Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-12-16
TffE VALUE OF IMPARTIAL TEs-
TIMOEY.

To all persons but those whose
minds are STEPPED in partisanship, the
address Of the clergy, bankers and
merchants of New Orleans to our fell
low-citizens of the United States, " is
most welcome message. For it bears
in every line the impress of the truth.
The known high character of its sign
ers, their opportunities of observation
as residents in Louisiana, their profess
sional independence Of politics and
politicians, and the calmness, modera-
ton and thorough good sense which
pervade the document, commend it to
the unquestioning belief aud confidence
of every fair man.
They testify that Louisiana is as
loyal as any State in the Union; that
her whites wished to live in
peace and harmony with the freedmen,
and would not abridge single one OF
their legal rights that the late can
vass and election were conducted as
peaceably in that State as any other
that great numbers of the colored men
voted against their late political asso-
ciates because they were dissatisfied on
account of the embezzlement by those
in power of the funds appropriated for
the education of the blacks, and be-
cause they had become convinced that
the interests of the two races IN Lou
isiana are identical that a large ma
jority of the honest votes of the State
we're cast for the Tilden electors and,
finally, that the people of Louisiana
will bear the worst that may happen
patiently, trusting to the final suprem-
acy of law and Justice They ask only
for the sympathy and moral co-opera
ton of their fellow citizens of all par
ties in an attempt to redress, by purely
legal means, the wrongs under which
Louisiana labOrs, and In the conse-
quences of which the peace and happI-
ness of the whole country are involved.
1t is the duty of these impartial
truth tellers to refute the falsehoods
which interested politicians have coin
ed and disseminated about the actual
state of affairs in Louisiana-thus pay
ing the way for the preparation OF the
GROWING outrage now contemplated
by the Returning Board and we must
not expect that the Administration
organs will treat them with justice or
common courtesy. 1t will be said
that the sleners of the address repre-
sent but few of the clergymen, bank
ers and business men of New Orleans.
Testimony derives its weight, not
merely from the number OF witnesses,
but from their character. The addl-
ton of hundred names to the twenty
which appear might have made the
memorial more impressive, but could
not have augmented Its truthfulness.
That must stand admitted until it can
be impugned successfully by evidence
of equal value on the other side. If
the statements of these gentlemen are
denied By paFtisans in Louisiana, let
them produce their own array Of emil
peut nesses-Protestant pastors,
Catholic priests, Jewish rabbis, presi-
dents of banks and insurance compa-
MES, and heads 0fQld mercantile houses
of parallel standing in all respects
with the memorialists who have spo-
ken, to answer these assertions effect
ually. The people of the United
States. as . jury, are now waiting for
the opposing testimony, and are ready
to give it all the credence it deserves.
The plain truth is all they want, and
they viii hail it from any source, how
ever much it clashes with their pre-
conceived ideas. The servile organs
of that faction-we do not say party
which justifes, through thick and
| thin, every wrong which the Admins
tration and its agents may commit,
cannot break the force of this remark
able address by calumny, contempt or
| silence. 1t cannot be matched by a
response equally trustworthy, its truth
| fulness must pass unchallenged.
The effect of such addresses is truly
calming and reassuring. We hope to
| have more of them, not only from
New Orleans, but from other parts of
Louisiana, and also from South Caro-
lima and Florida. People at the \ ofth
are sorely troubled to know what and
whom to believe Our ordinary sour
ces of information are more or less
politically tainted. Even the best
of committee men sent South, while
they are persons of judgment and We
racty, ar6 ipsensibly Influenced by
their party prejudices, and we do not
! pin faith on all they say. But we can
! and we DO trust what We are told by
men like those who have subscribed
the address from New Orleans mot
office holders or Office seekers, and
consulting none of the class known
as politicians" The voice of such
men. calmly appealing TO the sober
| Judgment and patriotism of the North
and West, will do more thqp anything
else to call out stern remonstVanc6s
from leading Republicans and Demo
Gratis against the reckless games the
| politicians are playing.-Nelo York
Journal Of Commerce, Dec. ?.