Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-18


70 treat evsry disturbance, riot, or
murder to which the negro is par
sy, in ! tone which seems 10 depre-
cate the wrath Of the Radio ais, and
to imply an earnest desire to mollify
the effect which these occurrences
may have upon that vindietive party.
Experience ought 10 have taught vs.
that the South can do aud say moth
ing squinting at Precipitation, that
will mitigate their malignity, or soft
en- the bed Of thorns prepared for us.
The question is, not how much Of
the threatened evil we can avert, but
how much the Radicals may have the
power to inAict. So far as they are
concerned, our destiny is 6xed, in
prospective, and our security against
the grossest wrongs Of political bond
age, depends upon the power of the
President, the cooperation of the
Conservatives of the North and our
own prudent, digui6ed and manly
course. To merit justice, is one stop
towards securing il. To avert op-
preston, We must teach tyrants that
We have the virtues and spirit Of men
worthy to be free-a suppliant at.i-
tude proyokes violence and wrong at
the hands of the wicked and coward.
ly. It 10 with these, the South has
now to deal, and every act intended
to propitiate - every word which
seems to beg for mercy, will serve
only to bring upon US deeper deg
radiation, and stronger outpouring Of
wrath and wrong. For the good it
may do, we might as we'll earnestly
protest that we had nothing to do
with the Deering murder, or the ex-
clusion Of negroes from Northern
theatres and churches, as to put in a
plea of not guilty Of the riots at
Memphis and Norfolk.
The crimes aud misdemeanors per.
petrated in the South, should be
spoken Of, aud dealt with, as purely
domestic concerns, and with refer
ence only to their legal and moral
bearings--certsinly not with an eye
to their influence upon the conduct
Of the radical despots at Washing
ton. When penalty has been in
CURED, by a violation of State laws,
let it be inflicted without regard to
the color; let the facts be fairly CIV
en-, for the sake Of truth and justice,
but lot US not even seem to enquire
what eject they may have upon Sum-
ner and Stevens. They act upon
the presumption, that the negro can
do no wrong; let us act upon the
conviction that the Radicals can do
no right, and, if possible, let US forget
that such monsters were ever spawn,
ed upon earth. They may have the
power to inAict still greater wrongs
upon the South than those already
foreshadowed; but, since no humili.
ty, however degrading, can avert, and
no whining entreaty mitigate them,
let us not compromise dignity and
honor by shaping an act, or qualify
ing word, with view to the effect of
either upon the policy of such ma
lignant wretehes.
The people Of the South know
their duty to themselves, to the gov
eminent and to the negro, and in
tend to discharge that duty faithfully,
not as bid for a place in the I'm
ion, but simply because it is due to
plighted faith, to political justice, to
enlightened interest and im tinetiva
honor. And if it be the purpose Of
tho Radicals to crush such a PEG
pie down to the level of the negro,
or to raise the negro above them, it
is very grave mistake. And if the
South is to be insplted and wronged
until it consents to such degrade
ton, the experiment will be inter
rupted by the advent of the milleni-
UNI, or the day of judgment. No
amount Of persecution can SO far
humble the proud spirit of the South
ern people as to make them accept
conditions so humiliating; nor can
they be so far degraded as to endure,
from a negro, insults which they will
not tolerate ia a white man. If ne.
groes, Of their own accord, or at tho
iastigation of low whites. get up riots
for purposes of robbery aud murder,
they will be shot down, and if they
insult white men, ON the street, they
viii be knocked down, This is a
socisl law Of the South an instinct
Of the brave which can neither Le