Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-23


is fast drifting that way, but the Tune IS
yet far distant in the future. But ! am
decidedly opposed to giving the negro
suffrage in the South at present. He IS
not fit for it. He has no opinion OF his
own, nor can be form one. The first
white man who lays hands on him can
count upon his support, no matter which
way the white maH wants him to go.
Witness the carpet'baggers' intriguing:
Those who 90 for the Radicals are SO hlled
with the idea that they are 70 be enslaved
again If they don't vote for the carpet
baggers, thatthrough fear and ignorance
they 90 with them. On the plantation
where the masters influence is felt and
obeyed, the negro will go just the other
way. Although l believe that in the
course OF TINE the great majority OF the
negroes wilrslde with their former mas
ters, think that they should be left with.
out vote for some time to come, uutil
they are letter able to understand the
full importance OF the privilege. Fittings
are allowed to 20 on as they now are, and
we should win all the negroes to our side,
you'll find that the first step to dlsfran-
chise them will come from the North.
Mark my Words
7" Have the planters any idea of re-
storing slavery 2" 81
The great majority of them wonld op.
pose the restoration of slavery with all
do not now, find more profitable in the
end than slave labor. Before the war
great many of them would have willingly
given up their slaves and adopted the free
labor system, were they aware that the
slaves would De benefited by the change.
They were ready and open to meet any
measure looking to the gradual abolish.
ment OF slavery when those slaves should
be able to do for themselves. There are
but few men in Tennessee who would,
now that they have seen slavery done
away with for awhile, desire to see 1t re-
stored again"
Are you aware that Marry county
has very bad name North as being the
county in which more Ku-Klnx outrages
are committed than all the other counties
in Tennessee put together n M
!" Indeed l knew very well that it has
bad name, but never thought it was as
bad as that. But do you believe all that
you hear about these outrages p
/ replied that the report of the Mill.
tary Committee of the Legislature had
rather confirmed me in the opinion that
Maury county was not exactly heaven
for negroes. naa 5Sgs % as3Fbs
,,o ",Well, SIR exclaimed my interlocu-
tor, II am no extremist, l try to do
what is right toward all men, black and
white, and have yet to see the day when
/ would allow any black man to be mo-
Tested in any way If could help it. Now,
I confess there has been outrages com
mitted in Maury county, but know that
there has been more outrages committed |
by rowing bands of negroes than by |
white men. We have in our midst, in |
certain districts, set of the vilest blacks |
that ever God let live, and did we not
once in while take them in hand, our
women would never be safe from their
clutches. They 20 about nights armed to
the teeth, robbing henroosts, breaking
into houses and doing all kinds Of vii.
lainies The law does not exert itself to
reach them, and we have often to organ.
ize to protect ourselves. l believe the
Ku Klux is bad organization, from its
being oath bound and pledged to secrecy
but they are made to carry all the blame
of outrsges in the county when they do
not deserve it. am ready to take oath
before Almighty God that the negroes
who comport themselves we'll in our
midst are not molested because OF their
politics. 4 know as much about MAUI
ry county and Giles county, too, as
any man IN the State OF tennessee,
and say what ! know to be true 4
have read the MihtaryCommltfee' sreport
carefully, and ind IN 1t several cases OF
Ku-Klux outrages which are false. Let
me give you an example: II gives the
story OF negro who was obliged to ny
from his home on account OF the ku-
klux, when the fact OF the matter was
the fellow was chased out OF the district
by negroes for stealing and attempting
an outrage on negro girl. de straight
way went to Nashville and told the COM
mittee how the ku klux had outraged
him. There are several other cases
mentioned IN the report which are as
true asthe one mentioned. | have read
outrages in Northern papers, purporting
to have occurred in Maury county that
were pure inventions in every particu-
lar" 20 A
would IL not be an easy matter for
the citizens to give their testimony ss to
what they know about the merits of each
occurrence, and thus set matters rightY
awNo. sir. IL would not be an easy mat
ter. We are ali rebels-we who don't
want TO affiliate politically with the Radi-