The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-11
FRIDAY, MAY II, 1866.
The Memphis Riots.

The Memphis Riots.
The Memphis riot turns out 10 have con- /
sisted OF a ferocious and murdelous attack /
made by the returned rebels and the rebel /
sympathizers Of the city upon the negroes, /
not only because they were black, but be- 1
cause they were UnIouists. There was no 1
provoeation for it, nor can is outrages be /
paIliaied by any pretence Of misconduc' on /
the part Of the people asfailed. The fact /
That, Ia The whoe protracted scene Of fury |
and bioodshed, only two white men were |
killed, one Of them most bruta!ly by another |
white man-Bnd that none were wounded, |
while the killed and wounded negroes must !
have been forty IN number, is conclusive
demonstration Of the character Of the en-
tire transaction. 1t sffords new evidence Of
the necessity that efficient protection should
be given TO the loyal blacks Of the South by
the National Legislature, unless we mean
70 hand them over 10 the tender mercies Of
their enemies and ours. Chicago Rtgub-
tcaB.
Now, let US have the truth. The Re
publicsn could not have been posted
when the above was written; but the
occasion to make a little radical capitol
was too good TO be lost So the Repub-
lican pitched in, and acted upon the
principle that when one does indulge
in ialsehood he ought to endeavor 10
dose to some purpose Happily. an
investigation has been ordered by Gen.
Stoneman, and the public will, IN "A
short time; probably, have the facts Of
fcially. In the meantime, we may
state that the Memphis papers acquit
returned rebels" of all connection
with the riots. The Appeal says posi-
lively whoever shall connect rebels
with these sad events, and so draw from
them an argument against their fitness
to be intrusted with the management
Of their own local affairs, or assert that
the negro race is not safe under their
protection, will simply lie. Should such
representations come from pretended
eye witnesses, they will lie Willfu!ly and
knowingly We put this on record,
once for all, applicable to all whom it
may concern" The Republican can
doubtless understand this language
But if not, probably it can the follow
ing from the Commercial:
Any attempt TO fix the responsibility upon
Coniederales viii IecoI upon ell who essay
10 do 50. There are no men ia the cily
more wiling TO conserve the public peace,
or TO uphold the laws, than the late Con fed
craze B, ldiers. Tney are not the men who
have been implicated in the late unjustf-
abe acts, (many If which have been exar-
gerated and mIsrepreseuted by the Radical
influence but on the contrary, they lave
ever been wiling, and they hold themselves
IN read ness b. ey the call of The General
commanding the Department, Whenever 1t
may be ONE necessary to preserve the pub
d.; p, ace, and to uphold the laws OF The
Unit, d States or of the State. We cannot lie
too emphatic on this subject. We know
what we assert. We do not speak id or
IRON I. cling. The late Confederate soldiers
are the cuuservators Of the peace of the com
muniiy. They can be embodied in forty
eight hours, under the orders o. @ d. Stone
man, TO protect the community and en- orce
the laws. They have not had any part r
lot ia tie late rlots. Any report winch r.
presents them or the RESI- onsibi.e citizens Of
Memphis ss connected with these ROE, 10
false, and should not be believed by any one
who desires To arrive At the ruth. There
has not been the lIghtest tr6ce OF what our
Radical maligueTs SO hlppantly style tn
"rebel element" in these unhappy dIstur-
bshces, FROM beginning 10 end. they were
the outcrCppmg of a chronic antlpathy cher
ished 10y The negroes, and iostered by their
evil counsel ors, against the policemen Of
the city.
The Memphis Post, the organ Of the
radicals, does not charge the riot upon
''the returned rebels" which 1t would
certainly have done had there been any
grounds for such an accusation. The
riots were of such a nature as might
occur anywhere, and at any time, in
the cities and towns Of the United
States, North or South. Let the ne
groes of the pious city of Boston resist
the police tomorrow, fire upon them
with musketry whilst in the performs
ance of their duty, and Boston will have
its scenes of bloodshed and murder.
The prejudice against the negro ls such, |
10 all parts of the country, and espe- |
cially in the cities and towns, that inso-
Ience and lawlessness and aggression |
on his part, is liable to provoke prompt
and bloody retaliation. The party who
have taken charge of, and are indoc.
trinatiDg him with false ideas OF equal |
ity. have not borne themselves to- |
wards their white brethren, who differ
with them, with the kindness and
charity which beget kindred graces
On the contrary, their conduct has been
such as 10 SOW the seeds of mischie! |
broadcast, and it may take generations
to eradicate the evil.
The Republican and lis allies would |
be better employed, if instead of teach
ing the people to believe that the ne
gro needs the protection of the Ma
tional Legislature, they would bend |
their united efforts to the good work OF
reuniting the white people of the
country in the bonds of fraternity and
affection, and making us one people
again. That accomplished, another
combined effort might be made with
success TO place the negro in a more
elevated position, all the rights of
freeman, civil, political and religious,
fully and freely accorded him.
The Radicals in the Senate refuse to
repeal or modify the test oath, one of
the grounds being that there are Union
men enough in the South, who can take
it, to fiji all the Offices And yet, when
the President selects Union men Of this