, 1866-05-05

RECoNSTEucT11N IN -MBmPHts.
Since the New York Coppcshead riot of
July, 1883, nothing 10 daatard1y; cruel sud In
famous as the copperhead Memphis riots
haye occurred II the United States. The
New YORK riot grew out OF an attempt on
the part OF the Copperheads to resist, The
draf<, and spread until It took on the form
Of a massacre of the fuot1cnsire colorcd peo-
~pler burning, Of orphan asJluns, and ptllagc
OF stores. The Memphis riot commenced with
an assault. on 4 negro driver, OF 10 cxprcss
.waeou, and extended until some hundreds OF
cplored people were murdered or wounded,
md n rrucraf destruction by fire or their
dwellings. school houses and churches was
effected. Lest there may be any question or
a,,ibbltug as to. the origin Of the riot, which
continued for three days aud nights, and. ns
10 which side was to blame for commencing
It. We copy the following account or the
affair, az stated by the Memphis reporter of
the Chicago Times. 1t will bc seen that this
Copperhead authority does not attempt to
roll the blame on the poor maltreated and
eorely Prosecuted blacks Of Memphis:
Especial Despatch to the Chicago 11mesl
AExrms, Tenn. May 5.
The excitement over the riots Of the psss two
occurred which vii be las me disgrace to Iepa
pills, hut ftt an glad to be aolr to s.Y that the
higher c1aese had not anything to do With II. The
highly iespectsbie ccndclasn snd rel'sbe% % man, i
] a. follows: On Tucsday p. m-s on South stfret,
s;, sG.dea h nacE driven
Eae hacfu,aa contiaued III dbuse. ana rnaliy1 a a
m1p and rceroef to the help OF the negro and mus
I ,he saot becan. I have taken particular pans to
saDurirg the incendtasism last night cieht negro
cnulches and school houses we're burned, besides
.alny.lse @ peEro tenements. One negro woman
Th,s evening about seven O'Clock, ss a number Of
dranksn NJ were returning through uhelsea, from
psnis ,hss pss1ms mixed u d,eal1y wtth
The usy Of Memphis L 10 dep!olaoIe condition
The Nnypr Of Memphis has been drunk ever since
the f1ot commenced.
Pretty fair nights work for the reconstruct
ed Copperheads Of Memphis. Eight negro
| churches and school houses burned, thirty.
five dwellings, of negroes destroyed; ono
woman roasted alive, one old negro woman
badly beaten, aud sevcra1 male negroes killed
and wounded Each OF the two preceding
nights were equally fruitful 'or Coppcrhead
enornities, and during the day time from
ono to two hundred blacks were Killed OF
wounded. And ut last accounts "thc riot
had subsidized some to day"-as,, We arc as:
| su1ed.
The Times reporter says that 'the hiyhc,
classes had nothin. 10 do with It," Dui
what did the higher Glasses do to quell 1t
Nothing. This scene Of murder and arsor
continued night and day tor three days with
out cessation. What did the city do to stor
it,. Nothing. What did Gen. Stoneman do
Nothing but send dish-water letter to the
Nav OF and Aldermen.
The higher classes are as deeply Implicated
In tho guilt of this dissraceful, cowardly ant
ururderous assault on the colored people o
the lower clssses OF CoPperhcads. II wa
the tcachings aud denuuciations Of the t'llish
er classes'' that poisoned the minds o
thc POOR white trash, and incite,
Them to commit Tie atrocities Of which the,
have been guilty. The damniuE "bloo
spot'' can not be wiped Off tho garments q
the "highcr Glasses" hy lame apology OF
sncaking exculpation. The guilt Of thos
shocking and brutal prosecutions Of th
colorcd people is upon their souls.
The Memphis riots exhibit to the gaze O
Congress and tho country, the maryellou
progress the johnson policy ol reconstrnc
tion has made in West Tennessee. After thi
proof Of loyalty, how can the House of Ref
rcsentatives hesitate moment longer to ope
their doors to the West Tennessee claimant
: especially to the claimant who cmbodie
the reconstructed unIonlsm Of the City {
Memphis Memphis is ripe for admission
She has proven her 10, atty aud devotion
the Constitution and the Union. She Ia
brought forth fruits meet for repentance, an
her member should takc his seat on the rigb
band of the Speaker, where he could cxpnt
| fa f1f In 1,on NJ ,r $En IoS,