Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-06

Weapon, that act Is justihAble and even
laudable; and yet he win be punished
for the innocent act Of having on his
person the means OF self-defence, and
because an outrage committed on him
or danger that menaced him compelled
him to make known what all the rest
were enabled to conceal. Surely, by the
way, it is a singular anomaly to punish
man for having with him the means OF
resisting an unlawful assault upon his
person, in other words, of doing lauda-
bic act. What is the difference between
furnishing him for that and Furnishing
him for the act Of self-defenee itself {?
When, ia times of excitement and
agitation, one part of the community Is
armed, and it is impossible to disarm it
or for the officers of the law to know the
fact, except in here and there case, the
rest have right to arm. A law not eI-
forced is obsolete, and deemed to be viz
tualIy repealed. The legislature cannot
lawfully dissrm one portion Of the peo-
Ole and pot them st the mercy Of armed
enemies, who defy the law, and whom
it can neither disarm nor punish.
Every negro in Memphis is armed and
bears arms. The law is too feeble to pre-
vent this. 1t cannot protect those who
wish to obey it, and who would be glad not
to have to arm themselves. Therefore the
obligation upon these to obey the law
exists no longer. They have the iAali-
enable right to self-defence, and must
arm to be able to exercise il.
The truth is, that there is no effort
to diszrm the negroes. The officers of
the law encourage them to carry
weapons, and assure them impunity.
If they could execute the law by dissrm-
ing Conservatives, it would be e4aiva-
lent to tying our hands behind Us, and
holding us fast until the knife could be
put to our throsts.
Mr.. Barbour Lewis said to the negroes
of this city, on Monday night:
The Avalanche and APPEAL say you
are armed and drilled. l say they are
mistaken. The charge is an unpsrdon
able SANDER. Have any OF you known
or heard of any cOlored msn or other
Republicans armed or drilled? Cries Of
." no, J" no" never It Is all lie.
We are men Of peace. -Four thousand
of you, all of you, every maR Of you,
pronounce the charge false, false.
Mr.. Barbour Lewis is very ready otell
people they lie. We want this question
Of veracity settled. We do not know,
bat we believe that he uttered willful
and deliberate fslsehOod; because we
have, sgain and again, been assured, by
persons of the highest character, and
even by ladies, thst, in more than one
place on the outer edge Of the city, the
tOere drilling, to the music of the
irum and fife, almost nightly. We shall
be gIsd to know that such IS not the case;
but in the meantime, as We do believe !
1ur informants, and DO not believe the |
denial, we repeat, again and again, our
advice to every Conservative to arm,
hat he may be able to defend himself |
We repeat, that the law against carrying
weapons Is null Snd void that |
{ is not enforced to the disarming OF any !
negro that it is unjust and unequal in |
Is operation that we are under no OBJ |
igAtlOns to obey it, and should be the |
stupidest fools to do so.
Let US know, now, whether the negroes /
srs drilling or not. We want proof. We /
publish nothing rs fact that We have |
not good reasons to believe so. We be- |
ieve that iC IL true. We have OUrself 1
heard the drum and fife, out beyond the /
Memphis and Charleston Railroad Depot, |
Until nearly one in the morning, AMI |
'een negroes coming up Adams street al |
erWsrds. Air. Lewis Genisl does not |
,haDge our belief. In the meantime, |
.rn ! and organize If you would not be |
Ike helpless children. II We /
would have peace, nc must be known that |
1e are prepared TO defend ourselves.