Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1875-02-26
Address to the Southern People

Address TO the southern Fe0ple
| The following address has just been prepared
| by Democratic members OF Congress from
the South and Southwest
II the people Of lie Southern States;
| You have confded 10 the undersigned in this
conjunction of affairs the delicate and difficult
task of guarding in the Federal Congress yonr
public interests, your rights and your reputa-
ton You will therefore pardon the liberty we
take Embarrassing you at period so critical up
on matter affecting your destiny and that OF
yonr posierity. Yon cannot have failed to obs
serve The persistent efforts of some Of the leaders
OF the Republican party to revive The aDimosl-
lies of the late war, which, happily, are past.
giving place to a spirit OF concord and unity
in every section Of our common country. II
| is impossible to predict certainly the effect Of
these appeals TO passion We believe that
through the honest representation Of few
upright and conscientious Federal officers and
agents an independent and able public press,
aud 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 10 our fellow
citizens of the North. We hope for their fas-
orable 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 deyo-
lion to The best interests Of the whole country.
With This exalted purpose 10 view, there is
nothing inconsistent with the honor and man
hood OF brave people to resolve 10 suffer
with heroic patience whatever be their provo
cations and wrongs, locking through the fear
ful present 10 hopeful future, and repelling
unjust epilhets and gratuitous insults with
dignified moderation. Let every white man
in every neghborhood in the whole South re-
gard himself as a commissioner Of the peace,
maintaining the kindlest relations towards The
black man, remembering that Irresponsible
~ for the extreme poverty TO which we nave
been reduced, aud tue corrupt governments 10
which his vote has subjected ns, rests not so
much upon him as upon the bad men who,
with the assurance of Federal support, have,
by appeals to his worst passions, 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 gov
eminent, and that those who stir up strife
between MS are the enemies OF both races,
let us at the same time see that be is fully
protected in his guaranteed rights, to vote
as he pleases in all elections Let us con-
tinue to deal with him honestly and fairly,
and let US continue cordially to invite to our
midst those ofany political party who either
seek 10 KNOW Inc lfHlU. OF ~ uuu HOWCS ul'Vh
our soil. We do not exaggerate when we adj
monish you of the disheartening fact that every
disturbance, every homicide, Of whatever
character by whomsoever committed, by black
or white, Republican or Democrat, such as are
incident TO every community on earth. is per-
verted into evidence Of spirit OF lawessness
and violence, and a purpose TO accomplish po-
ltical 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 misreprcsent you TO induce the passage by
Congress of the most dangerous measures in
order to irriiate our people, to drive them TO
despair and TO provoke them to violent out
breaks, in order to furnish an excuse for APP
plying for military interference. We express
The hope that a majority of The present Con
gress will not be found ready TO sanction such
legislation. Fit be accomplished, ii would
be against The protest not only of Democrats,
but Of the moral worth and siatesmaushp here
of the party in power, and OF such Republic
cans as Bryant, Evarts, Charles Francis Adams
and others. whose patriotism and sense Of JUS
tice arc known 10 the entire country We
may. however, mistake The most extreme,
oppressive and unconstitutional measures may
be imposed upon you. In such an event we
would appeal TO the wisdom aad patriotism
Of a long-suifering people, by every hone Of
the future, fer continued forbearance and
hopeful reliance upon the virtue and sense of
justice ofthe American people for the ultimate
vndicaion of our rights; the protection of
our liberties, and safety ofour republican form
Of government.