The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1865-12-19
From the Macon (Ga journal and Messenger
Como aud Let Is Henson Together

From the Macon (0a Journal and Messenger
Come and Let us Reason Together,
Why should most OF the Northern news
papers pursue the South with such vindic-
tive rigor and animosityp Why should
they be so diligent In putting the worst
possible construction upon all that we do or
fail TO do-impeaching our faith, honor aud
integrity, and imputing to us directly Orin
directly revengeful feelings and odious de-
signs upon the freed blacks, and q general
disposition TO do mischief and make trou-
BILE for the Government, We ask these pa
pers to reconsider all the facts and cirouin-
stances of our unhappy case with candor,
and II they find, upon such review, that
they are needlessly iniianing the popular
hatred aud mistrlist of the South, to abate
their maledictions. .U.fff U.IE
!. Let them consider that since the sur
render of the Confederate armies, the
Southern people all, without exception,
have submitted themselves INTERESTINGLY to
the will of the cOnquerOrs. No outbreak
of any kind has indicated the slightest re-
sistance to the most absolute domination
from the kitchen TO the Capitol. The sub
mission has been more complete than in
any instance history records. The Saxon
was In some cases stung into bloody though
unavailing strife with his Norman master:
but here In the South, as bold and proud a
race as ever drew sword-entitled by
and f-government-haVe submitted
without solitary struggle to the revolu-
ton and control Of all their domestic, so
cial and political affairs. Is this a temper
and behavior which gives space for fair
inisoonstructiOn, or should provoke de-
nunciations from the conqueror? Could
more be conceded and thus having every
Interest Of the Southern man at their absO-
Lutte disposal, can not they suit themselves
xUithOllt fnrfhpr ahnaa or m firm ati in,,
2. That In the particular charges Of cruel
and unfair designs upon the African race,
which they urge, the entire history OF the
SOuthern people gives ample warrant for
the belief that they are ill-founded. The
events and discoveries of the late war must
have satisfied the most bigoted AboItionist
that the negroes, as a class have always,
been well cared for end protected in the
Southern coiintry. The emost violent oppo-
nents of the system of slavery have Com
fessed so much. I .9I .a..,,..... M
3. But third and lastly, we will present
this simple, common sense suggestion. Is
II not now, more than ever, matter of the
plainest self-interest TO the Sonth that the
negro should be prosperous and comforta-I
blep If they are thrown upon society as
paupers, vagrants or criminals, who must
suffer but the South ? The North may feel
the loss of production, and some of the cost
of public disorder and ruin of the South,
in the way of diminished trade, but the
South must pay for the subsistence of the
vagrant and pauper and the legal prosecu-
ton and punishment OF the malefactOr. If
emancipation shall prove a remediless blum
der, every man In the South will feel IL In
the loss Of all his property--in the forfeit
ure OF his entire stake In the common pros
perity. There Is not, therefore, a man In
Georgia, or in the South. capable of putting
two and two together, who does not feel a
much greater Interest in the fortunes of the
freed negro than the Northern man can
possibly do. at
We are all under bonds, 10 the extent of
our fortunes aud our attachment to native
soil, to make the negro, if possible, a com
Portable, sclf-supporting and eontented
member of society. Do these bitter North
ern occusers think we are too blind and
ignorant not to recognize so patent a fact
And why then should they ascribe diff
ference In the character, or the measure Of
the remedies proposed, Lo u mean, malig-
nant and splteful revenge upon the poor
blacks, which no man feels, because no man
can see any reason for feeling any spite
against the race. Ii is not their fault they
are free. Left alone they would have res
mained the same cOntented and happy peo-
Pile they were before the war. But II the
Southern whites fail TO see any remedial
agency In political suffrage for the woes
and wants of the free black, why should H.
be charged TO bitter antipathy and hatred,
rather than TO the conviction arising from
more intimate knowledge OF negro cbarac-
ter capacity and necessitles? We insist
upon the justice of fair, reasonable con-
struction, and To the forbearance due TO un-
resisting subjects OF the North.