The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-19
Aiming the Southern Loyalist.

of Louisiana, designs indulge in similar freak.
Immediately preceding the present of Congress
there was before the House bill for arming the
| " Union men" of the South Mr.. Blackburn had pre-
pared remarks On the subject; but when the
question came up, motion made to refer it to a
committee, and all debate cut OFT, and the CUES
ton will not up again till next session. The fol
lowing are the remarks which Mr.. Blackburn had in
tended to present. and which he desires should 60
before his constituents and to the country
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, UNITED STATES,
JULY 26, 1853.
lnt. Blackburn
Mr. Speaker-The condition of affairs in the South
is peculiar. 1t is anomalous The Federal Govern
ment is understood to have conquered and
bellion in the late strife; and yet in the Southern
States those who fought to destroy the national unity
and establish perpetual slavery under the mock cry of
liberty, stand to-day umphant-triumphant sir if
not indicated! To have favored and fought for the
rebellion is in the South to-day passport, preemp-
ton, to all preterment and all honor; whereas, to
have opposed secession and the march and spread of
slavery, and defended the Union Of the States the
triumph of the national arms and the glory of the
national flag and justified and vndicated the superior
claims of free slave labor, is all yet remembered
against men in my section as insurmountable of
disapprobation persecution and prescription.
These things sir, no less strange than true. But
they have reason rather there is cause for all
these unnatural things. And as who has ever
lived in the South and as one who knows the people
there, both white and black in very few words
give explain to the country tie cause of such
natural effects.
Permit me- them sir, to say to you, and through you
to the country, that all the evils which the Southern
people to-day resting under, and have been rest
ing under since the close of the late war; are the
tural fruit of the treaehery Of President johnson
and the foolish, unnatural and nhuman teachings Of
the so-called Democratic party of the North. say
socaed Democratic party; and | think have a right
to SO-ari | not ashamed or afraid to that.
when say this mean no personal nor offensive sur
For will be permitted to say, that in the living days
Of the Democratic party of this country, when the
name and its principles had Specification and pract-
cal application, was a Democrat. / goried in the
liberaity and onward march Of true national Democ
racy az against what believed to be the wild profit
gacy and arstocraey of Whiggery. And when the
strife in the South in the last great national con-
test for President in this country-when this strife
arose in the South between the national lberality
of the principles avoWed by the immortal Stephen A.
Douglas, aud the su!tifying and sefdebasng section
alism led by John c. Breckenridge, the proudest
item in my political life is to be able to say that
Douglas man!
But all this may not be deemed precisely geTane to
the question before the House. I wish to give as
briefly may be, my reasons why oppose, SO far
Louisiana is concerned at least my Congressional
District the bill now under discussion.
oppose it in the main, or for the main reason, not
because the design is not good but because the prac
teal effect VIII be to the identical ell
ement which it is intended to benefit.
To give all the and arguments for this would
require at least two hours Speech in which do not
design to indulge, and which I know could not be
granted the privilege Of INDUCING.
Every who has read history, even az far
Peter Parley's First Book" very well knows that the
Caucasian is the superior and ruling race upon this
earth. God has so ordained, and man cannot change
the decree. Such always has been, and such always
will be. So far the African race is concerned l
will say-as one who knows from experience, and
one who has never been in favor of ensavng any hui
man being-that the Africans race, the most
sympathetic and kindhearted people upon aarth while
they are the most doce and easy to be governed and
perhaps the least capable CT governing themselves.
Particularly is this the With the present genera
ton of Africans in the Southern States. They are
humble, obedent, and submissive. To place arms in
their hands, a class, because they Union men
which they are by instinct, if not from under
standing and intelligent patrotsm-woud be to array
them against almost the entire white population OF the
South the natural and inevitable result of which
would be the determination of the black race.
Therefore, Mr.. Speaker for this briefly stated main
reason, if for other butI have many many others
oppose the arming by the Federal Government, or
any ether government Of the Union of the South
say this who has not only always been Union
nan, but who has always been a safe and true
rend to the black mana friend who always de-
bounced his bondage, but who never advised him to
Sir the thing has gone too far II another war is |
o be fought, it must at least be commenced in the
Eorth. We of the South have had enough Of strife |
nd blGodshed.
"It is fit the spell should break of this protracted
What is writ is writ would 'twere worthier!'
am not opposed to armng the militia of the States
That is constitutional and proper. But this bill, if |
understand it, means something more-or rather some
hing less. 1t means armsng the "Union men, as
uch, against what is termed the rebel secession ell
ment that is to say, armng the black man against
he white Sir, am opposed to this, first, last,
nd all the time" Gentlemen of my party may tell
ne not to oppose this measure it will ruin polit
cally Such an argment has no weight with me.
They mistake the | want no influence, no life,
outside of principle. If l cannot be true party
nan, without being rascal ana enemy and traitor
0 my race and to liberty then l am no party man !
But the Republican party proper requires no such
ifce. We, sir, Of Louisiana, want no such state of
fairs as they have in Tennessee and they have had
Missouri | will advocate no measure tending chat
way
Sir, speak " for myself and not another"-though
he the white man and the black man of my District
re Of the SANG feelng-but aim now to speak only
or myself, when say want no personal teuds in my
ection-nO civil war--no local strife nor fraterna
oodsbed. differ from many of the white men of
ny section in political matters; but that difference
oes not extend to deadly hate. / not their per-
onal enemy and I am proud to say that personally
hey all love me, and have the utmost confidence in
ny integrity. 1t is for this main that have
een spared to live thus far. I was always the open
nemy of slavery and opposed to secession, and all
be direful programme of the late leading Southern
which has brought upon country such
un we now see but in personal sense, and in
he matters Of life and DEATH never against my
ative land nor the enemy Of my neighbors, and new
r will be.
The truth is, this thing called Unionsm has about
layed cut in the South. As general thing, those
no {" went in" for the war, and fought the most
rayeiy-are to-day the safest and best citizens while
,any who were so-called Union men, until they lost
leir slaves now the most turbulent and mischiey-
regret to say this; but truth is truth to the
nd of reckoning and it hurts but the wicked
md besides, those few native Southerners who have
emained firm and true throughout all strife,
now, have never been appreciated by the Govern
tent; and almost universally ignored and sacr
ced by the corners from the North; many of
hom would rather fraternise and seek alliances with
hat is termed the unreconstructed rebel element
,peat, Unonism" has about played out in the
1uth - g.
We will not take up the sword nowfor any political
arty. We were ready to do so, had war ensued upon
le conviction of Mr.. johnson on his impeachment.
is prompt and immediate conviction would even now
eve US. But have had enough fruitless irritation.
That want is peace-the arts of peace AND the
uits of peace" We want more fruitless conflicts.
nd, sir, friend and defender of the black man. I
Il the country this day that what the black man of