The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-02-25
A SOLEMN APPEAL.
Address of Southern Democratic Mem
bers Of Congress to their
Constituents.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18.-The follow
ing address has just been prepared by the
Democratic members Of the South and
Southwest
Ia the PeoJle of tFe Southern .States
You have confded to the undersigned
in this coniuncture Of affairs the delicate
and difficult task Of guarding in the Fed
eral Congress your public interest, your
rights and your reputation; you VIII,
therefore, pardon the liberty we take OF
addressing you at a period 50 critical,
upon matters affecting your destiny and
that Of your posterity. You cannot have
failed to observe the persistent 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 q spirit Of concord and unity in every
section Of our common country. 1t IS i'm
possible to predict with certainty the ct
feet Of these appeals to passion. We be-
lieye that through the honest representa-
ton Of few upright and conscientious
Federal officers and agents, an independ-
ent and able public ipress, and of many
citizens without regard to party, the true
timent of the Southern people are being
gradually made known to our felloW-citi-
zens of the North, we hope for their favo-
rable decision, when fully apprised Of all
the facts.
The great end of good government viii
be reached when the people of all sec
tions forget that we have ever been enc
mics, 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 III view there IS
nothing inconsistent with the honor and
manhood of brave people to resolve to
suffer, with heroic patience, whatever be
their provocations and wrongs, looking
through the fearful present to hopeful
future, and repelling unjust eplthets and
gratuitous insults with dignified modera-
ton. Let every aOhite man i1l eUe1y neigh
borhood IN The a0tole South, regard himself
as a commissioner of peace, maintaining the
kindliest relations to1Vards black men, re-
membering that responsibility for the eX
treme poverty to which we haye been re-
duced and corrupt government to which his
vote has subjected US, rests not so much upon
him as upon bad men 1cho, aciH assurance
Of Federal support, haze By appeals to his
aCorst passions, sought TO make han our enc
ma, while we labor by all honest means
to convince him of the truth that our in
terest and his are identical, and that both
must be preserved by good government,
and that those 1cbo stir up strife bettUeeR as
are the enemies of both races. Let us at
the same time see that he is fully protect
ed in his guaranteed right to vote as he
pleases at all elections. Let us continue
to deal with him honestly and fairly, and
let us continue cordially to invite to our
midst those of any political party who
either seek to know truth or to find homes
upon our soil. We do not eXag-
gerate when we admonish you
Of the disheartening fact that every
street disturbance, every homicide what
ever, by whomsoever committed, by
black or white, Republican or Demo
crat, such as are incident to every com
munity upon earth, is perverted into evi-
dence of spirit of lawlessness and vio-
lence and purpose to accomplish political
ends. We well know the gross injustice
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 most
dangerous measures in order to irritate
our people and to drive them to despair,
and provoke them to violent outbreak, in
order to furnish excuses for applying for
military interference.
We express the hope that the majority
of the present Congress will not be found
ready to sanction such legislation. If it
be accomplished it would be against the
protest. not only Of the Democrats, but Of
the moral world and the craftsmanship
here of the party in power, and of such
Republicans as Bryant, Evarts, Charles
Francis Adams and others, whose pa
triotism and love of justice are known to
the entire country. We may, however,
be mistaken. The most extreme, OPP
pressive and unconstitutional measures
may be imposed on you; in such an
event, we 'roaid appeal to the ,cisdom and
patriotism Of a long suffering people, By
eeery hope Of the future, for continued for
beardnce and hopeful reliance on the uirto'e
and sense of justice Of the American people,
for the ultimate vindication Of our rights,
the protection Of our liberties, and the
safety of our Republican form of Gov
eminent.
Signed by Senators Geo. Goldthwaite,
Alabama; Jno. w. Stevenson, Kentucky; |
7. NJ. Norwood, Georgia; Henry Cooper, |
Tennessee; j. b. Gordon, Georgia; NJ.
NJ. Ransom, North Carolina; I. C. Nc
Creery, Kentucky; Lewis V Bogy, |
Missouri; John w. johnson, Virginia; |.
a S. Merriman, North Carolina, and by |
the following members of the House |
of Representatives
Cook, of Georgia; Caldwell, Alabama;
Bell, Georgia; Bromberg, Alabama; At
kins, Tennessee; Waddel!. North Caro- !
lima; Giddings, Herndon, Metts, Willie,
Hancock and Mclean, Texas; Leach.
Vance, Robbins and Ash, North Care
lima; Blount, Georgia; Crittenden, Mis-
souri,; Brown, Kentucky; Harris and
Young, Georgia; Whithorne, Tennessee;
Harris and Whitehead Virginia; Bright.
Tennessee; Grassland, Kentucky; Bowen,
Virginia; Beck, Kentucky; Clark, Jr.,
Missouri; Arthur, Kentucky; Cummings.
Missouri; Durham, Kentucky; Hunton,
Virginia; Hatcher. Missouri; Ganter.
Arkansas; Glover, Missouri; Standiford,
Kentucky; Stone, Missouri; Sloss, Ala
bama; Young, Kentucky: Wells, Mis-1
souri,; AIilliken; Kentucky; Read, ken-l
lucky, and Lamar, Of Mississippi