The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-05
Letter from q Preacher in the
R0uth.

SOUTH
We have been handed a copy Of the Be
Iigiou. Hsrald-a Baptist paper published
at Richmond, Va.-with a request to copy
thereirom the following letter from Rev.
DR.. Stone, Of New Orleans, formerly the
President of Marietta College, Ohio.
The letter is introduced with the fol-
lowing preface by the editors Of the
Herald:
FIN publishing the following letter
from Dr.. Stone, We wish to say that he 10
mistaken as TO our making "bitter filings"
At him. Until the publication OF his
structures upsn the white people OF the
south, we never permitted an opportuni-
" tosHy a good word for him to go unim'
proved. And in disproving, as best we
could, the statements Of that letter, 1t has
not been our purpose TO lmpugn bis mo-
tives or TO damage his character In any
way We have had pretty good opporsu;;
mites for understanding the view, and
feelings Of the Southern people, and we
have reached conclusions on this subject
very different from those OF Dr.. Stone.
There is much that is wrong among the
whites OF the South, but that they are as
unfriendly to the colored people as Dr.
S. represented, we do not believe. Much
might be appropriately said In reply to
sone things in the following letter, but
we will for the present, let the good DOC
,or eynress his yiews without further
comment.-HI. Herald.
LELAND USrvERsrrY, NEw ORLEANS,
October "a, 1875,
lIesrs. Jeter & DiekiH'oH:
DEAN BREruREN-As often as l have
met tho Religious Herald during the past
summer, have found in your column OF
,craps, bitter filings agains. me, that have
surprised me not little. My limited
acquaintance with you had given me
high respect for you, as magnanlmous
Christian gentlemen: Had you chosen
10 review the letter that was published
without my knowledge or consent,
might have replied to your oritique, but
have chosen to bear in silence such at
tacks as have seen in your sheet, be-
cause l have regarded them as unworthy
Of respectful notice. | am not anxious
about my reputation. Your impeach-
ment Of my veracity / can bear till "the
yindication." Did I suppose any good
would come Of it, l could give you nance,
places, times, and facts to sustain every
sentence ! wrote, and then have large
surplus. have found it very difficult
10 give such men as the editors OF the Re
IiIous Herald the credit Of SO much ig.
norance OF Southern affairs as would
make them able either express-
" or implicitly to deny the
things | allego in that much quoted
letter. admit that you in Richmond
are less likely TO zee instances OF yio'
lencc, fraud and injustice than many 9TH
ers in regions farther South; but you can
scarcely fail 10 know that such things
, have been OF very frequent occurrence in
r the Gulf States, and by no means very
rare in the other late slave States. l
have never furnished one Of those numer.
Gus cases for the press, and have rarely
mentioned them in private correspond.
encc, because ! have hoped to see good
feeling restored. You have intimated
that was waving the "bloody shirt for
political effect. 1never wrote political
article in my life, nor made political
speech. l have confined myself TO my
ministry and teaching for near forty
years, and have sought "the things that
make for peace" lam missionary to
, the negroes, and remember those OF them
, that suffer adversely, as bound with
, them, being myself also in the body" and
il you expect me 10 be silent about such
things as my duties compel me to know,
1 have simply to say, you do not know
: me. | have no ill.will to anybody. !
r know that many people here in the re.
y gion where these horrible things oc'
I cur oftenest disapprove Of them heart IL
", but are silent through dread OF .
yindictive public sentiment. ] know
that the ruling forces Of society, in many
: II not majority Of places in the South
Z are directed not by conscientious Chris
tian men, but by unprincipled dema,
gogues, whom Christian men dread "a
: offend. Icalled that dread "subserviency
to vicious public sentiment" You may
give il softer name il you choose
When hangings and shootings swell NJ
: 10 thousands Of one raee, with vindication'
; SO rare as hardly to have a record, some
, body should speak, and I have often beer
i oppressed with sense OF guilt that
should be silent. Southern papers, and
even Christian papers, may attempt &c
: puff away the guilt Of such things by the
slang phrase, "waving the bloody shirt
, there Is record that calls things by theil
own name, and reckoning, in which the
, truth Of history will be yindicated. !
/. dare wait for that. Your seeming denia
Of the neglect with which worthy North
ern people are treated who go South al
missionaries, has astonished mo much
We have Us worthy and intelligent wo
men in our work in the South as can be
found in the South, who have been there
for eight or ten years, with no more re-
cognition by Baptist sisters than Gipsies
would have; and why? Simply because
they are fulfilling the mission Of Christ
"Teach all nations" It is very needless
to attempt to cover up the shame Of such
ostracism under the plea Of prudence
lest unworthy alliances and associations
should be formed. Would Southern
woman, from any part OF the South,
though a stranger, be put upon ten
years probation on the same square with
your women, or in the next pew in the
same church? Is the fact that one was
born in slave State so convincing Of the
superior virtue Of a stranger that she can
be admitted 10 society n. once, while one
who was born in State where people
either did their own work or paid wages
to their help, must always be regarded
as unworthy Of trust. am making no
complaint on personal grounds. l have
been recognized in business circles, and
have enough to do to keep me from
suffering, but ] have grieved At the seclu-
sion Of the worthy aelf.denying women
connected with our work. Personally
you have both treated me respectfully,
and may suppose that all others have.
] have spent several weeks in Richmond,
included in three visits, 10 give a-course
OF lectures each time, and never saw u
native southerncr pastor, except in one
Monday.morning Minister'S Meeting,
that attended unlimited. l dor think
| Z