The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-02-26
..&ERE.E. HISBIsEREIAR."
address s3s'sE5c Southern Vaen-
beers OF Congress.
The Southern People Advised to Bear and
Fcrbaar.
Discard and Strife peprecated.

! WASHINGTON, Fc5. lS-Thc following
! address has Just been issued by the Dem
| oyratic members of the South and South.
| west.
To the people OF the Southern States
| You have couGded to the undersigned in
! TINS conjunction of affairs, the delicate
| and difficult task Of guarding, in the Fed
! eral Congress, your public interests, your
! nights and your reputation. You will,
! therefore, pardon the liberty We take of
/ addressing you at a period 50 critical up
| on a matter affecting your destiny and
| that of your postcrjty. You cannot have
failed to observe the persistent efforts OF
some leaders otthc Republican party to
revive the auimoSitiCs OF the late war,
which happily are fast giving place to a
sp rlt OF concord and unity in every section
OF our common country. Ii IS impossible
to predict with certainly the effect of
these appeals of passion. We believe
through the honest presentations of a
few up-ight and conscientious Federal
officers and agents, an independent and
able public press, and of many citizens
without regard TO party, the true condi
ton Of the Southern States and real senti-
mcnts Of the Southern people are being
gradually made known to our fellow citi
zcns of the North. We hope for their
favorable decision when fully appraised Of
all the facts. The great ends of good
government viii be reached when the peo-
pie of all sections forget that we have ever
been enemies and come together again
as in the early days of the republic, emu
latiug each other only in devotion to the
best interests Of the whole country. With
this exalted purpose in view, there is
nothing Inconsistent with the honor aud
manhood oil a brave people to resolve to
suffer with heroic patience, whatever their
provocanJns and wrongs, looking through
the fearful present to the hopeful future
and repclljng unjust cpithets and gratui
tous insults with dignifcd moderation.
Let every white man in every ueighbor-
hood in the whole South regard himsei
as commissioner OF the peace, main
timing the kindIicSt relations toward the
black man, remembering that the respon.
sibiGty for the extreme poverty to which
We have been reduced, aud the corrupt
governments his vote has subjected us to,
rests not 50 much upon him
as upon the bad men, who, with assur-
auce OF Federal support, have, by appeals
to Ills worst passions, sought TO make hum
our enemy, while we labor by all honest
llltslliS ~ Ibit IA u III III W tut lAdl
our interest and his are identical and |
both must be preserved by good govern
mentS, and that those who stir UP strife be- |
tween us are the enemies of both races. |
lie, us at the same time see that he is full |
ly protected in his guaranteed rights to |
vote as he p.cases in all elections. Let
us continue to deal with him honestly and !
fairly, and lctus continue cordially to |
invite to our midst those Of any po-
liticaI party who either seek to know the
truth or find homes upon our soil. We
do not eNaggerate when we admonish you
OF the dlsheartCnjrg fact that every street
every homicide of whatever
character, by whOmsocver committed, 10y
black or white, Republican or Democrat,
such as are Incident TO every community
upon earth, Is perverted into evidence of
a spirit of lawieSsuess and violence and
a purpose 10 accomplish political ends.
We well know the gross injustice of such
charges, which have weight only where
guoraugc OF our true condition prevails
Strenuous efforts are now being made
by those who represent you to induce the
passage, by Congress, Of most danger
gus measure in order to irTItate our PEG
)le 70 drive them to despair, and provoke
hem to violent outbreaks, in order to
furnish an excuse for applying for mill
airy interference. We express the hope ,
hat.a ma ority OF the present Congrts will I
lot be found ready to sanction such legis-
alton. fit he accomplished, it would
70 against the protest, not only Of Demo-
rats, but of the moral worth and states
nausuip here OF the party in power and
# such Republicans as Bryant, Evarts
'haries Francis Adams and others,
.haSe patriotism and sense Of justice are
Ecwu Gap the entire country. We may, ]