Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-01
ADDRESS
OF Democratic White Voters to the
C0IOred Men of South Carolina.

There is o world of wisdem in the fol-
lowing words. Though addressed espe-
cially to South Carolinians, where the
blacks outnumber the whites, they apply
also here, where the whites outnumber
theblaeks two to one. Good government
is necessary to the happiness of both
races. The ship of State must have a
good pilot at the helm, or it will get on
breakers, which will sink us all together.
Whites select their best men to rule,
because they cannot prosper without it.
And black men who have vote will re-
pent it if they do not do the same thing
in Tennessee as well as everywhsfe else.
Is not that plain enough? Can any
body prosper under the control of ad-
venturers, ,scallawags and carpet baggers,
whose time is half taken up answering
indictments before the criminal courts 2
Is it good sense to take the advice of such
creatures, when everybody knows they
are after the of6cea and the spoils, and
care not how many innocent people get
into trouble, so they fill their. carpet
sacks and profit by it? The following is
the address, taken from the Charleston
Courier
We are Influenced by various con-
siderations to address you, and, in plain
and simple language, TO tell you truth
fully our views and purposes. They are
also the views and purposes of the great
Democratic party, which, for fully three
fourths of the life of our Government,
has governed the United States, and is
soon about to resume the administration
of that Government. Among those con-
siderations are the following
First. We are naturally your friends
and you are naturally our friends. Any
other relations betweenius are unnatural
and injurious to both. We have the
capital and give employment. We own
the lands and require labor to make them
productive and profitable. You desire
to be employed. By your labor alone
can you live We desire TO employ you
and to have your labor--not because it is
better. or cheaper, or moro profitable to
us than white labor, which will be glad
to come and take your place, if we are
compelled to discard yours and invite it;
but we desire your labor because
you know us and we know you. We were
born together here, and we have grown
up together. In infancy we were nursed
together, in boyhood we played together,
and we do not easily forget these things
for the sake Of strangers. Hence it is,
that we intend to leave it entirely to your
choice, whether you will be friends with
us or be our enemies, aud compel US
TO treat you as enemies.
We know we can do without you. We
think you will 6ud it very difficult to do
without us. We think it our duty TO take
care that you are as fully informed in
making your choice, between enmity aud
hostility TO us, aud friendship aud peace
with us, as we can inform you by telling
you the whole truth. Tho reason that it
is our duty TO do this, is because we are
past, and because we are the stronger,
and you the weaker party. 1t is always
the ouiy Of the strong and powerful, be-
sides being just, to be generous
We have the wealth. The houses in
which you live are ours; the land upon
which you must labor or starvs are ours
We have education, advancement in the
arts and sciences and in civilization gen
orally. You are. for the most part. nm
educated, just starting in the career in
which we are so far ahead OF you. We
have the numbers over you; our race is
thirty millions or more; yours is foxr
millions or less.
We thipk it our duty to use all these
great advantages justly and generously
for your welfare, tor your advancement
in education, in the acquisition Of prop
eriy, and in the pursuit ef every good
thing which is meant BY, or makes up
what is meant By. "civiliz ation," il you
will allow MS 10 90 H.
Second We see and Know that you are
hurfying oD into great and Immediate
trouble and danger 20 yourselves aud
youf race. You are proposing to bring |
on q cor fiict between yourselves aud our
selves. IfIt cones-if you bring on that |
conflict, n pill be conflict between your
race and our race. There are indica-
tons that you already think yourselves
prepared for this cotfict Yoa have for
some time praeicsd aggressive and hos
ule conduct toward us- You have
assembled as party or class. and you
hate deliberately interrupted us IN our
meetings, insnlted and assaulted individ /
nals among us, pelted our hra-ee With /