The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-20
ADDRESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH
AND SOUTHWEST.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.-The following adj
dress has just been prepared by the Demo-
cratic members of the South and Southwest:
To the people of the Southern States:
You have confided to the undersigned in
this conjuncture of affairs the delicate and
difficult task of guarding in the Federal Con-
gress your public interest, your rights and
your reputation.
You will, therefore, pardon the liberty we
take in addressing you, at period SO critical,
upon matter affecting your destiny and that
Of your posterity.
You cannot have failed to observe the per-
sistent efforts of some of the leaders of the
Republican party to revive the animosities of
the late war, which, happily, are fast giving
place to a spirit of concord and unity in every
section of our common country.
It is impossible to predict certainly the
effect of these appeals to passion. We
believe that through the honest representa-
tions of few upright and conscientious Fed
eral officers and agents, an Independent and
able public press, and of many citizens with
out regard to party, the true condition of the
Southern States and the real sentiment of the
Southern people, are being gradually made
known to our fellow-citizens of the North.
We hope for their favorable decision when
fully appraised of all the facts
The great end of good government will be
reached when the people Of all sections forget
that we have ever been enemies and come
together again as in the early days of the
Republic, emulating each other only in
devotion to the best interests of the whole
country.
With this exalted purpose in view, there ia
nothing inconsistent with the honor and the
manhood Of brave people to resolve to suffer
with heroic patience, whatever be their prov
ocations and wrongs, looking through the
fearful present to hopeful future and repel-
ling unjust epithets and gratuitous insults
with dignifed moderation.
Let every white man in every neighborhood
in the whole South regard himself as COM
missioner of the peace, maintaining the
kindliest relations toward the black
man, remembering that the responsibility for
the extreme poverty to which we have been
reduced and the corrupt governments to
which his vote has subjected US rests not 80
much upon him as upon the bad men who,
with helassurance Of Federal support, have,
by appeals to his worst passions, sought to
make him our enemy.
While we labor by all honest means to con-
vince him of the truth that our interests and
bis are identical, and that both must be pre-
served by good government, and that those
who stir up strife between us are the enemies
Of both races, let us at the same time see that
be is fully protected in his guaranteed rights
10 vote as he pleases in all elections.
Let us continue to deal with him honestly
md fairly, and let us continue cordially to in
ute to our midst those of any political party
Who either seek to know the truth, or to find
homes upon our soil. We do not exaggerate
when we admonish of the disheartening fact
hat every street disturbance, every homicide
# whatever character by whomsoever COM
nitted, by black or white, Republican or
Democrat, such as are incident to every COM
nunity upon earth, is perverted into evidence
# spirit of lawlessness and violence, and
purpose to accomplish political ends
We well know the gross injustice of such
harges, which have weight only where igno-
ance of our true condition prevails. Strenu-
us efforts are now being made by those who
you to induce the passage by
congress of the most dangerous measures in
rider to irritate our people, to drive them to
espair, and to provoke them to violent out
reaks, in order to furnish an excuse for ap-
lying for military Interference
We express the hope that majority of tha
resent Congress will not be found ready to
auction such legislation. II it be accom-
iished, it would be against the protest, not
MY of Democrats, but of the moral world,
nd the craftsmanship here Of the party in
over, and of such Republicans as Bryant,
warts, Charles Francis Adams and other3
those patriotism and sense Of justice are
nown to the entire community. We may,
owever, be mistaken.
The most extreme, oppressive and unccn-
measures may be imposed upon
ou. In such event We would appeal to the
risdom and patriotism of long suffering
'eople, by every hope of yne future, for con-
inued forbearance and hopeful reliance upon
be virtue and sense Of Justice ofthe American
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