Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-08-07
IBY MAIL
Iohu $. Kerr on the white Ra.i,

John 3. Kerr on the White Rasis.
To the Editors OF the Appeal:
NAsHvILLE, August /, lS74.-The fir-
repressiOle conflict having been re-
opened by the wicked action of the last
congress, and the negro having declared
be will be satisfied with nothing less
than what is understood by " civil
rights" in Its most monstrous and Of
feDsive sense, the issue cannot be es-
capped; it has thus been forced upon Us,
aud now who is not fer the white man
is for the negro. The issue is sharp and
elesrly defined. Parties no longer sep
arate between our people; il Is simply a
question OF races. MI Lincoln declared
the "irrepressible conflict" "the States
must be all slaves or all free" Perhaps
he did not anticipate the day when the
bottom rail would demand to be put on
top; when q congress would assemble a
majority OF whose mem bers would be
found base enough to declare fer law
designed to degenerate the white IA e by
giving the black man q statutory right
TO force him mself into such offensive and
insufferabie relations IS would reopen
and intensity this ';rrepressi cOnflict'
until it should, as j. has now done. as
sumo the fearful characteristics of an
inappeasable strife for race suDrema-
cy. Ny conservative views are well
known, and l hau fondly hoped but
recent events have proven how
vaiuly, that such a wise and prudent
craftsmanship would prevail in our
legislative councils as would forever
avert a conflict of any kind between the
Saxon and Celt on the one side and the
negro on the other. But those who for
years past have assumed to be Our poll
tical masters and their miserable dupe
the negro have willed it otherwise. The
decree has gone 5orth Tennessee must
either be governed by the one race OF
the other : The irrepressible conflict "
has again been inaCgurated, and there is
no retreat nor cspitulatlOn possible;
either the one race or the other must
succumb! He who holds up the hands
of the one enIists against the other. If
the negro and "civil rights" prevail 10
Tennessee, then the white man aRd the
white woman must accept the place of
an inferior il your race and mine
are to rule, then the negro had as well
prepare for the shock which the intro
ductiOn of skilled labor from Europe
and the north and west will surely bring
upon him. HencefOrth it will be the
battle cry of every Tennessean-nOt q
negro or bis ally-give us immigration,
give US white labor, small farmers, man
| ufaclurers, capitalists from anywhere
everywhere, so we may rid ourselves
and our State as rapidly as possible, and
| forever, of the element Of diseOrd this
! firebrand which is continually employed
! by our . Jlitical enemiel for purposes Of
/ confusion, disquiet aud dismay. Let
| the work be done without a harsh word
/ or violent act, but nevertheless with the
/ vigor of drowning man seeking to Ie-
/ lieve himself of q merchandising
/ weight. Let Tennessee's hand be
! stretched forth to those of our own race
| and color in countries of crowded popu-
[ latiOU, and offer them every inducement
( to settle ia our midst; and the day is
/ not far distant when she can breathe
/ free, and have only a homogeneous pop
ulstion; when she will be rid of this body
/ OF black death; when the incubus which
now bears her down into the dust of
/ financial bankruptcy, and seeks to assert
a race superiority ever her proud SONS
! and legitimate rulers shall give way for
ever before the power and loftier attri-
/ butes of that race which treads the
earth proudly and unconscious Of a
rival. For me give me the white man
Of any nationality and l recOguizs in
D Dim AL equal aHu = DLUbucEg Dut bue
negro, never. No statute can make
him my social equal and your social
equal, much less our superior. The con-
| hict is upon Us, we are forced to recOg-
nize the truth, and could not if we
would. escape it. The negro has "sOld
/ his birth-right for a mess Of potage." he
] has chosen the "ir-epressible conflict"
/ he shall have it. Our cOuntrymen from
/ Bristol to Bartlett have accepted the IS
sue. One mind pervades the State.
| Tennessee must be under black rule or
/ white. Il cannot be mixed. Choose ye
/ this day. tru t old Shelby viii give
| forth no uncertain sound. The State Is
/ looking to her to do her full duty in this
I decisive hour. There can be no neutTals,
no Independents in this struggle. The
] man who is not for the success OF the
/ white mans ticket records himself for
/ negro supremacy and 'civil rights.
will be at home Thursday to record my
vote Tor the white mans government
/ now, henceforth and forever.
! John s. KERR