The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-02-26

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-Thc follow
ing address has just been prepared by
the Democratic members of the South
and Southwest:
TO tho People of the Southern States:
You have confided to the undersigned
in this conjuncturc of aff;tirs the delicate
and difficult task of guarding i'll the
Federal Congress your public interest,
your rights and your reputation. You
will, therefore, pardon the liberty we
take of addressing you at Il period so
critical, upon Il matter affecting your
destiny and that of your posterity.
You can not have failed to observe the
persistent efforts of some of the leaders
of the Republican party to revive the
snimosities of the late war, which,
happily, are fast giving place to a 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
upright and conscientious Federal
officers and agents, an independent and
able public press, and of many citizens,
without regard to party, the true condi-
ton of the Southern States and the real
sentiments of the Southern people are
being gradually made known to our
fellow citizens of the North. We hope
for their favorable decision when fully
apprized of all 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, elnulating each other only
in devotion to the best interests of the
whole country. With this exalted pur-
pose in view, there is nothing incunsis-
tent with the honor and manhood of /;
brave people to resolve to suffer with
heroic patience whatever be their prov
ocations and wrongs, looking through
TIE fearful present to Il hopefu.; future,
aud rcpelling unjust cpithets ana grat-
uitous insults with digniticd mouera-
ton. Let every white man in every
neighbOrhood in the whole South regard
himself as !, commissioner ofthe peace,
| maintaining the kindiicst relations to-
ward the black man, remembering that
the responsibility for the extreme pow
| erty to which we have been reduced,
and the corrupt governments to which
his vote has subjected us, rests not so
much upon him as 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 arc identical, and that both must
be preserved by good government, and
that those who stir up strife between us
arc the enemies of both races. Let us
| ut the same time see that he is fully
protected in his guaranteed rights to
vote ITS he pic;,scs in all elections. Let
us continue to deal with him honestly
and fairly, and let us continue cordially
| to invite to our midst those ofany polit-
| ical party who either seek to know the
truth or To find homes upon our soil.
We dO not cNaggCratc when VIC aGmOn-
ish OF the diShcartcning fact that every
street disturbance, every homicide OF
whatever character, by whomsucvcr
committed, black or white, Republican
| or Democrat, such rs are incident to
every community upon earth, is per-
verified into evidence ola spirit ofi:,wlCSs-
moss and violence and Il purpose to
accomplish political ends. We well
know the gross IN Justice of such charges,
which have weight only where ignor-
ancc of our true condition prevails.
Strenuous efforts are now being made
by those who misrcprcscnt you to induce
the passage by Congress of the most
dangerous measures, in order to irrit;,tc
our people, to drive them TO despair
and to provoke them to violent out
breaks, in order to furnish an excuse
Tor applying Tor military interference.
We express the hope that Il majority
| of the present Congress will not be found
! ready to sanction such legislation. If
it be accomplished, ii would be against
the protest not only of Democrats, but
of the moral world and tho statcsnan-
ship here of the party in power, and OF
such Republicans us Bryant, l;varts,
Charles Francis Adams and others
whose patriotism and sense of justice
arc known to the entire country. We
may, however, be mistaken. The most
extreme, oppressive and unconstitu-
tionul measures may be imposed upon
you. In such event we would appeal
to the wisdom and patriotism of a long
suffering people by every hope of the
future for continual furbcaraucc and
hopeful reliance upon the virtue and
sense of justice of the American people
for the ultimate rindication of our
rights, the protection Of our liberties,
and the safety OF our republican form of
government.
Signed by Senators George Goldtii-
waite of \ labHn,.. John w Stevenson