Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-05-31

1
| chanting testimonial of honOFl what
sublime vindication Of truth, and
what an exalted sample of manhood
was this, the ferOcious attack upon, aud
ROBBERY OF AN UNPROTECTED AND
HELPLESS WHITE LADY,
whs had modestly presumed to sell
what the license of the law entitled her
TO dol This is patriotism-this is grad-
| tude-this is fidelity to national honor.
/ But the "damnedn whites were soon
closed up, and no one dared emerge
from the building, for three negroes
vowed TO kill any one who came forth.
! After this brutal robbery, and the i'm
prisOnment of Martin Swan, guard was
placed around the premises, ana within
half an hour about three hundred ne
groes assembled at the orators stand,
where about five hundred negroes
! had assembled after a prayer,
ED. SHAW
was introduced, and made a big pO-
litical speech on the civil rights
bill, the introductory privilege Of which
had Just been INDUCED in by the Pole
Bearers and other negroes He first
spoke upon the diversity OF views caused
BY the existence Of slavery. de inform
ed the crowd that they had met to honor
the dead, who fell battling for the privi-
leges they enjoyed. To the negro, the
occasion was q grand one, and they had
met for something. 1t was unnecessary
to mention the circumstances Of their
death. The difference of opinion could
only have been settled by the sword;
still the feeling of the people to-day was
not
WHAT THE NEGROES HAD EXPECTED.
The sword alone could have accom-
plished the work of abOlishing slavery.
They had assembled as freemen, which
condition had been brought about by
war, while the white people OF the south
would have never accepted thesituatiOn
unless compelled, Still the enjoyment
of such privileges was due to the fidelity
Of the government in preserving its
trust. The occasion of their nlbling
was q solemn one, as il was for the pur-
pose of doing honor to those who had
died battling for them, but it was not
an occasion of battles, etc. He hoped
that hereafter when they Assem- bled, it
would be for the honor of the dead. The
advancement of the negro had been
more rapid than anticipated, and they
should rejoice in the belief that they
would soon be full grown citizens. 1t
was gratifying to know that the very
white men who fought to prevent the
education of the negro, were now build
ing schoOlhOuses in which to educate
negroes. The power of these men to
prevent the advancement and influence
of the colored race, was gone forever.
But he would speak of the last
GROWING GLORY OF TIE NATION.
When this was accomplished, the ne
groes could then tell the nation to let
them alone so far as their own legisla-
ton was concerned. The last crOWniDg
glory to befall them was the passage of
the civil rights bill. He knew it met
with opposition from many white per-
sons, but so did their liberty, their en-
reimbursement, and their public schools
meet with opposition. In Tennessee, as
in other States, the influence and power
Of the negro was One-fourth. Some pray
that the civil rights bill will not pass,
but he did pray it would pass. The
greatest opposition of the white people
was, first, that negroes would 90 10
school with their children.
THE GERMANS, IRISH AND ITALIANS
had each their common schools, but the
law did not say TO them you must 60 to
these schools. TLey had their own
schools, and the negroes wanted theirs.
The second great objection on the part
of the white people was, al don't want
YOU negroes 10 come into our pariOrsp'
''FrOm the looks Of this congregation it
seems" said the speaker, "thst the
white people have been in our parlOrs
ofteDer than we have been in their par
lors laughter, and cries of Hit him
aginr1 They say, oh, you want to
marry our daughters' From the looks
of this congregation it seems that one
could hardly marry any other than their
daughter! AS they did not understand
the civil rights bill, he thought he would
speak Of it in few words.
GENERAL W. J. SMITH
being next introduced by Thomas Swan,
said he was unprepared to make q
speech. They had assembled to honor
the memory Of departed worth, of " hem
nearly fourteen thousand slept in the
cemetery. He needed not to speak as 10
the cause of their fall, but he would
rather throw q mantle over the past II
was enough to know that they died in a
noble cause. 1t was their DUTY 70 bear
the common trust in stTewing flowers
upon their graves, thereby handing
down to posterity the fact that the
brave, the true AID the just are everTe-
membered. He asked If the negroes
were taking advantage of the education
al and other advantages allowed them, |
by improving their minds. Hte was glad |
the officers of the societies bad !
put their heads together to put down !
the selling of rum. He hoped the next |
day of decoration would see each visitor |
with bouquets, and if they had any
thing to uat, that they would bring 1t
in their own baskets and spread their
cloth under the shade OF the trees. He
referred to the decoration of graves at
Arlington, where he said the Federal
ind Confederate soldiers slept side 10y
side, He INDUCED the wish that the
past would be forgotten, for this would
make them wiser and better. lie
thanked them Tor listening to his un-
and unbroken remarks.
THE DECORATION OF THE GRAVES
was then begun, and many flowers were
streWn upon the mounds where sleep
the dead Of the nation. 1t is but right
to honor the memory, respect the worth
and cherish the heroism OF dead soldiers.
Flowers, the purest beauties OF nature,
with their grace of affection ana Their
fragrance of happiness, so pure, so love-
ly, and significant Of our tenderest feel
ings. are fit emblems and appropriate
tributes TO the fallen OF the land. But
when the sacred beauty Of such an Oc-
casion i marred by violence and the
highest type Of mans respect for the
dead outraged so w8ntonly, it becomes
a hyperbole upon truth and mOckery
of honesty. We love TO see men, wO-
men and children honor the dead, but
the character OF the nation aud the
memory of the buried soldiers Of the
Union we hope never to see desecrated
in the manner that attended the con-
duct Of the negroes yesterday.
AT NEW YORK CITY,
NEW YORK, May S0-The beautiful
weather, and the action OF the legisla.
ture making this decoration day a legal
holiday, nave combined TO give TO the
celebration this year more general re-
cognition than on any previous occur
renee of the now well-observed anniver-
ssry. Toe custOmhouse, postofileei sub
treasury, and the stock, goldi produce,
cotton. and other exchanges sre closed,
and also most Of the larger business es-
tablishments down town, The exercises
were formally begun at midnight al
which hour detachments of marines, un-
der Colonel Brown, with a number OF
naval offleers Of rank in port, the Grand
ARMY of the Republic, aud large COM
many of citizens, left the navy-yard ioF
Woodlawn cemetery, where al SUNRISE
the grave of Admiral Farragut was de-
coraied, and q salute 6Ied. About the
same time the grave of General Charles
G.. Halpine Miles 0'Reilly), in Cypress
Hill cemetery, was decorated. The
Grand Army of the Republic initiated tue
exercises In this city, when at half-past
seven it marched into Union square,
and strswed many flowers around The
base OF the Lincoln statue, placed iaa-
rels on it, head, and dressed the pedes-
tai in evergreens, tine immense crowd OF
people remaining uncovered during the
ceremony. The equestrian statue OF
Washington was decorated, and after
ward the members Of the Grand Army
marched TO the monument Of General
Worth, when the veterans Of the Mexi-
can war deeked il with floral tFjoutes,
Union square was made the rendezvous
for the several posts Of the Grand Army
Of the Republic and detachments Of the
military which had volunteered to ae-
company them to the graves ot their
former companions. Soon after eight
O'Clock the posts and the military
marched upon the ground, accompanied
BIZ band of music, and were imDaedi-
ately followed Ey wagons drawn by rich