New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-09
From the Daily Chronicle
TO the Hon. Alex. Il. Stephens,

SIR: am one of the class you have not
been accustomed to respect; your surround
ings and supposed interest favored the GUS
tom nevertheless, 1 have ever felt myself
the peer Of any man, having in mind, of
course, that there were my superiors in
wealth and other attachments. AS gentle
man, you can respect this feeling, though to
you it may seem misplaced in being mine ;
it induces me with due respect to address
you.
1 read some extracts from yuuE speech
lately delivered at Atlanta, Georgia. Per-
NIT me TO say the civil rights bill designs
simply to secure me-a man and an Ameri-
can ctizen-in civil or public rights that arc
enjoyed by you by virtue of your manhood
and citizenship; rights that are, under the
Constitution, alike yours and mine. Consc-
portion of your speech wherein you. affirm
that it is ''neither right, just, or constitu-
tional' for me to be secured in the same.
l am induced to ask you, Mr.. Stephens,
whether, when you say, "There are hearts
ready to respond to the music Of the
Union under the Federal Constitution Of our
fathers" you desire to be understood as fe-
ferring specifically to the Constitution Of the
fathers, and not to the Constitution as
amended by us, their sons? fear the civil
rights bill and the reconstruction acts refer
red to by you are being viewed through the
spectacles which slavery and its interests
placed on the eyes of the nation. Is it not
true that too many even to-day, because OF
the education Of the past, read the present
as they read the old Constitution, in the
light Of slavery, through contracted lenses :?
1t was pleasure to read that portion Of
your speech where you say: Nov that the
peculiar Southern institutions have been re-
moved, now that the doctrine of seces-
sion as a practical remedy against Federal
aggressions of any sort has been abandoned
in good faith forever, there is nothing to pre-
vent the friends of the Constitution under
the Union from Maine to California, from the
Lakes to the Gulf, from tremendously unit
ing for grand rally for the rescue and per-
petuation of the common liberties of ALL"
1 accept this with all my heart, in the broad
est sense, covering every American'citizen,
white and colored, let him reside wherever
he may in our broad domain.
| am happy in confidently affirming what
know to be true of colorcd men, and what
1 believe is true of the large number of white
men with whom am daily Brought in con-
tact; which is, that they cherish no other
than kind feelings toward Those who rose in
rebellion. Would that this could be gener-
ally received and appreciated by the South !!
1t is desired that the unfortunate past be
buried; that it give place toa fraternal pres
ent, in which all parties slall respect each
other, end shall emulate tie other in efforts
to make our common country the best, the
bravest, fairest, and most enduring. There
is no better base for this, most desirable
state of things-I will use your words to ex.
press it-than "a grand ally for the rescue
and perpetuatlon Of the Common liberties of
all.' This is essential anything short OF
it would he recognizing privileged classes,
and be a source of continued strife.
Colored men are free and cnfranchised, un-
alterably so; they are, is true, a power
one that will enter into Ill political calcula-
tions; still, need Their, be fear because Ct
this that colored men will rule as such
, Think how you are e1tolling them above
others in entertaining any such thought
They are a minority il the land. Are no,
, mind and money dominant powers, and will
not colored men who rc poor and illiterate
be as likely to be usedas are poor and illit.
: crate whites" l would that all were more
y independent. Is it probable that the mass o.
i colored people any more than the mass o.
whites will become millionaires and scholars
No; there need De notear; the times viii
u not be out OF JOINT because we shall be Sc
: cured and respected in our rights.
!. The educated md wealthy Georgian, TO Sc
cure the support aud have control of the mas!
of the people Of his State, black and white
= will need to have regard to their interest
L will have to respect their rights, will have t
n treat them not inyidiously. would be un
derstood as to delicate point: this does n
necessitate sdial relstions between any par
ties.
o predict tatswhcn all persons shall b,
!. respected, without regard 10 race or color
ali persons viii seektheir level and atfinities
that with suh rule there will be less occa
Q sion TO fearonensiye obtrusions than is tru
. of to-day.
e Mr.. Steyhens, I was not born in the South
q bnt INV f.tbes was. He has told me, refer
.. RING TO tie days of slavery, that white an
colored ,ersons were there and then found i
q the cloets relations, in public conveyance:
r In inns elsewhere, and otherwise that n