Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-21
THEIO. GOOD TEMPLARs.

To the Union and American:
This widespread and popular temperance
organization is in trouble about "the man
and brother.n The r. W. G. Lodge of the
Order met this year in London and settled
finally the question of negro membership
By ordering that 10 distinction shall be
made in any Lodge on account of race,
color or previous condition, thus furnishing
another instance of the blindness and stu
pidity of that miserable fanaticism which
advocates the social equality of the negro
race. There are, as we are informed, 400
Lodges of Good 1emplars in Kentucky,
about 200 each in North Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama and Tennessee, with probably
200 more scattered through the other
Southern States. Yet, the supreme legisla-
tive body in the Order, blindly drives from
ITEM these ], 400 Lodges for the sake of the
few negroes here, and those that desire to
become members; and that, too, while ne
groes have temperance organizations of their
own, and the Southern Grand Lodges of
Good Templars stand pledged to aid them,
by compact and otherwise, in extending
them. A similar spirit and the passage Of
the same resolution two years ago by the
National Division of the Sons Of Temper
Gnce drove off the entire Southern member
ship of that equally popular order. That
event was the first step toward the estab-
lishment of the new order of United
| Friends of Temperance, upon the basis Of
| an exclusively white membership. We are
| led TO these reflections from noticing IN one
| OF our Georgia exchanges, the following
! communication from the q. W. Templsr of
that State:
OFFICE OF THE G. w. c. T., ROME,
| IT, I'D
Order OF Good Templsrs of Georgia: The
Blight W. G. L. of the World having by
their recent action at London decided in
effect that, in our State, as we'll as else
| where in the world, the cllored race are en-
titled to charters and all the privileges aud
rights of the Order, it becomes our duty to
face to the front, and absolve ourselves as
early as possible from all connection with
The Right Worthy Grand Ledge of the
World. By our Constitution the Order in
this State is a white mans Order, and we
cannot sfford to affiliate with those who
hold differently, and in my judgment, we
ought not If we could. By force of the re-
cent Constitutional amendments, the COL
ored race have had bestowed on them
equal political rights, and equality before
the law, but they have not yet been raised
to social equality, nor can this be done by
the fiat of man. Those who are engaged
10 this vain endeavor will have to set
themselves to the task of reforming an or.
dinance of nature, and of de-
festipg the will Of God. The
difference is one made by the God
of the universe, and is not very likely to be
changed by mar. l therefore recommend
that each Lodge instruct its deleg ties to
the Grand Lodge of Georgia to sever their
connection with the Right Worthy Grand
Lodge Of the world as soon as possible, and
with all others who agree with it, md take
such measures as a,e proper to form 9
Right Worthy Grand Lodge of cur own
composed of those who agree in sentiment
recommend that the Grand Lodges of the
different Southern States be requested tC
take early action on this subject We have
succeeded too we'll to be willing to abandon
the Order. Tco much good has been done
BY the Order to surrender to the fell de-
stroyer. Our hopes of the redemption o.
our race from thu evils of intemperance are
too high to be given up. We must stand
by the Order as 1t was before this foul bio
was put upon it. Let us remain Coco
Templars with our motto, "Our Constitu
lion as it is-the Order as It was" Heed
nothing tending to divert you from thu
great principles of the Order-run after NJ
strange gods. Very respectfully,
j. w. 81. UNDERWOOD,
G. w. G. T. of Ga.
We regret to see this movement for still
another temperance order, as we are in
, formed that the Grand Lodges of some o
the other Southern States will at once con
solidate with the United Friends, an orde
T which, as we have said, sprung into exist
ence from the very same causes that nov
agitste the Good Templars. OF course the!
will all withdraw their allegiance from The
R. W. G. L., and we should think the gen
, ersl cause of temperance you'd be bes
promoted by grand consolidation of then
J all in the United Friends.
David Salisbury died of neglect and ex.
/, posure In Memphis on the 18th, although
. be was the presumed owner of $125, 00C
. worth of property in litigation at Wheeling