Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-13


uirth we should be provoked to laughter
by the appeals made in some OF our norm
ern newspapers to the South to behave
better, to cease prosecuting the negroe:
and allow them the privileges which the
constitution guarantees them. Such ap
peals Invariably commence by telling the
Southern people that it is we'll known they
g, are badly treated by the government, ane
/, more "sinned against than SHINING" ou
as they draw to close the subject re-
eeiyes a twist which amounts to an ad'
mission of about all the crimes Of winch
southern democrats are accused, anu the
end is an urgent appeal for repentance.
We find an article of this character IN
late issue of the Springfield Republican.
The editor at first pats the southern DEM
ocrats on the back, tells them ''the gross
lest injustice has been done them that
their feelings, motives and acts have
"been shamefully misrepresented, and
that he believes them "to be as kindly and
Justly disposed toward the colored citi-
"zens as the people Of Massachusetts.
After going on in this sympathizing
manner a while change gradually comes
over the spirit Of the writer. At first he
ndmits there is "kernel of truth in the
reports of ou.rages from the South. This
IL followed by another dose of killarney, y
and then the writer musters courage
enough to say: But there has been per-
.'secution; there has been murder; there
'.is no doubt or question about that; no
candid southern man will pretend 10 de-
my it," Having advanced as far as this
he tells them what they must do in order
to make the people of the North believe
that the rights of the negroes will be safer
in their hands. This making the northern
people belieue that the negroes are and
will be treated well seems to be the all
important thing. If the North will only
believe that, why no matter what becomes
Of the colored man. The article goes on
g follows:
We do not ask them to waive any honest objec-
ton they may have, upon constitutional grounds,
to the bill now pending In Congress. We do not
even ask them, at this time, to walk courageously
upto this specter of SOCIAL equality" and satisfy
themselves by closer and cooler inspection what
an Idle bugbesr It is that has shaken the nerves of
brave people. But We do ask them to make a
new, systematic, persistent effort to convince the
people Of the northern States that the political
and purely civil rights of the negro the undoubt-
ed, conceded guaranteed rights, are entirely safe
at their hands. If in any State there still fingers
an unjust discrimination the statute book, let
the people Of that State, through their represen-
tatives, make haste to wipe it out. In the conscr-
vatve States especially. let the Legislatures, the
political conventions, the newspapers declare with
one voice that the colored citizen shall have as
tree and tranquil access to the polls as fair play in
the courts, as ample and vigilant protection for
his life and property, as good schooling for his
children, as are enjoyed by his white neighbor. If
additional State legislation is needed to make
these pledges good, let the legislation be prompt
~ forthcoming. Let Taxpayers unions, open to
both colors, take the place OF the White Leagues
and other like organizations at the earliest posi-
BILE day. Let the same people of the South hiss
down such crazy orators as Toombs, and starve
out such understanding journals as the Shreve-
port Times. Undiscouraged by past failures, let
them redouble their efforts to convince the colored
people of their sincere frendliress and so to bring
about better state Of feeling. Above everything
else, let them from this time out show such cner-
gy in bringing the cowardly scoundrels who per-
petrate outrsges upon these poor negroes to swift
justice and condign punishment that the United
States marshals and cavalry officers shall find
their occupation gone
Now, in the name Of heaven, If the South
is rs kindly disposed towards the negroes
rs Massachusetts why ask them to do all
the above mentioned things? Why in
suit the intelligence of our people by de-
elaring that the Southern people are with
out sin as regards the colored people, and
then insist that merely for the sake Of
gaining confidence at the North they shall
appear to sit on the stool OF repentance
clothed in sackcloth aud ashes doing pen
ance for crimes against the negroes which
they never committed
4uC ICui VI lIc vast arc
these: The southern democrats are not so
much actuated by hatred and cruelty in
their maltreatment of the colored people
as by the desire to control their political
action. Left to themselves the negroes
are republicans by the deepest convictions
of their minds and the most profound graf
itude of their hearts. This makes them
inimical 10 the democracy. Their politi-
cal strength must be controlled or certain
defeat awaits the democracy in the COM
ing Presidential election. The only way
to control them in the interest of democ-
racy is to intimidate, prosecute, murder
and cheat them, so as TO reduce their vote
and rob them Of the rights TO which they
are entitled in the elections. This is what
the Ku-Klux and White Leagues are in
stituted for. They are organizations cs-
tabished for the benefit of the democracy,
and when northern people appeals to them
-