The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1868-01-04

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A rslI,sl meeting ~ Asld 10 JET
ar,os % esssraay, vAies ~ =.
hsassd y JsAes Caldwell, Ca. A.
4 NossAs, Psssoa Aaron 0rigsey,
"a ,vo pssssss, Seipie Mckee ssd
Nh. Levitt. TAs spssshss wsrs oil
is,ssssly radical, advocstisy tall ftss
ssrro political equality, islsasa'o-
~, ssd dsnasogNal 10 their temper
"a tsss Tksss MN ~ vhiss p:s'
sons present, asd aoes except u:
mopersls on The stasd, that seemed
to take asy interest," 10 tbs proceed
inrs hsyond nsss cssiesity. tn
spseehss we're made il fFoas o. ne
Post OGcs, tbs Negroes, Of ws'ch
there wsss = lasys aunbss ocespy..
ips the street. For two morta!
houv. eucassd in . half acre Of
blacks, with the Thermometer af ~
decree. wc listened to those revolu-
tiopsry, violent, inecpdiary ha-
rapgues. It vas shocking exhibition
Of ignorance and credulity on one
side and moral and political isrrav'
;,y. low cunning, and demsgcgism on
the other III
We had heard great deal Of rad
ical meetings, and read many =.
counts Of them this was the hrst
one We ever witnessed.
I, is diScult to understand how
sny one who has not lost oil ssii-re.
spect and obtained the sanction OF
hi. mind and heart to repourcs ev'
ery sentiment Of political integrity.
and the confidence and friendship 81
the virtuous and intelligent, could
be guilty of the moral debssenen',
which vas presented in this scene Of
political amalgamstion.
The first speaker, Judge Caldwell
il evidently Southern raised man
md possessed Of more than ordinary
ability. We heard only the latter
portion Of his speech, which was d.
rect and iorciblc, and marked b. the
necessary sophis,ry calculated to
mislcad the ignorant mass whom he
was addressing. In the commence.
mont Of his remarks, we understand
he assailed the senior editor Of this
paper with bitterness, but what he
, said IN relation ~ rs, VIC could no,
Learn lie complained, towards the
close. VI having been assaulted by the
press, and said that even worm
Wien tread upon would turn aud
sting II be has beoa personally
assailed hy any OF the Conserva'iNe
journals, We are not aware Of 1t
but if he had been could he justly
complain A man who, for motive
of personal aggrandixemcnt, is en-
dcayoring to force not only negro
political equality, but negro suprc,l-
lcy IN the South, deserves the sever
es, denuuoia,lou Judge Caldwell,
aud every other intelligent man,
knows thai. this is the settled design
Of the reconstruction bills lie and
IT, also cannot be un,uindtal Of
the fact, that the adoption Of this
policy has been mainly owing tn the
efforts Of ssch men as himself. In
order 10 benefit themselves, aetuased
by lust for ofkce and power, and
governed by feelings Of malignity,
they are attempting to degrade their
own race, and destroy the happiness
aud prosperity Of their own country.
The mere statement Of the facts aud
their position is a su6c.cas answer
to all that Judge Caldwell, or any
other radical might say Of US. How
he eau stsud up with the easoutery
that he does. with such designs AZ
are contemplated, AID claim the re-.
spcct Of former nsighhors and friend.
, ia TO Us incouprchcnSible,
His speech WAS very ingenious.
. lie claimed that be Vas no, seeking
TO degrade his own race, OF m advo.
cate for social equality That one
: did not necessarily follow the other.
That political equality was necessary
for the protection Of the black race,
end tina. they could nc, maintain
. their freedom without ii Those
therefore that would deny it to them,
: were really in favor Of keeping them
J in slavery, The blacks would be
told that the Southcrn men we're their
friends, and to q certain extent il
!; was true They would feed, and
, clo,he, and house them The blncks
, were servicesblc as laborcrs, and the
, attention to their physical wants, as
mere brutes was essential to success
in industrial pursuits but this was
no reeompen,e for the loss Of free.
.. dom, which followed the denial of
, political rights. lie advised them
therefore 10 vote for q Convention,
! becsuse such Convention would 80.
: cure perpe'ually the rights to which
they were entitled.
The sophistry of this character If
argument Is very easily exposed.
Judge Caldwell A. well as all the
speakers who followed him, admitted
the ignorance and incapacity of the
negroes, and that they required the
guidance Of more intelligent minds
to Instruct them IS to the proper
course to pursue. The negro orators
were even more emphatic on this
point than tho whites.
This admission involves the entire
question No intelligent, wclI.in-
formed man has any fears of the re
enslavement of the negroes, or Of a
denial Of their rights under the law.
They have not only the security NJ
: iorded by the manifest interest Of
the Southern whites themselves, but
the protection Of the North, whose
people control the government. Tho
proposition that the elective fran.
ch'sc is essential to liberty, is falla.
eions. In Great Britain, where the
freedom Of the citizen has been a.
fully protected A. in this country,
scarcely half the people have boon
allowed the privilege Of voting.
And IN our own eesatsy, IN uany of
tks States, the elective franchise was
restricted 10 limited number. This
was particularly tho case in the cur.
Tier stages Of tho government, and /
va steadily maintsiscd BY several
Of the States until within the last
ten or twelve years Evcn nov,
there ere thousands Of minors, and
all the women Of the couatry. far
more Intelligent than the blacks,
who have never been allowed 10 vote.