The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-08-22
4 Moderation"

venerable, yet ever vigorous cotem-
porar5, iii Macon (Ga.) Jo~aat and
Messtfses. These manly sentiments
--ezprbssed with such tefse force
receive Cur heartiest endorsement
We III having a surfeit, just now,
of appeals tcf "lnoderation" on the
part ii Southern Writers and speakers.
We say surfeit because we mean IL,
because II exbressSs, d fact, aud be-
cause no other word does. We have
no objsctioh to moderation. On the
CONTRARY, we have been an admirer of
1t all our life. But we like modera-
ton tkatis ffutual; not a onesided
affair that says hush to Southern
tongueswhen honest inidignation moves
them to sharp speaking, but not
word for the torrent Of JacObin filth
and falsehood that daily pours upon
our devoted heads. We did not
commence this style of warfare. After
the war closed and we had laid down
our arms, what was the method
adopted at the North BY the dothin-
ant party towards usH Were We not
6ends, barbarians, rnardgrers-at the
very mildest "rebels" and traitor"
who ought to be banished aud confs-
Gated, at least2 Has that style ever
been changed2 If so, whenP Read
the Southern correspondence Of such
purveyors Of hate and UaIumny as
the New York Tribune, FOrney'E
Press, and Cincinnati Gazette. How
then, can Southern men, being only
human as they are, refrain from oc'
casiohally rstorting in kind?
AS to negro rows and riots gu:ter
: up by Radicals, it seems to be ex
pected by the advocates Of this so
called moderation" that white mel
: must not only run right away anC
leave the negroes the field, but tha
they must not even speak out their in
dignatiOn at a policy and party tina
makes such things possible. If
white man kills or assaults negro
J what a torrent Of passion, and curses
aud iDAammatOry appeals break ou
y all over the Nor:h. If a negro kill
a white man though, or a riot is com
meneed by negroes, they ignore it an
i we are expected to follow suit. Don
condemn it, don't denOuhce tn
authors and actors in it, say these SO
i called moderados, because it will sti
up the negroes and give handle t
u radical stump orators aud writer's. W
think this about a fair statement c
. the case.
Now what shall be our policy? "
say happy medium between III
I, extremes of rant violence, on the or
hand, and an unmanly, disgracefl
~ aud senseless reticence on the Othe
'e Don't advise that which you kno
ie cannot be safely carried out. Don
stir mp strife. Don't appeal to pa
J. siOns, and invoke memories tn
should be buried with the glories
y the past. Don't talk rebellion Whe
you know resistance is hopeless. b
. neither lie down in the dirt, aud wi
7, y hands TO your mouths invite the Ii
u suits and kicks of your enemie
Don't cry "peace" and moderation
= when moderation means disrega
~ ~ of every instinct of honor aud ma
~ hood, yes, even solf>preservatio
Keep the peace and obey the law, b
see that others do SO too. If the ID
'e' does not protect yourselves. v
would make almost any sacrifice to s
~ ~ Seymour and Blair elected, and t
'e country saved, but if it is necessa
to secure that end, that the Southe
= people shoald become, under t
3D. " goadings of their adversaries, even
" Hiudoos under the domination of tn
~ ~ English oppressors, it becomes
'O' question for grave eonsiderati
whether "the game is worth I
bs candle"