The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1874-05-20

their abuse and despise their threats
| 1t will not iniure me, nor does it
afford me any solicitude, except in
so far as the bad blood engendered
between the races by such conduct
and such a spirit as characterized
/ the proceedings of that convention
will tend to thei. injury, the destruc-
tion of the common school system.
and the detriment of society and
good government.
I would remind my colored fellow
citizens of the folly of the South in
making war for what they call their
''rights in the Territories. Under
the policy of the Government when
slavery existed, it was claimed
that the Territories. being the COM
mon property of all the people, prop.
erty purchased with the treasure
and by the valor of the people of
the South as well as of the North,
and that therefore the South had
the right to take their slaves in
to the Territories. When those
making these demands were asked
what they expected to gain by the
concession of their fright" they
would respond that slavery was not
profitable in the Territories, but
/ they insisted on having the fright "
Notwithstanding.
Thus the Colored Convention
have reached out after an abstraction
the "civil right to mixed schools,
or as a penalty of the failure Of the
whites to accede to their demand
the g civil right to tear up and des-
troy for an indefinite period the
benefcient and highly useful COM
mon school system of Tennessee.
And this, too, wheu they themselves
they have equal facilities with the
whites for education and do not
need it.
AS the Southern demand for ter
ritorial "rights " resulted in ruin to
| those who made it. so | would warn
the colored people that to vehement.
ly denounce their friends and make
an eXaction which the overwhelming
majority Of the people regard as un-
reasonable, may, and doubt not
will, result to their great injury in
stead of blessing.
True, it may be said, the Repub-
lican party in Tennessee can not get
along without the support of the col
ored voiers. To this | reply; first.
if it had not been for the Republican
party there would be no colored vo-
ters. Secondly, the Republican par
ty can get along without the colored
voters as we'll as the colored voters
can get along without the Republi-
can party. And, thirdly, the $4,000
white Republican voters of East
Tennessee have resolved to get along
without the celored voters sooner
than submit to this sum of villainies
and quintessence of abomination
known as tie co.education of the
races"
SOME PLAIN ENGLISH.
The persons in the Nashville Con-
vention who insolently characterized
me and all Republicans who agree
with me as 'Judases'' and traitors
to the Republican party" can put
this in their pipe and smoke it. l
have resided in East Tennessee for
ty-six years, and if there is anything
in the world which thoroughly un-
derstand it is the character of East
Tennesseeans. During this long
period of time, | have mingled with
this people in every one of the thirty
one counties comprising this division
of the State and know the people
of every county, as well as know
my neighbors in Knoxville. | tell
the Republicans of all colorS in Mid
die and West Tennessee, that under
no conceivable circumstances will
East Tennessee Republicans sup
port any man for any office who fa-
vors mixed schools. In former COM
munieations on this subject, / have
appealed to those who differed with
me, in kind and conciliatory terms.
| appealed to their judgement and
good sense. so far as those, run
ming this Nashville Convention are
concerned, they are incapable of ap-
preciating such an appeal, even from
one having stronger c aims to their
respectful hearing than any other
citizen of the State. 1t is high time
they were made to understand, in
language which they can compre-
hend, just what they can depend
upon. When so many leading Re-
publican politicians OF the white race
are dodging this issue it is a real
kindness, to the whole colored race,
however they may now receive it, to
hear the truth and know the evil con-
sequences which would be leaders of
their race would entail upon them.
My only hope for the future pros
perity of the colored people of Ten
nessee consists in the belief that the
mass of them will repudiate the
abominable programme so insoleutly
put forth at Nashville. Let them
remember that they now have in
separate schools equal educational
facilities with the whites. Let them
remember that the taxes with which
these schools are supported are con-
tributed almost exclusively by the
white people of the State-that the
money does not come from the Fed
eral Government at Washington.
Let them remember that thousands
of the property holders or the State
of the political party which they are
in opposition have aided in estab-
fishing our present school system,
and without the support Of this class.
in cooperation with their white po-
litical associates, it could not have
been established.
Let them also remember that it is
not q question as to whether we will
have qnired schools. but whether we
shall have any system OF public in
stTuction at all. For it is not in the