The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-02-25
"STFLL F0R8EAR-"
Address of fac Southern Members
Of (ougress.-TRc Southern
People Advised 10 Bear
AID FOrbcRr.

People Advised 10 Bear
aEd FOrbcar.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-The fol-
lowing address has just been issued by
the Democratic members IF the South
and Southwest:
To the people of the Southern States
You have confided TO the under
signed in this conjunction of affairs,
the delicate and difficult task OF guard
ing, in the Federal Congress, your
public interests, your rights and your
reputation. You vii, therei re, par
don the liberty We take of addressing
you at period 50 critical upon matter
affecting your destiny and that of Your
postcrity. Your cannot have failed
to observe the persistenteiforts of some
leaders of the Republican party to re
vive the animosities Of the late war,
which happily arc fast giving place to
A spirit Of concord and unity in every
section Of cur common country. II Is
impossible to predict with certainty
the effect of these appeals to passion.
We believe through the honest repre-
sensations of a few upright and con
sciancious Federal officers and agents,
an independent and able public press.
and of many citizens without regard
to party, the true condition of the
Southern States and real sentiments
of the Southern people are being grad
uallv made known to our feilOw-citi-
zens of the North. Wehope for their
favorable decision when fully appraised
of all the facts. The great ends Of
good government will bereached when
the people Of all sections forget that
We lave ever been enemies, and come
together again as il the early day. of
the republic, emulating each other
only in devotion to the best interests
of the whole country. With this ex-
allied purpose inview, there is nothing
inconsistent with the honor and man
hood of a brave people to resolve to
suffer with heroic patience, whatever
their provocations and wrongs. looking
through the fearful present to the
hopeful future, and rcpeliing unjust
epithets and grat'iitous insults with
dignifed moderation. Let every white
man in every neighborhood in the
whole South regard himself as a com
missioner of the peace, maintaining
the kindlicst relations toward the
black man, remembering that the re-
sponsibiiity for the extreme poverty to
which we have been reduced, and the
corrupt governments his vote has sub
;ected US to. rests not so much upon
him as upon the had men, who, with
assurance'of Federal support, have,
by appeals to his worstpassions, sought
20 make him our enemy, while we la
Dor hy all honest means TO convince
Kim of the truth that Our interest and
his are Identical, and both must be
preserved by good governments, and
that those who stir up strife between
rs arc the enemies Of both races. Let
MS at the same time see that he is fui-
Nv protected ia his guaranteed rights
to vote as he pleases in all elections
Let us ccntinne to deal with him hon
estly and fairly, and let us continue
cordially to invite 10 our midst those
who of any political party who either
seek to know the truth or find homes
upon our soil. We do not exaggerate
when we admonish YOU of hedisheart-
ening fact that every street distur-
bance, every homicide of whatever
character, by whOmsoever committed,
by black or white, Republican or Dem
ocrat, such as are incident to every
community upon earth, is perveted in
to evidence Of a spirit OF lawlessness
aud violence AID a purpose 10 accom-
plisb political ends. We well know
the gross injustice Of such charges,
which have weight only where igno-
rance Of our true condition prevails.
Strenuous efforts are Dow being
made bv those who represent you 10
induce the passage, by Congress, Of q
most dangerous measure in order to
irritate our people, to drive them to
despair, and provoke them to violent
outbreaks, in order TO furnish an ex-
cuse for applying for military interfer-
eBce. We express the hope that a
maj rrity OF the present Congress will
not be found ready to sanction such
legislation. fit be accomplished, it
would be against the protest, not only
Of Democrats, hut Of the moral worth
and craftsmanship here of the party
in power, and of such Republicans as
Bryant, Evarts, Charles Francis
Adams and Others, whose patriotism
and sense Of justice are known to the
entire country. We may, however,
not mistake the most extreme, ep-
pressive and unconstitutional measures
may be imposed upon you. In such
an event, would appel TO tbs wisdo4.
and patriotism Of long suffering peo-
ple. by every hope Ct the future, for
cauLinucd forbeaEance and hopeftd re-
lance upon the virtue and sense OF
iustice CT the American peopie Tor 'is