Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-18

/ out Of ten convicted whether innocent OF
| guilty. He said that the County Jail was
| filed with men and women Of their race
that they saw them g in, but seldom saw
! them come out-tbat the courts, a. organ
| lied and under the system now practised,
| the negroes were at The mercy OF their
] enemies, the whites. He argued that they
had the right 10 be tried Jy jury Of their
/ peers, and that this right they had never
| enjoyed in Madison county. Hence the
colored race filed the county Jail, and
| hence they were convicted Of crimes Of
which they were frequently innocent. The
leading idea OF his speech was, that the
whites Of Madison county were, as \ rule,
the enemies OF the negro race, and that
justice was seldom ever done them in the
courts. lie urged them to stand By no
man that did not stand by the platform
and manifesto adopted and promulgated
by their race in . recent convention At
Nashville, and 70 elect men Of their own
principles to all the Offices Of the govern
ment, from Constable 10 President. When
he told the negroes 10 stand BY no man that
did not stand by the Infamous and fncen-
diary declarations Of the Nashville coIored
convention, he endorsed in whole and in
part that acme Of yindictiye and sectional
paTtizan hate, the civil. rights bill. When
he argued that the white people Of Madi-
son county were the enemies Of the negro
race, that in the courts the negroes seldom
ever got justice, that they were nine times
out Of ten convicted whether guilty or in
accent, he perpetrated an objectionable,
inexcusabie, and groundless SANDER on the
people and courts OF a county that has for
years tolerated him as ! citizen. So far as
"Jolly" Rogers is concerned, we hardly
feel it to be right to hold him respon sible
for the vile utteranccs published above.
We regard him As simply 4 tool in the
hands Of smarter and meaner men. His Is
the dirty work, and for doing it he will
receive no other compensation than the
contempt OF DOJn those ne asSails and those
who use him. We pity him for the reason
that we cannot believe that he is wilfully,
or In other words, innately vicious or ma
lieious. He is simply tool in the hands
Of towards who have not his courage or
recklessness, but who are scheming to
profit by his boldness snd his pitiful igno-
rance. As a Sat's-paw we dismiss him and
pass en- to Jesse II. Harper's diruer AMI
more criminal speech. Harper commenced
his speech by endorsing everything that
Rogers had said, but urging that Rogers
had net gone far enough. He proclaimed
that the negroes did not know that they
were free-thal they were oppressed and
wronsed, tyrannized over and denied vital
rights, lie tSld them that they were free
men, and that God nor the devil, nor the
democratic party, could prevent them from
controlling this country. That they were
entitled TO all the rights, privileges and
immunities Of American citizens, and vet
they were still held in practical bondage.
He endorsed the civil rights bill, but said,
with concession and 9 complacency truly
that he die not intend by his
endorsement, to urge that white men
should be forced to invite colored men TO
dine with them, or that white men should
be compelled 10 invite negroes to marry
their daughters. With these proyises.
however, he endorsed the bill, or he is
utterly ignorant OF the meaning of words.
an imaginary courthouse clique took snuff, |
but they were at perfect liberty to sneeze |
when Harper's snuff was the inspiration. |
He would not tell them who to vote for, |
but be urged them TO vote for the s'right |
men," This latter injunction, "votc for |
he right men," he frequently repeated. |
He warned them against ''pledging their |
IOtes to any one" but when the time az
lived to vote for their ''friends," the best |
men and the men who would give them
equal rights" He said ''you know
whether l am your friend or not" and
you know that never run for office ex-
ept when you call on me to do So" With
much carnestness he urged the negroes to
tick together "as close as the teeth Of
inc tooth CONT" and to vote as unit for
he Fright men" He told them that they
lad been like dogs with collars about their
iecks, lead 10y chains in the hands Of their
nemieS- Thus they had been lead against
he interest Of their Tace and kept down At
he feet Of the "whIte democracy OF the
ounIry. He appealed to them 10 stand
Ogether and demand all the rights Of free
men; and especially to vote in the pending
lection for the "right men," His abuse Of
he democratic party was Enthusiastically
'uigar and meaningless, and entirely too
.irty for the ears and eyes Of gentlemen. A
more vile appeal TO the ignorance and pas
ions Of the negro we have seldom ever
eard, and his speech forever cuts him loose
rom all sympathy with the white men Of
he country. The great pity is that his
kin is not Is black rs his political senti-
nents. IL he had been born a negro'he
would not have been blacker than his
peech of Saturday painted him. After
Iarper's harangue Pete White, a eolored
nan took the stand. Pete was evidently
cry much embarrassed, but after a few
remarks he shot of in a manner
decidedly lively and suggestive. lie de-
'lored the ignorance Of his race as to the
Of the United States and the
tate of Tennessee, and confessed that he
idn't know much aboue either. But With
II the vim and efiron.ery Of ignorance he
rged bis people TO use snd profit by all
heir privileges, and 10 steadily aspire TO
till higher ones. Like Harper, he directed
heir attention to the vital importance Of
len." Upon this point he said-''As we
ave candidates that belong to our own
arty let us stand by them as one man.
n this sentence be let the "cat out Of the
'allet' and made suspicion positive that
be radicals have a secret ticket already in
he field. He dug among the dead ashes of
be past, and exhibited the wasted skCle-
On Of slavery. Dwelling upon the horrors
Z that efTete institution, he stirred his race
D the tallest height Of passion. They
heered him wildly aud continually. He
Did them that they were taught TO forgive
Then asked fer forgiveness, but that he
ad never yet heard of the whites asking
the COlored people that forgiveness. The
lference he left was, that there was 4 war
etween the races that could only cease
then the whites humbled themselves be-
IRE their former slaves. After urging his
eople to vote for the right men," men
lodged to civil rights, he concluded his
peech with this significant perorati5n: !
~ colorcd brothers, SAID he, let Us
advance our banner high
Throw it against the sky
And resolve TO DO or die
ete's speech was the best connected and :
be most significant made on the occasion.
.lthough be plainly exposed the whole
ldical programme Of the county. yet be is
vidcntly fully capable OF teaching logic,
1etoric and deceIcy 10 the white men who {
-ere engaged with him in the meeting. I
We have lao quarrel with the colored MN !
Madison county; left 10 their own in
.incts Of right we belieTe that they would |
ct in the future, As they have acted in the
asst, 50 far as county elections are con-
srned. We knO r, md they know, that
ley have no risht t. comnlain of the |