Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-23
Will-o'- '-the-wisp.

Salt River. Will-o'-the- wisp.
Brownlow has no terms to offer Ed.
Shaw and his associates, except un-
conditional surrender on the mixed
school question, as will be seen by
the following plain English, which we
extract from letter lately written by
him:-EDs. Wing AND TRIBUNE.
The persons in the Nashville con-
vention who insolently characterized
me and all Republicans who agree
with me, as "Judasesn and traitors
to the Republican party" can put this
in their pipes and smoke it. I have
resided in East Tennessee forty-six
years, and if there is anything in the
world which 1 thoroughly understand
it is the character OF. East Tennes-
seeans. During this long period of
time, l have mingled with this people
in every one of the thirty-one coun-
ties comprising this division of the
State, and know the people of every
county, as well as 1 known my neigh
bors in Knoxville. I tell the Repub-
licans of all colOrs in Middle and
West Tennessee, that under no con-
ceivable circumstances viii East Ten
neisee Republicans support any man
for any office, who fayors mixed
schools. In former communications
on this subject, I have appealed
to those who differed me, in kind
and coneiliatory terms. 1 appeal to
their Judgment and good sense. So
far as those, running this Nashville
convention are concerned, they are
incapable of approaching such an ap-
peal, even from one having stronger
claims to their respectful hearing than
any other citizen of the state. 1t is
high time they were made to under
stand, IN language which they can
comprehend, just what they can de-
pend upon. When so many leading
Republican politicians of the white
race are lodging this issue, it is a real
kindness, to the whole colored race,
however they may now receive If, to
hear the truth and know the evil con-
sequences which would-b 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 insolently
put fourth at Nashville. Let them
remember that they now have in sep
arate schools equal educational facili-
ties with the whites. Let them re-
member 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 feder-
al government at Washington. Let
them remember that thousands of
property-holders Of the State of the
political party, to which they are in
opposition, have aided in establishing
our present school system, and with
out the support of this class, in CO.
operation with their white political
associates, it couldlnot have been es-
tabEshed.
Let them also remember that it is
not q question as tO'whether we will
have mired schools. but whether we
shall have any system. of public in
struetiOn at all. For it Il. not in the
power of forty congresses~to estab-
lish this mixed school system Ia Ten
nessee.
If the civil rights bill should pass
without the mixed school feature be-
ing stricken ont, the whole school fab
ric in Tennessee will at once fall to
the ground, as it will deserve to do.
Then the expenses of the education
of their children, if they are educat-
ed at all, Will be borne by themselves,
and not by the white people, as they
now are. w. G. BROWNLOW.