Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-14
The Plain Truth-Rs-Ensinvemen'
ImpOssible.

slavement OF the negro rAoo - n.y. ""*
not desirable, but impossible, first because
/, would no, profit white people, second
because the majority Of the Southern
whites are opposed to 1t, with allthe peo'
ple Of the Northern States Of both par
,iea and third, because the results OF the
war, with existing laws and constitu-
tons, have now made 6nal end OF that
matter. /, is not TO be believed that the
handful Of Southern people who ever
had an interest in slave labor, who al
wsys found Il Improbable as compared
with other uses of capital, now that
slavery is abolished, would attempt to
resume the undesirable investment IN
the face Of insurmountable difficulties,
against the settled sentiment of the civil
ICED nations Of the earth, and in deisnce
Of the expressed will Of thirty millions OF
American people. And, yet that such
-iu be the result in the event Of Demo-
cratic success, is the substance OF the
teachings of the Radical leaders Of the
freedmen, whose business it is to fill
their carpet-bags and secure to themselves
all the emoluments Of all the Offices
of the country, by misleading and alarm
ing with falsehoods that class OF our
population. They tell them daily, and
by all the lying means in their power
attempt to produce and deepen the i'm
preston that, whatever the Southern
whites may pretend, their real and con-
cealed design is to re-enslave the freed
men, if they are successful in the Presi'
Dental election, or ever again shall
possess the power. And thus it is that
the Radical leaders, many Of whom were
themselves, and who we're
original Secessionists and played Judases
to the Confederacy, by now making many
fair pretences Of friendship to the blacks,
are leading them like herd Of cattle,
the antagonism Of races,
and, for the sake Of gain to themselves,
hazardipg the peace Of the country and
the ruin of race for which their late
have large degree of humane
and benevolent sympathy, and which
might be elevated and rendered happy in
the rewards of peace, industry and good
but for their interference.
Such men are verse than common rob
bers and cu.-throats. For, to the crimes
by which they are seeking to aggrandise
themselves. they add the decentralization
Of others, with its inevitable and damn
ing consequences on the future. The
names Of such scoundrels are the syno-
uyms of dishonor. And if we were to
choose,for which among their villainies
they most deserved the halter-perjury as
to their past record, or this conscious
wing as to the character and intentions
for the future of the Southern people, who
are yet bearing their almost insupport-
able preseuce-we should choose the last.
Those who are telling the negroes that
there is any considerable number of men
in the South who would re-enslave sim
zles one Of the African race, are most
uncommon liars. And the Africans who
trust them will fnd hereafter that they
we're the worst foes to their race which
The Almighty in bis wrath could have
sent against them. Not only does the
peace of the country, but the salvation OF
that race, depend on their being unde-
ceiyed ss to the character of their leaders,
before on undue transportation against the
,uly men who unite the ability with the
will to do them good, shall have cul-
minated In the natural consequence of
acts on their part, already beginning.
and 80 insuffersble as to lead to their
destruction.
We are especially led to these remarks
BY lately hearing at some Of the Radical
such arguments and appeals to
prejudice against the whites as show con-
acknowledgement design to
strengthen the antsgonism of races to
the utmost, and produce conviction that
reinstatement is intended. And that
in this they have, to great extent, sue
ceeded, is evident from the fact that they
have almost the entire control of the
whole black population. We warn our
friends that it is this diabolical lie which
is the controlling power of the Radical
party. tits this and nothing else which
we have to meet. And we cannot do it
by any fair words and fair promises, how
ever sincere, until we are trusted.
How, then, are we to win the conf
dence, which, for our sincerity and
good intentions toward the blacks,
we are SO conscious Of deserving2
We cannot do it by any renewal Of
fair promises, which though most COM
monty met by professions of undoubting
confidence, are shown by acts to be
wholly distrusted, and therefore, impo-
tent for all conservative results. With
twenty thousand Democrats on the streets
in our grand procession Of Saturday
night, we had perhaps a cool hundred
blacks, some Of whom may be actuated
by desire to retain their places and
wages Of employers. We have yet to
learn whether even these will vote the
way they travelled with the procession.
How then are we to be trusted by the
voting blacks2
1t was because we saw the necessity Of