Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-04
THE RIOTTN MEMPHIS.


egraph informs us was repeated on the ID.
The Memphis papers furnish conflicting
statements Of the facts leading to this bloody
and unfortunate result, and the immediate
responsibility for this bloodshed is in doubt
But the occurrence ITSELF however origin
ating, is suggestive Of serious matter for the
contemplation Of all classes Of people in this
country.
1t is one Of the outgrowths Of sudden and
violent emancipation, which have been more
or less marked throughout the South since
the close of the war. 1t is a remarkable
fact that in all the South, after the establish
ment Of garrisons and the full assertion of
the Federal authority in the different towns
and cities, the first violent display of antagon-
ism between the races occurred between them
and the soldiers, who set them free. Inspire Of
military discipline and the imperfect notions
of the dignity and rights of the negro as "a
man an6brother" in this country, his eman-
cipator was the first to offer him violence.
/ Though the fact may be strange, it ought
not TO have been unexpected. While the
emancipation was ignorant Of the true char
acter Of the late slave the negro was equally
| ignorant of the true effect Of the duties and
responsibilities imposed by the act giving
him freedom. When the two came together,
therefore, both had misconceptions Of each
other, which led to conflict and often to vio-
lence-and necessarily so.
In the meantime, the late owners of the
slave, being intimately acquainted with the
character and habits Of the negro and hav-
ing more perfect appreciation Of his i'm
mediate wants in his new condition, pro-
ceeded to contract with him for his labor
where practicable, and to instil into his
mind wholesome lessons of industry, fru-
gality and economy. And thus matters
went reasonably smoothly between them, so
long as there was no interference. But
abolition saints must needs teach and preach
TO them the sublimated gospel of the new
dispensation which many of them inter-
| preted as Liberty, equality and luxurious
and honorable living without labor" The
most impossible disdained the manual
labor on the farm to which they had been
accustomed, and hocked to the cities and
towns as the new Jerusalem of their deliver
ance, where they would have no earthly
care but to make merry and be happy.
| Most fearful delusion!
Congress, too, added the great weight of
its influence, by proposing and passing over
Executive objections to the encouragement
Of the same mistaken views which should
control the conduct of the freedmen. The
passage of the civil rights bill, even at
| Washington, Immediately brought the ne
! groes in contact and association with the
wives and daughters Of the men who passed
it, in the galleries of the Senate which was
considered so revolving that the usher was
required to seat them in places separate
from those occupied by the whites-thus
giving the country the first violation Of the
law by its authors.
The outbreak in Memphis was simply an
intensiiication, under more aggrayating cir
cumstances, of that feeling which exists as
powerfully at the North as it does at the
South, and which must continue until the
negro Is educated to his duties to himself
and to society. His and the enemies of
peace, who, through fanaticism and partizan-
| ship, are laboring TO turn a private penny
OF perpetuate party power, ar, laying the
foundations of riotous mObocracy in
America. Unless they are put down, they
will succeed This is the lesson which the
events of the past five months have incul-
Gated upon the people Of the United States
Ii is one which should not be sectional, but
should arouse the highest patriotism and
craftsmanship, North and South.
1t devoyes delicate and important duty
upon the people Of the Southern States. 1t
is their province TO vindicate themselves
against the aspersions of their enemies.
They should accord to the negro every right, |
legal and social. that will better his condi- |
ton. Protect him in his liberty, life and |
property-give him admission into the courts |
rs a suffer and witness against oppression, |
violence and wrong. He was our slave, and |
faithful lie is now free, and though not in |
many respects our equal, he is entitled to |
our sympathy and assistance. We should |
provide for his education, physical and |
moral, as his friends, and relieve his and |
our own enemies of the labor Of giving him |
false and improper training whereby he is |
brought into degradation, trouble and |
misery, and ourselves subjected TO annoy |
ance, misconception and abuse. 1t should |
be the business Of those Of us who employ |
these freed people to furnish them with the
alphabet and the succeeding books, and with
religious instruction by preaching and the
other exercises of the Christian Sabbath.
lie is left an orphan without estate, and
must be brought up in such manner as will
secure to himself and his posterity such
station and happiness in the world as his
yirtuous industry and good conduct will
entitlc him 10. He was ours in the past, and
he is with us still, and, in the nature of
taAAAAA7 lllN0N ANtllsAlA VIII us ~ ms past
conduct he has eudearcd himself TO the
Southern people, and in the day of his
greatest trial, we should not desert him.
We grieve over the occurrences at Mem
phis, and trust that they may not be renew
ed. But if half the population Of Mem
phis, or Of Tennessee, or of the entire South
should perish in similar scenes, We should
scarcely be able TO express surprise; for, the
the teachings now given, in Congress and
ont of il, are driving to that fearful condi-
ton so truthfuly apprehended Ivy ANDREW
JOHNSON when he uttered his warning
against the precipitate action Of Congress,
and predicting probable war Of races as
the result.
The encroachments by Congress on the
Executive powers Of the Government are
radically progressive and subversive. Since
the disunion party of the Senate has
asccrtained that it has a Trustworthy
two-thirds, its majority pauscs or stickles
at nothing. Our kilograms announced
r,starlov that Senator TpI-Nfpt-TT had |