Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-04-20
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Senator Morton's Speech Wilson Inter
viewed What he thinks Of Governor
AIcOrn..-Hls Liberal Yiews---Ahat he
Ssid---The South Deemed lmpetent.
Special Cor. Memphis Appeal

! Special Cor. Memphis Appeal
WASHINGTON, Friday.
Yesterday, Just after Senator Morton
closed his horrible speech, unworthy OF
the man, the place, the occasion and the
country-even while the clear, distinct
tones of his utterance yet echoed along
the galleries of the Senate chamber, i
encountered Senator Wilson, whom !
knew before the country went mad, when
there was decency and truthfulness even
among politicians. be did not approve,
as / was surprised TO learn, the tone or
temper or purpose Of Senator Morton.
Curiously enough / was subjected to
collOquial examination as 70 facts dis
cussed by Morton. ! said TO Mr.. Wilson
that Morton, after reading from the ritual.
of the ku-kluN recital OF the abSurdly
high-sounding titles of the dignitaries OF
the ghostly order, should have turned to
the next page and read the obligation i'm
posed bv perfect obedience TO the laws
aud Constitution of the State and of the
Union. On the contrary, Mr.. Morton, with
aspirit and purpose as malicious as false to
hims elf and people, made men and women
shudder while be painted witk a masters
hand the knaveries and crimes of the
forty thousand Ku-kluX of Tennessee.
said to Mr.. Wilson that Africans deemed
emancipation physical rather than moral
fact: that each SambO and Diuah accord
ingly hied away from plantation homes;
that the whole country for two years and
more was desolated by vagrant thieves;
that Ku-Kluxism came into being as a
form OF appeal to African superstitions
and fears, which would give security to !
pig styes and hen roOsts, and that the Sc |
cret organization was designed, as / al /
ways understood, for this purpose alone. /
Mr.. Wilson answered that he could readi- |
ly understand how the purposes of such |
an association, originating in good inten- /
tions, might be perverted. ] said that the /
organization in Memphis had long ceased /
TO exist, and that now, in the conduct and l
relations Of the two races, there was no |
necessity for its operations. For multi |
piled deeds of violence, adverted to by .
Morton, the thirteen murders of the past /
two weeks in Greene county, Alabama /
{ pheWi} said to Mr.. Wilson that he /
might account, if he would imagine that |
Massachusetts,, instead Of Tennessee or
Alabama, had been the scene OF four years
terrible conflict. There were mRtchless
villains in both armies in the South. The |
very dregs of cities were bought and sold, 4
and armies We're drenehed with them;
and kinsmen were arrsyed
against one another foulest crimes were
women, helpless and unpro-
tected, were YictimiZed by knaves wear
ing insignia OF office; and crimes that /
cannot name were psrpatrated. A series
of yeas will be required to adjust all
these troubles. "l II is bad enough"
"that we were beaten, that our
homes were burned, fields laid waste and
systems overturned, but do net make us
brutes and herbaTians in the eyes of man
kind simply because Tennessee and Mis-
sissippi, instead OF Massachusetts, were
scenes Of deadly conflicts and seats of de-
war. If all that Mr.. Morton saws
were true, these deeds Of vengeance for
perpetrated when hellborn hates
shaped human acts have no reference
10 the relations of these States to the
Cnion and none TO Federal politics, and,
Ehile there is no revolt against the laws,
he laws and Constitution give you,
Senator Wilson, nc right to intervene by
armies or legislation" kE. Wilson eX-
pressed the keenest anxiety for tins thor
)ugh restoration of peace, prosperity and
5s5 fact freedom in the South. He said
hat measures should be adopted to sepa-
ate the true Conservatism of the South
rom the noisy, furious, crazed m6iGOg-
sRts who had given the country infinite |
rouble and grqught all calamities, The
legrO's rights should be conceded as a
,itizen, and no disgalctions maze under
he law or in pOlitic&Silife. With the so
'isl relations of the RAGS, law-giysrs have
nothing to do. II added, 4" Your friend, |
5ov. AlcOrn, who has great ability, and
s a true Southern patriot, and will aC-
,omplish bis purposes, by selecting an |
.ble and learned judiciary, and finally
true Republican party which I
nay absorb the Conservatism of the ,
country"
OF the matter OF business to which I
sked Mr.. Wilson's attention he said that
always constituted the strongest pOssi- E
lie bonds of union, and that New Eng Z
ana W8s as much Interested in prOmOt-
ng prosperity in dhe re-establishment Of l
'erfect peace, and 4 developing Southern 7
7ealth as we 4, rselves OF the South. J
SHOW me hoWs can most surely achieve
hese ends for your State and VIII CO. {
perate With all my heart"
I speak of these facts because many !
eOpie deem Mr.. Wilson, as represented Q
Y little party leaders, a very ffend incar- q
ate, or, a dirty, greasy, vulgar cobbler. '
IN the contrary, he surely represents a
7Orthily the intelligence and tastes OF the
est class and most liberal Of New Eng /
lders. 1t may be well tossa,d that these
eOpie care little fos ~ bpinions or pur- a
oses of the SouthH'fThe South is a pretty [
used by bad men like Morton t
D amuse q mighty constituency foot '
all kicked about by actors who win q
lme at our costa sort of red cloth {
eld up by these political matadOrs '
, madden the weary, wounded bull of
.adlcalism, and delight the occupants of I
be pit and dress circle in the vast amphi- O
heater of Northern paTtisanship.
There is a wOnderfui parrot across the O
rect from my window. Tine FaBcally {
gathered biped has learned a stanza or '
NO OF Shoe, Fly" Yesterday Sunset
OK went by sad the cracked, harsh voice Y
the villainous bird echoed a mile up /
nd down the great thorOughfare-ShoG,
iyli Shoe, Flyli Cox is, perhaps, the {
lost genial, generous, kindly gentleman
the House. Il e has taste in letters and {
lfinite bOnhOBiie in social life. He Is able k
nd eloquent Withal, and while his fidelity !
} Democracy Is unquestioned, he wields Q
o little influence on the opposite side of &
le House. l.. J. d. Il
o