The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-08
WORD WITH SOUTHERN CONSERVATIVES.

WORD WITH SOUTHERN CONSERVATIVES.
With those citizens of the Southern States
who are accustomed to call themselvs Con
servativeS," We neither feel nor profess any
political sympathy. 1t is not probable that
they and we shall meet otherwise than as
antagonists. And vet, there are many of
them who say and earnestly believe that
they are doing their best to bring their re-
spective States into practical relations of
harmony with the Uuion; and to these we
would gladly be useful, even by giving them
unpalatable counsel. 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 restora lion of National
concord and fraternity, we are quite willing
to do like service to the opposite party,
and take our pay in the same coin. So we
will at least make the attempt.
1t is common complaint among you,
Southern Conservatives that the negroes
are being banded against you in secret
leagues and lodges-that they are managed
by low adventures and interloping dema-
gogues, who delude them with promises of
confscation, &c.--that they are under virtual
duress, and not at liberty to act as their
judgment and better feelings dictate, &C.,
&C., sc. These complaints reach us through
various channels, and are no doubt we'll
founded to this eHtent-that you are not
likely to secure many Black votes at the APP
preaching elections.
Now, why will you not see that this is
mainly your own fault-that you are allow
ing yourselves to be controlled by passion
and prejudice rather than reason and good
sense-that you are cursing others for re-
suit of your own inexcusable folly2 Why
will you not see that you never concede
point to the Blacks until you are absolutely
forced to it-that you are perpetually COM
pelling them to distrust and shun you
We do not mince our words. It 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 injuring the country and
preventing its restoration to genuine peace
Why aoiU you act so madly?
You know, as we'll as we do, that the con-
fidence and goodwill of the Blacks is essen
tai to your restoration to what you consider
your rights. How could you, then attempt
to exclude them from the street-cars, as YOU
did in several of your chief cities How
could you permit, without remonstrance,
your women to refuse to ride if blacks rode
with them? Scarcely ten years have elapsed
since your ladies used to shame our North
ern caste-worship by insisting that their
colored nurses and maids should ride with
them in our stage-coaches and other public
conveyances. You still have blacks in your
kitchens, your parlors, your nurseries, and
all about you. 1t is not, therefore, repug-
nance to Blacks as such, but to their new
born political equality, that prompts the eff
fort to exclude them from street-cars. Can
hot
this? 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 capacitya If not, what can you mean
- You say that the blacks are preiudiced
against you in secret lodges by unprincipled
Adventures we insist that it is all your
own work. They would like to vote with
odd Massa:" but he will not give them a
chance. 1t is his doing, and not the Radi-
GALS, that imbues them with distrust and
aversion to his political guidance.
Here, for instance, is Maryland, under
complete Conservative" control. with q
Conservative" Convention. busilv enoaoed
In revising her Constitution. That Conyen-
tion that Conservatives majority. mioht
at once enfranchise the blacks of MARYLAND
but it will not. 1t insists on going to perdi
ton its old, blind way. But can you mag
inc, Conservatives that its blunder will not
be scored up to your account3 Do you fan
cy that there is an uneducated rice-feld or
cane-brake "nigger" SO stupid as not to
know that what the Conservatives of Mary
land do IS just what you would do if YOU
had the power9 Can you be so besotted as
not to know that, while you keep disfran-
chised the blacks of Delaware, MARYLAND.
and Kentucky every black in the South will
believe that you would serve him Just so if
you could9
OF course, you will not mend your ways
for anything we may urge You have
counselors whom you trust, and who are in
full sympathy with you, as we are not All
we can do is to tell you just how you (and
not those whom you denounce and detes)
are setting the faces of the blacks like flint
against you. Do not blame them, then, as
perverse or misguided blame rather YOUR
own mulish infatuation. Were you in their |
place, you would act just as they do.-Neao
York Tribune