New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-09-10
From Tennessee.
NASHVILLE, August 81, 1874

NASHVILLE, August 81, 1874.
To the Editor Of the Ne,o National Era:
SIR: Being citizen of the South and of
Tennessee, l cannot take any pleasure in
exposing her outrages and lawlessness; but
as am among those who are being perse-
cuted by wicked white men will make this
statement to set ourselves right before the
people, and perhaps get the sympathy of our
old friends who may have been decoyed Off
from us by the false publications of the cause
of these disturbances in the South. We have
no daily newspaper here Of our own to pub
lish things as they are, yet we hope that the
ERA may carry the news until the nation
shall be awakened to our grievances and
sulerings and send us succor, since our State
government will not. Much has been SAID
by Southern newspapers about 'war Of
races" also that "thc negroes are the ag-
gressors." Now on that subject wish to
say the truth as plainly and forcibly as can
tell it. There is no war of races going on
in the South and not likely to be. In these
disturbances the negro is never the aggressor,
but acts on the defensive. What is going on
| at present is massacre of negroes BY South
ern white men who fancy themselves wronged
by the Senate passing the civil rights bill,
and they seek to be revenged upon us. Our
only crime is that we are negroes. We are
outraged by these towards because we are in
the minority and are loyal to that Govern
ment which subdued the rebels and triumph
antly established the nations flag upon the
ruins of the Southern Confederacy While
travelling in the State of New York many
friends who have seen our State laws In print
have said: Every right of citizenship has
been accorded you by the law, and what
more do you want? ?" From this argument
it seemed to me that the negro men had APP
peared pestilent fellows to these men, and
that we were unjust in our demands for GER
tain rights and privileges. Yet would try
to explain the situation to them. But on
account of the many Southern papers, and
Northern men writing and reporting what
they term the condition of the two races in
the South, find it hard to convince them
that we were misrepresented. Many of us
being unable to plead our own cause, and
grievances, we are compelled, from no cause
Of our own, to bear the proud mans con-
tumely and the Misrepresentation of men of
influence who wish to carry their point even
to the sacrifice of truth, and without regard
to right, justice, Or the public good. Yet,
from the nature of the case, believe some
writers have written what they believe to be
true Of us. But they have been misinformed
We have had a real carnival of crime in this
State during the month of August, which
will write such black history against the
State as to make it the most unenviabe repu-
tation of any State in the Union. During |
the month about thirty colored persons have |
been assassinated by white men disguised |
and undisguised in day light, aud during the
dark hours of the night. But men say, "The
laws OF your State guarantee protection to |
every citizen alike" Not many months |
ago colored man was arrested on suspicion |
OF murder and placed in the county Jail in |
this city to await the action of the law, but
the unfortunate man was taken from the Jail |
by undisguised white men, carried immedi.
ately opposite the market on the Public |
square, and across the street from the police |
station he was hung to a lamp post and |
there was none so poor in Nashville as to |
cause the arrest or to arrest any of the men
engaged for simply lynching Niger. This
will only show you how the law is executed
in our behalf. Sir, so far as the law pro-
tecting negroes is concerned, it is a dead
letter, and will no more be enforced without
Federal bayonets than was Mr.. Lincoln's
emancipation proclamation.
The colored people held a "Peace Meet
ing' here last week and declared they "de-
sire peace and the privilege to make an hon
est living" But when the Governor of the
State, as well as other men of influence de-
clare that this is white mans government,
what chance can negro expect? The lead
ing Democrats in the State hate the Govern
ment, and everybody who is loyal to it. and
they denounce it as "the most corrupt Gov
eminent on the face of the EARTH" Gus.
Henry, chairman of the Conservative and
Democratic State Convention, assembled in
this city last month to nominate a candidate
for Governor, said in his speech before that
body concerning the Government, at is the
worst ever knew, and Its administration is
so corrupt that 1 don't know of one decent
white man who would accept seat in it,"
Such sentiments were greeted with deafening |
applause.) Governor Brown, in a, letter to
the merchants of Memphis, advised the PEG. {
pie: ut is the duty of every man in this {
perilous hour to foget every consideration
and contribute by his vote and influence to I
The success of the white mans ticket, and {
hereby establish white mans govern '
nent." II
With such speeches from men of influence