The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-03-03
ADDRESS
- OF = -
raE DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS
OF
THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, J
T.l5s Feb. 1s, 1875. {
The following address has jus,
been prepared by the Democratic
members Of the South and South
west:
10 THE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTHERN
STATES:
You have confided to the under.
signed in this conjuncture of affairs
The delicate and difficult task Of
guarding in the Federal Congress
your public interest, your rights and
your reputation. You will, there.
fore pardon the liberty we take of ad.
dressing you at period so critical,
upon a matter affecting your destiny
and that of your posterity. You can
not have failed to observe the persis-
tent 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
representation of upright and con-
scientious 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 the real senti-
ment of the Southern people are be-
ing gradually made known to our
fellow-citizens of 1.-The North. We
hope for their favorable decision
when fully apprized of 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 as
in the early days of the republic, en-
ulating each other only in devotion
to the best interests of the whole
country. With this exalted purpose
in view, there is nothing inconsis
tent with the honor and manhood of
a brave people to resolve to suffer
with heroic patience whatever be
their provocatiens and wrongs, look
ing the fearful present to a hopeful
future, and repelling unjust epithets
and gratuitous insults with dignifed
moderation. "a
Let every white man in the neigh
bOrhood in the whole South regard
himself as a commissioner of the
peace, maintaining the kindliest re-
lations toward the black man, remem-
bering that the responsibility for the
extreme poverty to which we have
been reduced, and the corrupt gov
ernments to which his vote has sub
jected us, rests not so much upon
him as upon the bad men who with
the assurance of Federal support
have by appeals to his worst passion
sought to make him our enemy while
We labor by all honest means to con-
vince him of the truth that our inter
ests and his are identical, and that
both must be preserved by good gov
eminent, and that those who stir up
strife between US are the enemies of
both races. Let US at the same time
see that he is fully protected in his
guaranteed rights to vote as he plea
ses in all elections. Let us continue
to deal with him honestly and fairly,
and let US continue cordially to in
yite to our midst those of any politi-
cal 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
that every street disturbance, every
homicide of whatever character, by
whomsoever committed, by black or
white, Republican or Democrat, such
as are incident to every community
upon earth, is perverted into evidence
OF a spirit of lawlessness and violence
and purpose to accomplish political
ends. We well know the gross injus-
'tlee Of such charges, which have
weight only where ignorance of our
true condition prevails. Strenuous
efforts are now being made BY those
who misrepresent you to induce the
passage by Congress of the most dam
gerous measures, in order to irritate
our people, to drive, them to despair
and to provoke them to violent out
breaks, in order to furnish an excuse
1or applying for military interference.
We express the hope that a major
ley.ofthe present Congress will not