The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-21


votes are those who formerly held them as |
slaves, and they are warned against putting
any confidence in them. However much |
they may .disayow any such purpose the
direct tendency of such harangues is to
array the blacks against the whites-to con
vince them that their interests are hostile
that they have nothing in common and that
the negroes must look to those anti-slavery
men in the North, who have always been their |
friends, for aid and support.
Naturally enough, the whites of the South
resent this. They regard it as unfriendly, |
and as likely to involve the worst results. Ii
tends still further TO disorganize the industry
of the South, and to retard the development.
of its resources. 1t is impossible that the
blacks and whites Of the South should be
mustered into opposing camps politically,
without consequent hostility in all the re-
lations of life. Their only hope lies in har-
mony Of sentiment, based on conviction of
harmony Of interest. And the systematic
crusade which is now going on, and which
tends directly to a disturbance of these rela-
tions, may very well cause disquiet and
resentment to the whites in the Southern
States. r. Xxx.
But they must remember that there is but
one way of meeting it. They may not like it.,
but they cannot resist it. Judge Kelley Sena-
tor Wilson, Mr.. Greeley, and Wendell Phillips
have perfect right to traverse the Southern
and to address the people, black and white, on
any subjects and in any terms they choose.
This is one of the rights guaranteed by the
Constitution; and the fact that it has been
denied so long, only makes the people all the
more determined that it shall be freely exer-
cised now. We may call these men incendi-
aries-perhaps they may be inoendiarios alike
in their motives and their eforts-but they
cannot be suppressed. Judge Kelley was
right when he told the meeting at Mobile
that he had the whole army of the United
States at his back, and could say whatever he
pleased. ~. .l..g .u. f.T
A more considerate and generous man than
Judge Kelley would scarcely have boasted of
this advantage in argument; but his boast
was true nevertheless. He had a right to
speak to them and say anything he pleased
and if that right was denied, he had the army
of the United States to enforce it. There is
no point on which the people Of the North are
more sensitive than this-of the absolute right
of free speech in every State and section of
the nation. They have been denied it hitherto,
and they regard any attempt to deny or re-
strict it now as simply an attempt to revive
the worst features of the system of slavery
which they have overthrown.
There is but one way in which the Southern
people can meet this Northern movement, and
prevent any evil consequences they may appre-
hend from it-and that is by counter movements
of the same kind. If Northern men seek the
negro vote, hey must seek it also. If Northern
men make speeches, they must make speeches
too. They may be at disadvantage in
addressing those whom they have held as
slaves. 1t may be difficult to silence or soothe
the resentments aroused by the appeals to the
prejudices and passions of the past. Northern
demagogues may make promises to the negroes
of coniscation, of political Office and of special
favors from the Government which it may be
hard to Offset or to meet But they must try
| it. There is no other way. These are always
the conditions of political freedom everywhere.
| If they can be met successfully-if men can be
convinced by such appeals and led to identify
their own interest with the public good-very
| well. If not, time and experience must be
/ left to do their work. Their lessons may be
hard and costly-but in the end they will be
/ effective. l
We see that in the midst of the political
confusion which prevails in New Orleans, this
necessity is beginning to make itself felt.
Men see the folly and futiity of protesting
against movements which they cannot pre-
( vent, and of denouncing state of things
they cannot change. A party has been
organized ON the basis of discarding all the
divisions and distinctions of the past, of
I accepting the facts and conditions of the
/ present, and of appealing to all the people
with sole regard to the future prosperity and
welfare of the State and nation. The pro-
. post, W CduSe registry OF every person,
black and white, entitled to vote under the
act of Congress; 2, to canvass the voters OF
/ all classes with both oral and printed argu-
ments; 3, select candidates and urge their
/ election on the ground of oblivion of all
! political antecedents, of integrity and intelli-
! gence and the confidence of all voters without
regard to color or condition. Such a move
ment, followed up with vigor steadiness,
and wisdom, cannot fail to bring the politi-
cal organizations of the South into harmony
with the wants and necessities of the day;
and this will inevitably be followed by a
corresponding political reorganization in the
North.
The direct aim of the extreme school of Re.
! publican politicians just now is to secure to
themselves the compact negro vote of the
South. They seek to do this by planting dis
trust between them and the whites-by array
ing them against each other as necessarily
and permanently hostile in interest. An able
and intelligent correspondent of the Times
writing from Lynchburg, Va, a few days
since, pointed out two inevitable results from
! the success of this endeaVOr:-First a cor.
responding consolidation of the aohte vote OF
the South, whenever the consolidation of the
black vote takes place; and second, the inevi
table defeat of the latter, inasmuch as il is
outnumbered by the white vote two to one in
the South at large, and in nearly every South
ern State. The very effort therefore, which
these crusaders are making to secure theil
own success tends inevitably to their defeat
1t is to be hoped that the Republican party
will perceive and realize this drift Of poitica
events, in time to throw off the responsibility
of it, and so escape the destruction which j
involves.
NJ u.xnorOTt Tor uarIbn-n nthar T.tterar1