Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-25
Hezekiah Henley, President OF the
Memphis POlebearers, IntsTTieW-
ed by Correspondent Of the
Chicago Times.
What he Is accomplishing In the Work OF
Harm0Bizing his Race with their
White FrieHds OF the s0uth.
He Loves his Country, and KGOWs that
Harmony and 6OOd Will Must
Prevail between the Races,
Etc, Etc.

thoughts OF OratOTy, battle fields or hu-
man prog 'eSs, yet, nevertheless, destined
to be remembered in the south as one
that has assisted in breaking down the
barriers which so disastrOusly divided
the two races. / attended the celebra-
ton of the Independent Order of Pole
Bearers, at the Fair grounds, On the fifth
OF this month, and witnessed the cere-
mony of reconciliation between the
| whites aud blacks. Generals Pillow and
Forrest two names that for years sound
ed harshly upon black ears, as at Fort
| Pillow the soldiers under Forrest slaugh-
tered the negroes who defended it, as
the world now knows, were there, in
company with the genial and talented
i Galloway, editor Of the APPEAL. The
words Of these prominent southern gen.
| tlemen have gone into the Presidential
mansion, the bondholders' palaces and
the cabins of the toiling blacks, as cove
nant of peace and friendship. During
these ceremonies between former slaves
and white men of the purest southern
lineage-Generals Pillow and Forrest
and NJ. G. Gallaway-I was thoroughly
impressed with their Importance and
the effect they would have upon
| the people of the south, OF all classes,
and the fanatics OF the north. Forrest,
the great cavalry leader, was sternly in
| earnest; Pillow, q man dlstln-
guished in the annals of the nation,
spoke in plain language to seq OF black,
serious faces, telling them truths that
applied to all men, advising sObriety,
industry, honesty and frugality; while
| galloway, in personal appearance the
counterpart OF Henry Clay, gave his
presence and voice to the occasion. All
this was brought about 10y plain Heze-
kiah Henley, president of the Indepen-
dent Order OF Pole-Bearers, a negro
| blacksmith, who works daily at his bust
ness. Shortly after the celebration l
made inquiries as to where Hezekish
| Henley could lie found, and after walk
out Madison street, and across the Mem
phis and Charleston railroad bridge, |
saw plain sign, in front of dingy,
wooden structure, which read-"Heze-
| kiah Henley, blacksmith" Entering a
spacious doorway, l discovered the OBJ
| ect of my search, black man, well adj
vsnced in years, leaning upon an anvil,
| his swarthy face grim with smoke and
dust. From him 1 learned the Pole
| Bearers were an organization that rami-
| fed throughout the States of Tennessee
and Mississippi; that its main objects
| it's members; and that it was not antag-
onistic to the white race. He did
not deny that they were well-drilled in
the manual Of arms and evolutiOns, but
said these were to make their parades
| imposing and attractive. The former
president, Tom Swan, while an honest
citizen, was an avOwed adherent of the
Radical party, and used the POle-Bearers
as political machine, both in nOmi-
mating conventions and in elections.
He died, and in his stead came to the
surface as leader and president, Heze
kiah Henley, cOlOred man Of broad
and liberal views, and true patriot.
Hezekiah Henley is q very common
name, but to-day it is linked with such
distinguished southern names as Gala
way, Forrest and Pillow, in the cause of
progress, humanity, peace, tranquility
and prosperity. The following is SUIT
stantially portion of brief interview
l had with Hezekiah Henley.
"You have moved boldly in the mat
ter, Mr.. Henley"
81 am a humble citizen of the south,
sir. 1t is my birth place and home. 1
have grieved to see the white and black
man arrayed against each other, when
their interests are identical. The white
man and black man have been acting
like children, and the political gambler
has filled his purse at their expense.
Plantations are lying idle, and the rich
est lands in the world are covered with
weeds. Why is this? Because there
has been bad blood between the black |
and white man."
"Do you think Forrest, Galloway and |
Pillow sincere in their desire for recon- |
ciIistion?"
"Most assuredly. They are southern /
gentlemen, of the best class - citizens |
whom any man can approach, whether
white or black, and are men of high |
moral and social standing, and have no
fear Of public opinion Such men mold |
public opinion"
"These men were strong rebels, and
"And losing, turned to pursuits of ia-
dustry-Forrest, to building q railroad;
Pillow, to the law; and Galloway to
journalism. These men are not pOliti-
cians.u
''How did you conceive the idea of
bringing the antagonistic elements to-
gether?"
"Through my position as president of
the independent Order Of POle-Bear-
ers."
at gave you power?"
"NO, not exactly power, but prOmi-
hence and large influence among the
people Of my color. My duty was plain,
and with the support of thinking col
Ored men, and such white gentlemen as
NJ. &. Galloway, and Generals Pillow
and Forrest, | made the move which
has hurled all differences and put into
the hands of my people these imple-
ments" (pointiDg to the plOws, harrOws
and hoes that lay around his anvils and
fOrges).
dDo you think the condition of the
colored man bettered by having gained
his freedOmw
Hezekiah Henley smiled at this ques-
ton, and | saW his answer without
reply.
"Human bondage kept the black man
fat, but ignorant freedom brought suffer
ing; but it also brought to the nation
knowledge and wisdom, and an in
crease of power that cannot hurriediy be
"YOu have made name for yourselEn
~ love my country and my section OF
this great government, and know that
harmony and good will must prevail be-
tween the people Of my color and the
whites, else our children land they are
will remain uneducated, our
young men fail to become skilled me-
chanics or masters OF useful pl DECISIONS,
and finally sink into dangerous lethar-
gy, that will take them to the doors of
idleness and crime. l
want TO see schools filled with our chill
dreD, competing with the children of the
whites in the race for knowledge; COM
petiDg with the whites in mechanism
and in all the professions"
This ended our interview, sand l left
Henley with the impression
that | had met man Of powerful will,
broad understanding, and a patriot.
Henley did not stop with the
Pole Bearers celebration, and as he
welded his blacksmith's hammer his
fertile mind conceived the idea of q
grand peace barbecue. The following,
from the columns OF the APPEAL, is
portion Of letter to that influential
journal over his signature as president of
the Independent Pole-Bearers:
"There are so many of my cOlored
friends who regret not being with us in
our happy time on the fifth instant, that l
take the liberty to call the attention OF
the colOred people and their prominent
men TO such suggestions as will bring
all our people together at a grand peace
barbecue some time in the next month.
We want the old and young to be there,
the rich and the poor, the uDgodIy and
the righteous, that all may enjoy a good
time in festive rejoicing, such as we en-
ioyed at the Fair grounds. We want this
good, harmonious feeling to glow among
all classes and conditions in life |
throughout our whole country. Wewsnt