The Loyal Georgian, 1866-01-27

: 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 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 receive - ceive receive 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 ignorant, - rant, ignorant, 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 accomplished - plished accomplished 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 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."

' "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 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 peosn - sn peosn 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, the Constitution of the Py States, which'is the 'supreme law of the eountry, interfere with ' the States;' but'it dould réfuse to' admit a State, whose (;htl' not' prohibit slavery. This the' Republican party 0. 1856 they attempted to elect a' President but fhiled: In 1860

-| 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 outrage - rage outrage 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 safety, - ty, safety, 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 support - port support 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 denying - nying denying them a representation upon its floor. Resolved, That we believe firmly, as did the founders of this Re Republic, - public, Republic, that 'all Governments derive th ir just powers from the con consent - sent consent 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 unreasonatle - reasonatle unreasonatle to suppose that those who once geprived us of our natu natural - ral natural rights will now pursue or advocate and sustain a policy com commensurate - mensurate commensurate 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, ;

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 carefully - fully carefully 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 listening - tening listening 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 confidence. - fidence. confidence. 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 cooperate - operate cooperate 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 wen, to select your associates and pro protest - test protest 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

. 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 freely, - ly, freely, 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 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 permanent - nent permanent 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 compensation - pensation compensation 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 - because cause because 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 themselves, - selves, themselves, 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.

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