in securing the grand objects which it advocates. You
may perhaps thiok you can do nothing. You can do much ; I might
almost say that you can decide the question. If you, asa people,
shall be industrious and peaceable; if you become educated, and,
so far as you can consistently with selfsrespect, cultivate friendly
relations with those who were formerly your masters, it will be as
impossible to deprive you of the rights which other citizens enjoy as
it would be to prevent the ebb and flow of the ocean.
I have full faith that your future will be bright ; but a great work
is before you. It will be my duty, and Ican assure you that it will
be a pleasurable duty, to assist, s 9 far as I am able; in doing this
not only are you benefitted, but the State also.
There are in Georgia five hundred thousand freedmen. They
have beretofore been laborers and have done much to develope the
resources of the State. If you are not as a people industrious, not
only would you remain poor and become a burden to the State
but property holders would likewise suffer. ;
They would however, in time, fill your places with laborers from
abroad, and drive you from their midst. If you shall be industrious
as [ fully beliéve you will be, then it will be “for the interest of men
of property to retain you.
It can not be expected that you will be industrious unless you re
ceive fair compensation for your labor. This I shall endeavor to aid
you in securing. . i
Formerly yow smams -Llged ve 00l op subiitt W 0 punsnment, Now
you must be ¢rduced to work, not tompeléd to do it. |
If you are not industrious when you are justly treated, not only |
will Southern men drive you from their midst, but Northern men
will not intefere in your behalf, for the latter dispise the idle, they |
'bhave ‘ no use’ for the lazy. j I
- It was for the interest of your master that you should be igno
rant, it ss for the interest of @Z/ that you shall be educated You {
will be better laborers if educated. Men do not naturally love work,
they are induced to work from necessity or interest. That man |
who has the most wants will usually labor with the greatest industry
unless these wants are supplied without labor. The more intelligent
men are the more wants they have, hence it is for the interest of
all that the laborers shall be educated. The more enlightened the
inhabitants of a State become, the more prosperous will it be.
New England, with its cold climate »nd unproductive soil, exerts a
powerful influence in this country because its people are educated,
while the sunny Sounth, with its genial climate, is less prosperous
because its laboring class is uneducated. .
I believe that you will be peaceable because when you had cause
to fight for liberty, you looked to God for deliverance. Even when
your maters were absent in the army, fighting to rivet your chains
more firmly, leaving their wives and children unprotected, you were
faithful. Now that God has heard your prayers, and your friends
are laboring to secure to you your rights, your will, I feel certain,
conduct yourselves as law abiding citizens; although outrages are
committed upon your people that we should expcct ouly in the dark
ages and in the most barbous country, do not allow yourselves to be
goaded by these to break the piece. You arenot enly alowea to dé~
fend yourselves and families, but true manhood demands that you
do it. v
Cultivate friendly relations with every person, if possible. You
wish to live in this State, and if you live here you wish to do soin
peace. Many of the best men in your midst are your friends, and
wish to g've you justice. The Governer of the State has said kind
words of you. Although lam unacquainted with him, yet 1 have
reason to believe that he is not only a highly educated and accom
plished gentleman and an able statesman, but a christian men who
will do what he believes to be his duty. The best men in the
State intend to be just, and although justice in their esti
maiion may not mean egnal po’itical rights, yet, exemplary conduct
on your part will perhaps induce them to advoeate even these.
Many of the most wealthy citizens of the State have been reduced
almost to poverty; others have but littls besides their lands and
stock. They are disheartened, believing that you will not work
faithfully, and seeing nothing encouraging in the future. Disappoint
these men: show them that a freeman is a better laborer than a
slave. If you do this, you will not only make them your friends, but
you will make them friends of freedom, and they will aid you in
securing your rights. Go forth and work out your dest.m)f! The
eyes of the world are upon you; somc expecting, many fearing your
failore, and y.t others tremblingly trust you, while many bave _full
confidence in your final success. In the lat..t.ex.' class lam r‘?"km‘_"d’
and, with you and for you, I will labor, believing that you will leave
@ Footprints in the sands of Time,
Footprints that perhaps another,
Passing o'er life’s troubled main,
Some forlorn and shipwreeked brother,
Seeing may take heart again.”
RESOLUTIONS OF THE FREEDMEN’S CONVENTION
OF GEORGIA.
Wiiereas, The colored ocitizens of the State of Georgia, are here,
for the first time i the history of the Government, represented by
their delegates in convention assembled, and
Whereas, It is a duty which we owe to our common country and
the world, to define our position, that all may koow what political
rights'we claim under the Government which has made us a free
people, therefore be it £ s
Resolved, 'That we claim for ourselves the digoity of manhood in
common' with all other men of whatever race, that we are endowed
-| Py our ULreator with all, and the same inalicnable rights that are
other men’s, and that we cannot be deprived of these rights by any
| earthly power, nor can any power or individual infringe those rights
|+ without insulting bumanity and violating the plainest teachings of
| ehristianity. . ‘ -
| Resolved, That our people are daily subjected Yo the most cruel
| abuses by men who, in defiance of law and auth‘ority, violate and out
rage the simplest form of moral justice, and we cail therefore upon
| the Government to to bring to speedy justice all such criminals and
| thus n.t only vindicate our cause, but the principles of liberty and
right. !
gßesolued, That our most profound gratitude is under Providence,
due the Executive and, Legislative authorities of the Government for
bestowing upon us our original liberty, and that we respectfully ask
the same powers to maintain and secure to us the same personal safe
ty, to the enjoyment of the fruits of honest industry and economy,
that are enjoyed by other men. o
Resolvec}. That as a people who have ever—under all circumstan«
ces, in slavery and in freedom—been loyal and steadfast in our sup
port of the Government, we can more rightfuily complain of the de«
nial of the right of sufferage than can those lately in arms against
the constituted authorities of the land, complain of Congress for de
nying them a representation upon its floor.
Resolved, That we believe firmly, as did the founders of this Re
public, that ‘all Governments derive th ir just powers from the con
sent of the governed.’ ; :
Resolved, That inasmuch as by an act of Congress approved July
17th, 1862, the President was authorized to employ in the military
and naval service of the United States, persons of African descent ;
and whereas, the same act declares that all persons so serving, to~
gether with mother, wife, and children of each, ‘shall forever there-~
after be free’ and whereas, all such persons proved their loyalty and
courage on many a welltought battlefield, and thousands sealed their
devotion to the Union with their blood, we are of the opinion that
the survivors are entitled to all the rights, privileges, and immunitiés
that are all other person’s who served in the army and navy,
Resolved, That all persons employed or permitted to work on the
premises of another, without a written contract, are under an implied
contract, and are therefore, entitled to just and full compensation’ for
all services rendered.
- Resolved, That the interests of our race can be represented aad
‘defended fully, only by our own chosen dele ates, and that it is’ un
reasonatle to suppose that those who once geprived us of our natu
ral rights will now pursue or advocate and sustain a policy com
mensurate to our necessities.
Resotved, That we claim the right, under the rules of common
Law, to be tried, for all offences; by a jury of, eur peers, and thas
BReWBRL SBB S hOSGUBRE St ‘157 or Tate, ;
. Resolved, That every instinct of our nature demands equal justice
without any equivocation or evision of natural rights, but we do not
in any respect desire social equality beyond the transactions of the
ordinary business of life, inasmuch as we deem our own race, equal
to all our wants of purely social enjoyment.
’ Resolved, That, inasmuch as we are now a free people we regard
‘the action of certain religious bodies in trying to hold from us church
property which was purchased and pail fgr by our own earnings
while we were in slavery, as totally unwarranted by any principles
of honor or justice, a disgrace to the religion they profess, and an
outrage upon those whom they pretend to recognize as brothers in
the same faith ; that we claim all such property as our own, and that
we not only have the right to hold and control it, but the right to
unite in brotherhood with any christian body that may, in its teache
ings and sympathies, accord with our feelings.
Resolved, That to our friends in the North who are giving so free
ly, and are sacrificing all the comforts aud enjoyments of home, to
come among us and assist in our mental and moral elevation deserye
our sincerest gratitude and most hearty sympathy and support, and
that we invoke the gracious favor and protection of the Almighty to
rest upon tham.
Resolved, That we discountenance vagrancy and pauperism among
our people, and that we will make it our especial business to aid every
cne to obtain employment and encourage them to éarn a competency
by honest labor and judicious economy.
Resolved, That we sball support such publications, and patronize
such merchants and other business men only among the white popu
lation as are our true friends—who sympathize with us in afi our
difficulties, and who will at all times maintain our rights, but becanse’
the principles of justice are eternal, and are by the God of nature
vouchsafed alike to ¢every human creature. < i
Resolved, That we deem it the duty of the Government to dispose
of any lands it may own to the freed people, at such rates, and upon
such terms, as will enable them to pay for them without embarras<
ment ; and thus to secure to themselves and their children perma
nent homes,
Resolved, That all that bas been produced by any person occupy-~
ing lands under the authority of the United States belongy to the
person or persons producing the same, and no person or persons can
legally deprive them of it under the laws of the United States.
- Resolved, That, whereas, the slaves in certain States and parts of
States were declared to be free by ABranam LincoL, President of
the United States, issued on the first day of Jaouary, a. ». 1863 ;
therefore, they are justly entitled to receive, and shoald reéceive com
pensation for services rendered by them since that date.
Tue SamariTans.— Of the people who once peopled Samaria, and
disputed with the Jews themselves the titlé of God's ehosen nation,
only a small rempant exists. A few years and even the tenacious
East will know them no more, and only the ruins of their town and
their memory will linger in the land which they have inhapited for
nearly three thousand years.
The remnant of the Samaritans are at present found in and abqut
Nablus, the ancient Sichem or Sicbar. Here in the sacred cradle of
their race, under the shadows of Mount Ebal and Gerizim, and around
the tomb of Jzcob and Joseph, the few famiilies who preserve alive the
name of this old people still cluster. Persecuted by the Jews, be—
cause they were not Jews; persecuted, and still being persecuted by
their Mobammedan masters as though they were of that hated race,
these people have dwindled down at the most to a few hurdred souls;
still clinging to their ancient hopes ; s:ill regarding themselves as
exclusively the children of the covenant; and still looking forward
with confidence to the coming Messiali and the restoration of theio
nation. Marvellous is the tenacity of their faith! The faot of their
existence and of the hopes which théy cherish, make every trust.
worthy account of this singular peoplé & welcome addition to our
literature, whether religious or secular. More than the Jews them
selves, the Samaritans have a right' to' boast of the purity of their
blood for almost at least a thousand years, and they still bear in their
persons the marks of their unmixed descent from the mixed races witl
which the policy of the Assyrian conqueror pevpled Samaria.
No. 2.