The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-17
THURspAY. MAY L, Is6s.

We are sure the Southern people.
whether loyal or disloyal, Union men
all the time or reconstructed Union
men, will feel grateful to the New
York Evening Post for the timely and
appropriate rebuke il administers to
brother radicals for selling upon the
Memphis riots to make point against
the South. II speaks well for the hon
esty and candor Of that consistent
organ Of freemen, freesoil, and free
speech, and o,sght to pot to shame the
latter day converts who outHerod
Herod in tkeir vindietiveness towards
the people who have been in rebel
lion.
Whilst it regards the riot as dis
graceful, it does not see why it should
be twisted into an argument for dis
franchising the mass Of the Southern
people, or for refusing their seats to
the four or FIVE Southern members Of
Congress-there are no more, accord
ing TO Senator Wilson-Who can take
the prescribed oaths. The Memphis
riot is no more an argument against
the Southern States than the New
York riot was against the Northern
States. Indeed, when we remember
that the whole South is yet kind OF
frontier land, in which law has always
been administered with slack hand,
where violence has reigned supreme
for four years, we may even fairly make
more allowance for such an occurrence
as the Memphis riot than we ought for
a similar outrage in New York"
Again, says the POST
We do not mean TO palliate riotous and
lawlsss conduct; but we do not think it
either fair or wise that the whole southern
people should be held responsible in north
ern presses, for such an occurrence. Doubt
lees very diecreditable and inhuIn6ne
sentiment prevails amongst too many OF the
southern people, in regard 10 the c0lored
people. But what should we look for2 They
have been educated 70 believe that "nig
ger" has no rights; it will require time 60
make a thorough change IN their opinions
and conduct We read not unfreo uenly Of
outraees upon blacks, which seem to US
very horrible and shameful indeed; but
what do We see If we look nearer home3
New York has seen an orphan asvium-the
only home Of helpless and innocent little
children-burned down and sacked; Connec-
tieut has her Deacon Button, who lectures
a colored man upon the improperly Of de-
Tending himself against a moo as brutal in
intention and as much without excuse as
that Of Memphis; Indiana denies black men
the right to sue in her courts: all this ina
States where law and order are and long
have been firmly established; where JUS
tice is more than a name OF shadow; where
the people boast OF their superior enlight-
eminent.
The Post then refers to various
things which have been done in the
South, showing the progress oil. the PEG
pie towards a thorough comprehension
Of their duties towards the freedmen,
and their willingness to discharge those
duties, and adds:
And seeing and reading all this, we think
it unfair, when euch an outrage this
Memphis riot occurs, to speak Of it as though
IL were only another proof OF the unftness
Of the southern people to take part ia the
government, and OF their inveterate hos
tility to justice, liberty and Union. 7 his
Kind Of argument ana insinuation is OF a
piece with the petty spirit which fluids
fault with southern men for honOrlng their
dead. The Richmond Enquirer chose to
assume mourning on the anniversary of
stonewall Jacks0n's death, aud urged its
readers to scatter flowers over the graves Of
Confederate soldiers. This a morning jour
nal calls "Richmond loyalty" We think
Il would be wiser and kinder to pass such
things by without remark. They are not
fl causes for quarrel or repToach. What
would the Tribune have? Does it expect
Richmond to curse or 70 despise Stonewal
Jackson3 or the Virginians to dishonor
their own dead, their relatives aud friends?
What is gained by fault-6dding in snch
matters IL does not improve the loyalty
or increase the good will Of the southern
people. What we have a right to demand
is that they shall obey the laws, respect ouf
rights and those of all men of whatever
color, and conduct themselves peaceably.
The rest will come in time.
As Union man willing to suffer for
the cause, and desiring TO see the freed
men of the South in the full enjoy
ment of all the civil and political rights
to which they are entitled, we thank
the Post for its kind interpositiou in
behalf of the much abused Southern
people. If it's generous forbearance
and manly magnanimity had been
adopted by the radicals generally last
fall, how different would be the condi
ton of the country to-day