The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1876-04-13


this foul stigma. tits a lie as black
as hell lSensation and applause.
Let us have the truth. Now every
intelligent man wiz bear me out ]
that it would have been far better
for the general government upon
the emancipation Of the negro, TO
have given the black man a spelling
book rather than the ballot box.
One Of the great mistakes the gov
eminent made in its reconstruction
policy was TO invest the coiored PEG
pie Of this country, just emerging
from slavery. with the rights Of /
I am honest IN my
convictions. But complaint never
remedies an evil As 1 remarked
before, when these poor eolored
men were left to paddle their own
canoe they drifted out To sea with
out a pilot, rudder orcompass. Then
came the carpet baggers, adyentur-
ers and robbers, who cast about
and took the coIorcd man into their
piractial craft and became his
leaders
l tell the white men OF lie South, I
that had they acted rightly, had /
they even looked to their own safety /
against such an uncertain ship, the
carpet Dagger nor anyone else of che I
swindling crew OF adventures would /
ever have held position. When I
aIlude to the carpet-bagger, 1 mean /
him who has been characterized, |
and rightly, too, as a plunderer OF
the people.
The colored men love the white
men of the south. There is not
single eolored man who would hurt
hair of your heads They know
you; they respect you; they love
you as they did in the days when
their masters governed them. They
cherish no ill-ieeling toward you.
Now, all train of evils, ali the per-
nicious influences, all the oppres-
slons of the last ten years are
chargeable right to your own doors.
But 1 offer you balm to cure these
wounds. offer you a plan By
which you can adjust your differ
ences.. I submit to you a policy
which if pursued will unite the
whites and blacks of this country;
and without such unity can be no
true prosperity.
THE RESOLUTIONS
c. :. Smith, from the Committee
on Resolutions presented the fol
lowing report, which was adopted
WHEREAS, we are on the eve of a
Presidential election, in which the
most vital interest of the colored
citizens are directly involved, viz:
the future security and protection Of
the lately enfranchised citizen in the
exercise of his inherent and consti
tutional rights and privileges; and
WHEREAS, the signs of the times
indicate a return of the American
people to a sense of the just demands
Of our people for equal and exact
justice as enunciated in the Declar-
alton of Independence and more
practically demonstrated by the
amendments to the Constitution;
and
WHEREAS, a deplorable condition
of lawlessness and violence has long
existed, and still exists, in many
parts of the south, which seems TO
spring chiefly from prejudice against
the colored people and to be directed
against their rights as men and citi-
zens, and as this state of lawless
ness has done. is doing and threat
ems to do, great injury, not only to
its immediate victims but to the
whole country; and
WHEREAS, we most earnestly de-
clare that the cOlored people are
not responsible for this depIorable
state of affairs, but it is due to the
partizan frenzy Of Democratic lead
ers, whose Qnly hope Of gaining
power in the south has been through
appeals to prejudice fo- tie purpose
/ Of antagOnizing the races; and,
WHEREAS, we entertain high sense
of appreciation for the labors per-
formed by the friends of freedom in
behalf Of orr race; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that in THE Centennial
we return Our unfeigned thanks to
the friends of freedom who have
espoused cur cause and steadfastly
battled to aid US in securing our lib
critics and rights.
RESOLVED, that We endorse and re-
affirm our devotion and adherance
to the National Republican party
and its principles as enumerated;
nevertheless, we have just reasons
for complaint against those mem
bers who have proved recreant to
the trust committed to their keep
| ing.
RESOLVED, that we disayow any
desire to cherish ill-feeliDg toward
/ the ex-slaveholding element of the
south, but, on the contrary, extend
4 to them the olive branch of peace,
and ask that all good men arise in
their sovereign capacity to strength
en- the arm OF the law and protect
all citizens against mObs, assassina
tiOns and violence.
RESOLVED, that the determined
and increasing efforts of the enemies
of our race To establish what Is
know as the color line, presents a
condition of affairs 70 be deplored
/ by AL lovers of liberty and order,
and one which threatens continual
| ly the peace, security and prosperity
of both black and white.
RESOLVED, that We hold no sym
pathy with official rogues, but most
/ earnestly condemn dishonesty, cor
Eruption and infdeliJy 10 public trust
in whomsoever found, and that we
most heartily subscribe to the pol
icy, LET nc guilty man escape.
RESOLVED, that we recognize and
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