The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-02-25
A address of the Democratic Members
of Congress from the South and
Southwest.


WASHINGTON, Feb. IS The following
address has Just been prepared by the
Democratic members of the South and
Southwest:
To TUE PEOPLE OF THE SOUTHERN STATES
You have coniided to the undersigned
in this conjunction of affairs the delicate
and difficult task OF guarding in the Fed
eral Congress your public interest, youl
rights and your reputation. You will
therefore pardon the liberty we take OF
addressing You, ut = period 50 critical,
upon matter affecting your destiny and
that Of Your posterty. Iou 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 past, giving place
to a spirit OF concord aud unity in every
section OF our common country 1t is i'm
possible 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 pub
lie 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 tor their favorable de-
cision when fully apprised Of all the facts.
rhe great ends of good government will
he 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 devotion to the best inter-
ests of the whole country. With this ex-
allied purpose in view, there is nothing in
consistent with the honor and manhood
OF Il brave people to resolve to suffer with
heroic patience. whatever be their provo
cations and wrongs. looking through tn
fearful present and hopeful future, and
repellin@ unjust epithets and gratuitous
insults with digniticd moderation. Let
every white. man, in every neighborhood
in the whole South, regard himself as a
commissioner OF peace, maintaining the
kindlest relations towards the black man,
remembering that the responsibilities for
the extreme poverty to which we have
been reduced, and the corrupt govern
ncnt TO which his vote has subjected US.
rests not So much upon him as upon the
bad men who. with the assurance Of Fed
eral support, have by appeals to his worst
passions sought to make him our enemy,
while by all honest means to convince
him OF the truth that our interest and his
ARE identical, and that both must be pre-
served by good governments 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
plcases 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 the truth or to find
homes upon our soil. We do not eXag-
gerate when we admonish YOU of the dis
heartcning fact that every street disturb
ance. every homicide Of whatever charac-
Ter, by whOmsoeyer committed, by black
or white. Republican OF Democrat such
as are incident to every community upon
earth, is perverted into the evidence OF a
spirit of laWlessness and violence. and q
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 Of the most dagger
Gus measures in order to irritate our peo-
pie. TO drive them TO despair. and to pro.
woke them 10 violent outbreaks in order
TO furnish an excuse for applying for mil
jtary Interference. We EXPRESS the hope
that majority of the present Congress.
will not be found ready to sanction such
LEGISLATION. fit be accomplished it would
be apainst the protest. not only Of tho
Democrats but of the moral worth apo
the statesmanship here of fine party If
power. and of such Republicans as Bry.
ami Eyarts. Charles Francis Adams anc
Justice are known to the entire country