Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-16

!
Y fectly well that hey are utteri,
q helpless, they have no means, in tbei
own hands, Of redressing any wrongs @
e Injuries. however small, that may bt ll
=. fiicted up0n them. II Is. moreover, quit
certain, that. if the radical Republicans
, Row said % be In a two-thlrd majority
y in both Houses OF Congress continue q
4 be dominant In that degree they VIII b
the controlling power in the Government
Y and, bv every rational conclusion tina
can be- deduoed from the spirit and de
e signs manifested Ia the speeches aul
writings OF the leaders Of that part.T, in
4 and out of Congress, the states o. tbs
2 South, once in rebellion, viii Be gov
erned for an indefinite period, fol
: ten or twenty years, or for
generation. as conquered provinces, ~
> Territories Of the United States-witt
such liberties or privileges, as citizens o.
. the Territories, as g majority Of theil
canQueTors may think proper 70 concedS
or dictate g them. as a conquered people
Then why should the people Of the South
D hesitate 20 aCcede 10 eny reQuisitiun OI
! suggestion, implying no dishonor, com
Z ing from such q friend 20 their interest
r and welfare az President johnson could
: show himself 70 lie, consistently with
Z his sense Of what is due 10 bis station
B dian Of q Government thst has been
I 50 recently compelled % defend IL
s-f aguinsL a most formidable aud
. fearful rebellion atan immense cost, both
OF blood and treasure Can the Presl-
. dent be thought To be offensive by being
dictat1riai Id his demands up0u the peO-
? pie Of the South" Or can he be truly
said 70 be illi1eral, or willing 10 see them
Cunecessarily humiliated, IN conoediug
what he asks Of them9 What man Of
? auv experience or observation iu affairs
Of Government does not know and ac-
knowledge that q President may s0ule-
times be compelled, by sound policy, to
make 70 q powerful opposition. e0nces-
-ions, as modificati0nsof MS own favorite
pisus and policy, which his indivit-
uaI iGdgment may not dictate or
approve Let any man C0nteE-
plate President Johnson, If he wishes TO
do him fll justice, surrounded with the
highest responsibilities and the most
appalling di difTiCulties that ever before en-
harrassed or perpieXed a President Of the
7 United States, the entire novelty OF his
Position, without any precedent, any old
landmarks, any highway trOd in former
times 10 guide him, having 10 grope his
1 way IL the dark, at the risk Of making
I hlunder ar every step that may be fatal
/ 20 bis administrator and 70 the cause Of
I free government and withal, knowing as
I he has probably known from the first,
Z that he would be opposed by a fierce and
+ powerful opposition, that may be goaded
+ % vindietiVeness. in their course. by pro-
claiming thau his policy, if not defeated,
viii rescue from their grasp what
they consider their lawful prey
the legitimate frjiit OF their victory over
the South IN the late war; and who
claim, in addition to the twelve thousand
uHlliou Of dollars they have taken from
the southern people from Union men as
well as rebels the estimated value OF
their siaves-the cOuGscatIon Of all the
lands aud other property OF the rebels.
Win this view Of his situation, who
shall ssy that the President ought not gr
might not make some concessions 10 his
0ppUueuts, as TO their desires in the de-
mands or reguisifiJus he makes on the
south II may BE- that the President
thought So his duty to make s)nle reQui-i-
lions that should be regarded aa nnuI IN
their nature, and such Is ought to he iu-
iic1ed with his sanction, as a punish
meut for rebellion
Negro Suffrage.
The President has expressed no wish
and made no requisItiOn as in other cases
regarding the concession of the right af
suffrage 90 the freedmen or negro, and
tilis because ne believes that each state
has the exclusive right 90 regulate that
question for itself; but doubtless he
w0Ul3 be grstiicd by a prompt and Lb-
eral exercise Cf that power by their leg
I islaCuras or Conventions Ia FORMING their
Constitutions, as such course would
tend 20 satisfy the North that the South
are not disposed 20 sct iliiberally OF un-
l. rfa4H
As &c the basis or standard
of merit or qualification by
which the granting Of the right Of suf-
T mage shall be regulated. surely the most
+ liberal basis or t6st OF qualification
adopted BY any Northern or Eastern
state ought to be satisfactory % the whole
T North. / am not informed what Qualii-
cations ere required at the present time
I in Massachusetts,; but g few years ago 1
! believe. property to the value Of two huu-
{ dred and fifL-- dollars and 70 be able %
read and write, entitled the free man Of
color % q vote. 4 grant OF the right Of
] suffrage 20 the southern free men n color
unou such q basis or standard 0f merit
cannot be dangerous. ] am persuaded II
would be entirely safe and proper
Negro rossiEBSay.
/ The question of granting 10 the negro
/ the right 10 testify in courts OF Justice, or
( before magistrates, whether for lr against
white nleu, in al cases, IN which the
rights of black men are involved or con-
/ cerned, Is one Of the most repulsive, not
I 70 say abhoTrent, propositions that can
/ be presented 10 the southern planter
aud 70 white men generally, who are ac-
guainted with the traits or points most
marked and noted in the African race.
/ There Is nothing that so shocks the feel
] inzs and r0uzes The preiudices INTO more
/ Intense action among the masses Of the
S0uthefn people than the suggestion
3 that their life and property should
3 Le eXpOsed 10 the hazards 70
/ which the admission Of Negro testimony,
as they think, would necessarily subject
] them. Much Of this aDEorreuce Of the
Z idea Of negro testimony I believe % be
Z the result Of prejudice. ! have observed
] the UecuiiaTities of the race with care,
/ and / have Keen some freemen among
them, and some la a state Of seryiudci
/ and from a knowledge of whose charap-
ter, I would credit their testimony IN a
court of Justice, as readily as that Of .
/ white mas, o. 40 higher grade OF inJeill-
/ renee or capacity for close observation /;
hut II is nevertheless true that the
I great mass of the African race appears
I 70 have q i0e estimate OI tue value Of
Z truth a. sn element Of character, as
means Of advancing their interest among
. their fellWs equally as among the
I whites. To is certain, ! MINK, th6J no
sufficient allowance is made by those
who object most strongly 70 the policy Of
I c8ncedlng the privilege 10 the black man,
for the degTedation Of his condition
while in state Of slavery, and the ab-
sence for the most paTt, Of any stiinu-
liant OF inducement 20 excite their amDi-
lion. 10 cultivate the virtues Of truth and
regular habits, the foundation oi
character. With the great mass Qf them
there has been no fair heid for the
cultivation OF truth and honesty. After
I an the reflection I can give the subject,
believe that the concession Of this right
10 testify IN al cases where the black
man IS concerned, IS necessary 70 the
Z security Of MS personal rig hts and II is
NV opinion, II he were allowed 70 TESTIFY
In al cases, 4 would not be attended with
the Inconvenience or disadvantage hat
is gsneraiiv appreheaded. The WsigAt
ir1st is given u all testimony by Wit
Degses. depends chiefly upon the charac-
Ter u the witness, and the penalties
against perjury, operating equally upon
ne black man and the white, would soon
produce a percepubie reformation.
The FufuroOf the Race.
The millions Of the African race IN the
south enjoying comparatively 3 te.a-
perate climate, are ADVANCED ~ me afts
Of civilization FAR beyond their race in a
savage state, or even the more ciVilizea
descendants Of slaves within the tropics,
where they can subsist upon the sponta-
ue0us productions Of the earth yet All
experience teaches that where large nun2-
5els Of the race are left % their own
guidance, under the most favorable cir
b cunlstances, the Dlass Of them redO0meo
% perish befcrs arriTiag a. the Az
Z erags period Of old age common
b 70 the race or the foar million
= recently freed in the South how many
= have already pcIished by diseafe 6 OF
Y lAe vices 70 which they are exposed 3
y fe snail probably never know the ex-
tent q the mortality since the COM
: mencemeuJ u the war, We may rea-
sonabiy conjecture that within the next
& decade, OF ten years, two and a half
= million VIII have perished and iu the
I Z next succeeding decade, not more than
. have a uilfion viii survive What .
. aeld for the display of the expansive be.
/ nevolence Of tie true phlanthropist
What scope fOr the employment Of the
I soff,-e charitable associations of t1f