The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1873-06-04
ALEXANDRIA, LA WEDNESDAY, JUNE <, 1873.
Our Advice to the Negroes,

We observe IN the proceedings OF the
late negro meeting in this city that a
very bitter feeling was expressed. both
10y the speakers and III the resolutions.
toward what they called the ':ex-reb-
els OF the South" We are rather sur
prised at that, since it is to the rebels
that the negroes in the United States
owe their freedom. But for the c0nr-
age. undannted pluck, the boldness,
and the regard for principles upon the
part of :he ''ex-vebcl,' the negro to-day
would have been a slace. and the in
stitutiou would probably have existed
for century TO come. The North, its
mercantile and moneyed classes; the
North. as represented by Mr.. Lincoln =
would have made any agreement with
the South nnon the basis OF the Union
only, provided they had acGuescel in
the result Of the election OF 1860. 1t is
not to t!iem that they owe he fact OF
their sI,ackles being broken. The pres
sure Of events:o which they we're lriv-
en- by the ex -re!,els, did the business
| in their tshe nesroes) behalf. The ne
.roes, if ;hey look to the advantages
which their race has secured by the war
ought to feel grateful that the South
was governed aud controlled hy snch
men as Nancey, RlIatt, Davis, Toomhs,
Stephens, Wise, Wi@fall, SlidelI, Gwin
Mason. Hunter, Cobb and Floyd, pre-
cipita'e the crisis and gave item their
freedom. They ought TO have an an
.nual Thanksgiving that such men exls-
Ted, for to them they owe every thing.
That ;.,e result was against their wish
es and inciinations does not change
The fact that we have stated. If there
are any to whom the negro IS under no
obligations il is to the few Union men
of the South, who only adhered! to that
cause for Fear ti,at by secession, ant
the war it produced, slavery might be
test,oycd-tl,e very event whcl, art'1'
ally occurred. The eN-rebels were
wiling to risk everything on the iIaz
: art, Of the die, in order to maintain til,
PRINCIPLES in wl,icI, they had been ed
Ecatcd and the cause to which the!
, we're d, voted. The negro, therefore
ought not to quarrel with the manhood
which the South displayed. He un
;iouhtedly supposes that by snr'' ap
, pcals he can excite and fire again til
I Northern heart against these who
thew once combated in arms. Bat h
should piapmber that Tine has set /
{ with his modifying and soothing inlin
+ ences: that passion which ouce cno'e'
) is difficult again to be heated: tina
:, there are great Interests between til
Nerth and South that are not likely
be broken. In short. that the G!Spos
y, ton now exists in both sections OF I'll
- country to forget and forgive. A yonn
e generation has arisen which knew III
the war. It does not appear we'll Il
Is the negro, while the Northern an
: Southern whites are growing CHASER
re terms of amity, to appear as u disturb
10 of tie peace, DESTROYS again of excltl'
old animosities from wllicl, he has
y" LARGELY nroGted. He should renemh
* that although the Northern and Sout
" ern whites had a bitter war, they q
Y. united by the ties Of race and lnra-
+ and that for al alien race TO shove
%. self in between them is as. dan@ero
nc as it is to interfere in a contest /
tween husband and wife. while
49, many, even now. denunciatlhns OF
!, Southern ex-rebels are not unPalata'
rt, when uttered By whites, they are
ys, relished when they come from
y mouths of blacks. The true policy
the negro is to seek to concillate
yer whites of bn,h North and South.
vii be the ally of one against the othe
and thus excite its enmity and host
orc tv, is exceedingly rash and il'-advis
'aw ihe mass OF 'ue HeS."o>, "e '.""'