The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-02


their merits appear.
Two Cheering Voices from the South.
| Two documents lie before us of a nature
to give us hope for the Southern people. One
| is the charge Of Judge A. D. Clayton to a
Grand Jury Uf Alabama; the other the pas
toral letter from Bishop Verot, of the Catholic
| Church of Georgia. Both of these addresses
| speak in no complimentary terms of the
| North, OF its people or their virtues; but for
that we care little. 1t is of no consequence
to us whether the South malign us or not, so
that they act Justly. We have existed for
three-quarters of a century with their hate,
and we have prospered Notwithstanding their
detestation. We only ask that they do right;
that they deal justly with the blacks and
with the community, and we will be satisfied,
even if they do pour on our devoted heads
| their anathemas. And that some of them in
tend thus to deal we believe that the two
| articles before us indicate.
Judge Clayton was former Rebel Major
| General. He takes a plain, sensible ground
| of argument in his charge. He talks
| like man uninfuenced by ignorant bigotry
| or passion; anG if his advice be followed, we
| see no cause to fear that the future OF the
South will indeed be glorious. He says, in
| giving his advice:-
"Now let us deal with the facts before us. as
| they are. The negro has been made free, 1t
| was no work of mis-. He did not seek freedom
| and nominally free as he Is, he is helpless
| beyond eXpression-helpless by his want OF hab-
| its OF observation-disclosures by his want OF CXpe-
| rio nd h1u hnl hy mt fofo
| prehenson to understand and appreciate his
| condition. To remedy the evils growing out of
| the ABOLITION OF slavery, it seems two things are
| necessary. First, a recognition Of the freedom
| of the race as fact, and the willing enforce
| ment of them. Secondly, by treating them
| with perfect fairness and business in our con-
tracts, and in every way IN which we may be
| brought in contact with them. By the first we
| convince the world of our good faith, and get
rid OF this system OF espionage by removing the
| preteXt OF It's necessity: and by the second we
| secure the services of the negroes learn them
| their places. and how TO keep them, and con-
vince them, at last, that we are indeed their best
friends. When we do this, let us hope that society
| will revive from its present shock, ami our
| land be crowned with abundant harvests. We
need the labor of the negroes all over the coun.
| try, and it Is worth the effort to secure it.n
This is all that we require. Let him be
treated in good faith like man. Let him be
paid and not oppressed. Let him be pro-
tected in his civil rights, and allowed to rise
if he can. Give him chance. When that is
done, the social scale will once more be ad-
justed. The black will know his place and
fulfil his duties. Law, order, and prosperity
will succeed anarchy and depression.
The charge of the Judge refers to his
treatment so far as civil law is concerned.
The other document refers to his religious
training. Bishop Verot speaks wisely and
well. The spirit evinced by his letter is CAL
culated to put to the blush those lukewarm
philanthropists who preach and do not prac-
tise. He starts a crusade which can be made
as glorious and far more effective than that
OF Peter the Hermit, and urges the 'evan-
gelization of the African race" He speaks
like a Christian and statesman when he
Oommends the poor blacks to the Christian
charity OF all. He says:-
AFRICAN slavery seems to have commenced
and to have been kept up by the cruel and
evidently unjust proceedings OF men kidnap
ping other men 70 sell them TO the tger-hearted
authors and abettors of the slave trade, con
demned by the Holy See and forbidden by al
enlightened nations. Hence zoe l1lsh in All sin
cerHy and Nth great edrneStaesS, ali Kinds o.
blessings 10 ne oofored race, and lee erhor a.
pGthy, all bitterness QgaiRst their forme,
servants. Away with all feelings of chickering's
envy, or jealousy, which would only bespeak {
! narrow mind ana the lack of noble and ele
waited feelings. The golden rule, Love thy neigh
Dor as thyself' must not adniC OF any exception
. and, therefore, we call on the faithful to sent
most 1ervent and reiterated prayers to the Thron,
of Grace, that the fathers of the Council may
receive light and grace from the invisible
Head of the Church, TO procure the speedy anC
eficacious evangelization OF the African race"
| Here, then, is the advice of two men
| Southern in birth, education, and affiliation
of such tone as gives us hope. II the spiri
; exhibited by the bench and the pulpit owe
. all the South we've but like that of JudgC
l Clayton and Bishop Verot, different order o
1 things would be inaugurated. We would sa,
to all Southerners, Why not take the advice
e of such leadersP Why not cease to act lik
, barbarians, and behave like Christian men
4 Why not prove yourselves worthy of tn
a commendation of Christendom? And, Ieav
: ing all prejudices with the dead past, act a
!. citizens in new era, with new surro Inding
a and new hopes and duties.