New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-09
STATE OF THE 7H-MONIGOHERY


We print herewith, as a chapter of the his
tory of the times, the Hon. Montgomery Blair's
letter to Tile World, insisting that tho Demo-
Gratis should nominate no candidates for Prcsi-
dent and Nice-Prcsdcnt, but should support
such candidates "a Che assumcs) will be n0mi-
mated Ivy those Republicans who oppose Gen.
Grants reelection. We take no part in the
controversy, if controversy there be, between
Mr.. Blair and other Democrats on the main
question on which they are at issue.
But Mr.. Blair's arrainment of what he terms
the tyranny of "the negroes and carpet-bag-
"gers set over our Southern people by the
"North," is 30 partial and unjust that we are
impelled to traverse it by tho presentation Of
certain undeniable facts, which follow:
l. Mr. Blair secs two rival interests or classes
in the South 1. sour Southern people," who
are fearfully oppressed and abused; 2. The
"ncgroes and carpet baggcrs," who ore their
oppressors.-But why are not the negroes q
part of the "Southern peoplof" They were
born and have always lived there, as did their
fathers before them. What have they done to
exclude them from the designation of South
"ern peopleqr Nay: why does not Mr.. Blair
sec that their exclusion from that category, as
though they were apes or gOrillas, is the one
main cause Of the impotence aud woes Of the
SOuthf
Since the Rebel armies surrendered, we have
done our utmost in behalf of the SOuth-not
of class, caste, party, but of the whole
people of that part of our country. We have
encountered obstacles from diverse and oppO-
site quarters, but the most formidable among
them was this stubborn refusal of those whom
Mr.. Blair calls "the Southern people" to
recognize their humble neighbOrs and daily
associates, whom God made Black and the
War for the Union made free, as by birth and
law equally Southern people" with them
selves.
These Southern Blacks are -Four Millions
nearly if not quite equal i'll numbers to those
whom Mr.. Blair alone recognizes as " Southern
"pcOple." Most of them are poor and ignorant;
but not through their own fault They grow
by much the larger portion of the Southern
crops most of them expect and mean to live
by honest industry; they could not well be
spared by Mr.. Bar's Southern people )" they
want to be on good terms with their White
fellow citizens; they are free, and they vote:
what sense, what reason, then, in excluding
them from consideration rs Southern people p
II. The States Of Delaware, Maryland, Vir-
ginia, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, Ten
nessee and Missouri Containing large ma
jorty of Mr.. Blair's Southern people'0 are
governed by Mr.. Blairs friends. Negroes
land carpet-baggers" have no chance to op-
press or abuse any one in those States. North
Carolina and Alabama were carried by
Mr.. Blair's "Southern people" in their
last State Elections: 80 was Texas; but she
did not elect new Legislature, "a the others
did. So, you see, the area on which negroes
and carpet-baggers" have power to Cypress
the Southern people" is restricted to South
Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and
Florida; and Florida was all but carried by
the Democrats Last Fall. Is not this reducing
the area of oppression to very moderate limitsi
iii. In the States whore "the negroes and
"carpet-baggers bear sway. there is con-
tinual effort by one class to dcpress and op-
press another, but "the Southern people" are
not the victims. On tho CONTRARY, they say to
their Colored neighbors, "You shall not send
"yOr children to any school attended by
"Ohrs; you shall not ride in the same railroad
Gear with us; and, If We both travel
con one steamboat, you must not enter
"the cabin 1t is not by tho victors
IN our late struggle, but by the van
qushea-it Ia not by tho dominant party
in these States. but by the political minority
that these irritating distinctions and exclu-
sions ale insisted on. Why will not Mr.. Blair
raise his voice against thems
-"Ah! but there are unconquersble pseju.
"dices OF race and color.n
No. there arc not. That very negro whom
you exclude from steamboat cabin may en-
ter o. White mans servant without Q whis-
per OF remonstrance. Nobody objects to negroes
per o" it is their freedom, their legal equality.
that has 30 rank smell-nOt their bodies.
". W. arc temptod to recaDitulsts soma of