Mexico weekly ledger., 1883-11-01

people, who are without either the
ambition or energy to help themselves.
They have found ont that political in
fiuence, like charity, begins at home,
and that until they assist white dem
ocrats in dominating the states they
reside in, they will have nothing to
offer any organization. The day has
arrived when what will benefit the
white man of the South will advance
the negro. Their interests are iden-
teal, and the best thing the colored
man can do, is to push on a common
cause by abandoning the Republican
party. Laws that have prevented
inter-marriages between blacks and
whites have done no harm. Separate
schools and churches and railroad
cars work like charm. The negroes
of themselves would give up neither
of them. They are satisfied with the
treatment they receive from white
juries even, and seldom exercise their
privilege of having blacks on them.
Time alone can bring what prominent
black men demand, if even that can.
Their cause rests on their good con-
duct and effort to advance them
selves and they are not likely to meet
with systematic obstacle to improve
ment from southern white men, either
as body or party. No class of men
ever advanced their social grade
through legislation; but numbers of
all races have reached the very high
est positions in the world through
their individual exertions.
Neglected Confederate Cemeteries.
Correspondence of the Ledger.
MEXICO, No., October 2S.-During
the past summer there was an effort
made, and, 1 believe, succeeded in
raising means to buy and improve a
cemetery at Springfield, Mo-, for the
purpose of removing the remains Of
the confederate soldiers who fell at
Wilson's Creek. Now, this is all
right. But why the heroes of that
battle be singled out from the thou
sands who lost their lives in the same
cause AS we have no government
to furnish money for such purposes,
it was not expected that our dead
would be cared for as the union sol
diers were, but, while we improve 8
cemetery at Springfield, it seems to
me that we should at least remember
that there are other places that de.
mand our attention. Some days
since, was in Alton, ILL.,, and, hay
ing little time, a friend and visited
the place where the confederate pris'
oners who died during the war were
buried. The location is very pretty
one, being on two beautiful hillsides
and extending across little valley
Between the graves are neatly laid of
rows, very near each other, the
rows about 80 yards long, running
east and west. Each grave was orig
inally marked with a neat painted
board with the name inscribed; bu'
the most of the boards have beer
broken down by stock running owe
them. To look at this beautiful spo
in the condition that it is, makes
one feel very sad. / went to see Mr.
Henry Hart, the undertaken who lait
off the graves. He told me that tn
land was. bought and paid for by tn
government, and that there wer
about three thousand graves. Mr.
Hart has the record of the names
and any information wanted by tn
friends of the unfortunate ones vii
be cheerfully given. The ground
are partly fenced by parties who ow'
land around it, but, on the north end
it is open, as public road runs by il
I talked with a number Of the citizen
of Alton, and all said that if ther
was an effort made that they woul
contribute towards improving tn
place. Col. j. C. Jamison, of Louis
lana. / think ought to be made az
quainted with the facts, and he woul
make the effort. Yours truly,
Ed. KENDALL.
Il The sun has turned green in Indis
and scientific persons say the ne