The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-02-25
An Appeal to the Southern People.

An Appeal to the Southern People.
The following address has been issued by the
Democratic Congressman from the Southern
States, in which prudent action and patient
forbearance with existing evils are wisely coun
seled in this critical period of our history. 1t
is signed by ten Senators and forty-si1 Repre-
sentatives, including Gordon, Beck, Lamar and
others. These are true and gallant sons of the
South, whose opportunities for watching the
current of political events gives weight to their
advice. We commend its perusal to every
citizen:
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.
To TIE People Of the Southern States:
You have confded to the undersigned in this
conjuncture of affairs, the delicate and difficult
task of guarding in the Federal Congress your
public interest, your rights and reputation.
You will, therefore, pardon the liberty we take
of addressing you at period so critical upon
your posterity. You cannot have failed to
observe the persistent efforts of some of the
leaders of the Republican party to revive the
animosties of the late war, which happily are
fast giving place to spirit of concord and
unity in every section of our common country.
1t is impossible to predict certainly the effect
of these appeals to passion. We believe that,
through the honest representation of few up
right and conscientious 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 sentiment of the Southern people are
being gradually made known to our fellow
citizens of the North We hope for their fa-
vorable decision when fully apprised of all the
facts The great ends 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 devo-
tion to the best interests Of the whole country
With this exalted purpose in view, there is
nothing inconsistent with the honor and man
hood of a brave people to resolve to suffer with
heroic patience whatever be their provocations
and wrongs, looking through the fearful pres
ent to a hopeful future, and repelling unjust
epithets and gratuitous insults with digni6ed
moderation. Let every white man in every
neighborhood in the whole South regard him
self as commissioner Of peace, maintaining
the kindlest relations toward the black man,
and 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 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
convince him of the truth that our interests
and his are identical, and that both must be
preserved by good government, and that those
who stir up strife between us are the enemies
| of both races, at the same time that he is fully
| in Il oto rio htc tn ha
peases in 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
tie truth or to find homes upon our soil.
| We do not exaggerate when we admonish
you of the disheartening fact that every street
disturbance, every homicide of whatever char
acter 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 lawless-
ness and violence, and purpose to accomplish
political ends We we'll know the gross injus-
tice 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 pass
age by Congress of the most dangerous meas
ures, in order to irritate our people, drive them
| to despair, and to provoke them to violent out
breaks in order to furnish an excuse for apply
| ing for military interference. We express the
hope that a majority of the present Congress
will not be found ready to sanction such legisla-
ton. If it be accomplished, it would be
against the protest not only of Democrats, but
of the moral worth and the craftsmanship here
of the party in power, and of such Republi-
cans as Bryant Evarts Charles Francis Adams
and others, whose patriotism and sense of JUS
tce are known to the entire country. We
may, however, be mistaken. The most ex-
treme oppressive and unconstitutional meas
ures may be imposed upon you. In such an
event we would appeal to the wisdom and pa
triotsm of long suffering people by every
hope Of the future for continued forbearance
and hopeful reliance upon the virtue and sense
of Justice of the American people, for the uti
mate vindication of our rights, the protection
of our liberties, and the safety of our Republi-
can form of Government.