The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-12-17
Southern Petition to the President
From the New Orleans Crescent.


IF the United States Congress take heed o
| the popular voice in time, We may be saved from
much suffering. Acting ON this belief a mum
Der of gentlemen of both sections of the country
have agreed to suggest the presentation of mon
ster memorials to Congress and the President
asking that the policy of the country may be i'm
mediately conformed to the actual needs of the
situation and to the expressed demands of pub
lie opinion. --
Below will be found this memorial which has
been prepared and recommended to the South
ern people with this view. We would request
our readers to bestow their earnest attention up
on it. We believe they will agree with us in
the conclusion that this movement, if it become
general, may do much good. Even if Congress
refuse to modify its policy, the fact of refusal in
the face of an overwhelming expression of opin-
ion from both sections of the country, will place
it still more decidedly in the wrong and streng
then the hands of that great party which is t.,
be charged with the final solution and settlement
OF these momentous problems:
TO has ErceUency the President and the .Senu-
tors "nd Representatives. fhe Z. s. Congress.
The undersigned, citizens Of the State of Lou
slana, respectfully represent that the political
developments of the past few months have de-
n;onstrated the fact that the Reconstruction acts
Of Congress WILL if persisted in, produce con-
fct of races which will result in the desolation
OF the country and the serious if not irreparable
injury OF both races in the Southern States
That the negroes Of this State are organized
into secret bands termed loyal leagues" sworn
and combined against their former owners and
citizens of the State in order to obtain control OF
the government.
That this credulous race has been deluded by
designing men into the belief that the property
of the white citizens Of the State will be divided
amongst them.
That, under these demoralzing influences
they are daily refusing to fulfill their contracts,
or labor for the support of themselves and their
families
That, in consequence of this decentralization
planting i'll this State has resulted in the runous
failure Of large majority of our planters, and,
OF course in the necessity of its abandonment.
That, before the close of the present year, the
negroes, with but few exceptions, will have con-
sumed or wasted all their wages, or share of the
crop, and be destitute OF the means of subsis-
tence.
That the white race will be compelled to limit
their planting to the labor of their own families
while the negroes will not have the means, if
they had the capacity, to plant on their own ac-
count.
Under these circumstances. famine, with all its
attendant horrors, must soon come upon this i'm
prOvident race.
In view of these impending calamities, the
undersigned would earnestly appeal to the Presi-
dent and Congress to give prompt attention to
this vitally important matter and provide imme-
diately such remedy as in their wisdom can be
devised, to avert the ruin which, unless arrested
must speedily come upon u.s.