Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-08-12

we are not sorry that overtures were
made to the Legislature, nor that it re-
ieeted them. Every such act makes the
doom Of JAcobinism more certain, and
brings nearer the dsy of its dissolution.
We do not very much care to know
who lead the negro proletaires o. Men,
phis: but it is useless to deny that Bar
bour Lewis is one OF their Chiefs. That
the Bulletin repudistes him as such, in no
wise deprives him of his commission,
any more than its professions OF peace
full intent prove themselves sincere.
1t is the purpose of the Conservative
men of Memphis to endure even after
patience ceases to be virtue. They
know that the poor creatures whom
Rsdicalism is deluding aRd misleading
to their ruin, will be emboldened by every
successful exhibition Of insolen0e; and
they mean that when the perhaps I'M
syeidable collision comes, it shall be
forced upon them by actual violence on
the part of the negroes, who will rue the
day when they force the white men of
the city to defend themselves.
We once recommended the formation
of civic guard, of the most respectable
OF our citizens, to PreUent anticipated
collisions. We have advised all Conser-
vstives to arm and organize for self de-
fence. We have advised them that the
law forbidding the carrying of weapons
is null and void, and its operation par
tiai and unjust and that they have
right, OF which no human Law can de-
prive them, to disobey it. The Police,
we think, licenses some individuals,
whose occupation requires them to be
out much at night, TO carry arms and
the arrest OF q negro for carrying weap-
ons is a thing almost entirely unknown.
The negroes are all armed and they are
armed and drilled for aggression and
violence. They and their white advisers
force Conservatives to arm for self-de-
fence, and then cry out that we threaten
violence. 1t is false. We have sgSin
and again, orally and with the pen, pro-
tested against any measures of violence
whatever. If to recount our wrongs is
TO provoke the WrOnged to seek revenge,
that is the fault OF those who do the
wrong. On that theme we cannot be
silent.
By the way, in appealing to some OF
the Radical leaders to cooperate With
Conservatives in keeping the peace, We
Inadvertently named Mr.. J. B. Bing
ham among them. We apologize %
him for placing him where he does not
belong.
To the others we say that they are in
flaming the passions snd arousing the
fury of an element which they will be as
pOwerless as children to control, and
which, if they attempt to restrain it,
when it overleaps the barriers of the Law,
will turn upon them and rend them.
The resolutions of the Convention az
on this subject were adopted
when the delegation from Shelby county
was absent by leave Of the Convention,
and were not even heard by the large
msjority of the members. Perhaps some |
might have desired to modify the last
clause of the last resolution but there Is
no doubt that it expresses the sincere !
conviction Of the Democrats Of this city, (
that If hostilities are provoked by the
negroes, they will not be half 30 much to /
blame as the white men who stand be- /
hind them and urge them on; and that, I
Il the blood Of Conservatives il shed here, .
these inciters to violence will be held re-
sponsible.