New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-06-03
A VORD NTH SOUTHERN CONSEEGA-
TJUEC


who are accustomed to call themselves "Con-
servatives," we neither feel nor profess any
political sympathy. 1t is not probable that
they aud we shall meet otherwise than as
antagonists. And yet, there are many of them
who say and earnestly believe that they are
doing their best to bring their respective States
into practical relations of harmony with the
Union; and to these we would gladly be
useful even by giving them unpalatable coun-
sci. Having recently, at some cost, aided
to save our own party from committing grave
blunder that would, if consummated, have
clouded the prospect of an early and hearty
restoration of National concord and fraternity,
we are quite willing to do like service to
the opposite party, and take our pay III the
same coin. SO We will at least make the
attempt.
1t is a common complaint among you, South
ern Conservatives that the negroes are beng
banded against you in secret leagues and lodges
that they are managed by low adventures
and interloping demagogues, who delude them
with promises of confiscatiOn, &c.-that they
are under virtual duress, and not at liberty 10
act as their Judgment and better feelings dc
tate, SC, &c, &c. These complaints reach us
through various channels, and are no doubt
well founded to this extent-that you are not
likely to secure many Black votes at the APP
preaching elections.
Now, why will yOu not see that this is main
ly your own fault-that you are allowing your
selves to be controlled by passion and preju-
dice rather than reason and good sense-that
YOU are cuIsing others for result of your
own inexcusabe folly 2 Why will you not see
that You never concede point to the Blacks
until you are absolutely forced to it-that you
are pcIpetually compelling them to distrust
and shun youG
We do not minco our words. II is no time
for sacrifices TO politeness. That you are
swapping yourselves as party Is no concern
of ours; we object only that you are at the
same time njurng the country and preventing
its restoration to genuine peace Why plH you
act so madlyf
You know, as well as we do, that the con-
iidence and goodwill of the Blacks is essential
to your restoration to what you consider your
rights How could you, then, attempt to ex-
clude them from the street-cars, as you did in
several of your chief citiesH How could you
permit, without rcmonstrance, your women TO re-
fuse to ride if Blacks rode with thcmi Scarcely
ten years have elapsed since your ladies used
to shame our Northern caste-worship by
insisting that their colored nurses and maids
should ride with them in our stago-coaches
and other public conveyances. iou still have
Blacks in your kitchens, your parlos, your
nurseries, and all about You. 1t is not, there
fore, repugnance to Blacks rs such, but to their
newborn political equality, that prompts the
effort 30 exclude them from street-cars. Can
you imagine that they do not understand tlisi
And how can you expect to win their votes
while you thus seek to trample them down. You
used TO be shrewd politicians, at all events:
have you lost or renowned that capacityf IL
not, what can you meant
You say that the Blacks are Prcjudced
against you in secret lodges by unprincipled
Adventures we insist that it il all your own
work They would like 10 vote with "Old
"Massa" but he will not give them n chance.
1t is his doing, and not the Radicals, that
imbues them with distrust and aversion 10 his
political guidance.
Here, for instance, is Maryland, under com
plete Conservative control, with "Conser-
"vative" Convention, busily engaged in revising
her Constitution. That Convention, that Con
scrvatiye" majority, might at once enfIan-
chise the Blacks of Maryland but it will not.
1t insists on going TO perdtion its old, blind
way. But can you imagine, Conservatives! that
its blundcr will not be scored up TO your
accounti DO you fancy that there ia an
uneducated ricc-feld or cane-brake "nigger"
so stupid as not TO know that what
the Conservatives Of Maryland do is just what
you would do if you had the powerf Can you
he so besottcd as not to know that, while you
keep DISTINGUISHED the Blacks of Delaware,
Maryland, and Kentucky, every Black in the
South will believe that you would serve him
just so if you could2
OF course. you will not mend your ways for
anything zoe may urge. You have counsel
ors whom you trust, and who are in full SYM
pathy with you, as we are not. All we can do
is to tell you just how you land Lot those
whom you denounce and detesO are setting
the faces Of the Blacks like flint against you.
Do not blame them, then, as peryerse or mis-
guided blame rather your own mulish infatu-
alton. Were you in their place, you would act
just as they do.