Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-30
Prof. Hodges Letter.

In your editorial OF December 2Sth
headed "Why We Are Slandereap you took
the New York Nation most severely 10 task
for it's malice toward the South, as exhibited
in its recent articles on Southern homicide
Your concluding paragraph was ss follows:
80 plausible and 30 eunningly ccntrived
has been the Post Nations trickery that it
has recently published letters of commeuda-
! ton from two individuals in Virginia-one
OF them writing from Richmond-who we're
either fools or knaves, being either TOO silly
TO detect the injury that paper is doing our
people, or too treacberous to refrain from iu-
dorsing ISLANDERS against their ewn friends
and neighbors. Their affected liberalism
however, is made naught by the exposure OF
the Post Nations over.zeal In its foul work 10
abuse, and these two writers from Virginia,
II they be real and known, should not fail 10
suffer the penalty of their treachery, and be
forced, as the sianderers of their own people,
to remain forever renegades from society,
unworthy of the trust OF honest men.
Zone OF these writers, Mr.. Editor, is as
real as people usually are, is known by
some few people in Richmond and elsewhere,
and without any aft citation in the matter,
he sees that 1t would be plainly illiberal 10
take umbrage at the terms used, seeing that
editors OF daily papers have TO write in great
haste, often, too, in the heat of political con-
troversy, and that in this case the words were
directed against come anonymous writer, the
spirit OF whose article you misunderstood
Everything personal being thus buried out Of
sight, l gladly avail myself of your courte-
Gus offer TO let me defend in the column, of
your paper the article in the Nation OF De-
cember 2lst, over the signature OF X. @. H.
an article prompted, | assure you, by de.
voted love for our common country. do il
the more oheerfully, as / fully recognize the
noble work the Stale has done in striving 10
uphold the cause OF honesty in opposition to
the spirit Of population that has been 80
prevalent in our land.
THE charges Of the Nation may be briefly
stated thus:
"First-That the South is characterized by
| barbarous homicidal spirit peryadiug it 10
an extent unknown in any other civilized
community.
"Second-That the homicides by which the
South is thus peculiarly disgraced take place
among its better class OF citizens, and occur
10 settlement of social or business disputes
With the murders committed by ruff ans it
has nothing to do.
"Third-That the Southern sense of the
sacredness OF human life is so greatly weak
ened that these homicides are rarely pun
ished. The last point is perhaps the one on
which 1t lays the greatest stress. 1t has
! offered its oolnmns TO any Southerner who
| viii serd reports OF the hanging of the men
| guilty OF these social and business homIcides,
but not enc he's yet been published.
I'm an editorial some time ago the Nation
took Che ground that this lswless spirit has
much to do with retsrding the iuAux Of i'm
migration and capital into the South.
II leave you, Mr.. Editor, 10 tell your read
ers whether have fairly stated the Nations
position. a.
The rebukes OF this journal have some
times been SO stingingly severe as 10 make
any true friend OF the Soute rrilhe with
modification and pain, aud feel his blood
boil. Many SoUtberners deny the charges
altogether, and attribute them to sheer mall
ice on the part Of the Nation. But of one
thing have become convinced, after much
discussion and careful attention to the mat
ter, that, whatever may be the motive that
| actuates this Northern archer, his terrible
| shafts iDhict such keen pain because they are
bsrbed with too much truth, and / am ear.
naAfiy aasi ius sec tue Doutt I love reused |
to right view OF the matter. I therefore |
wrote brief article for the Nation, taking
the ground that the wise course for its South |
ern readers was 10 give their main attention |
| to determining whether the charge is in any |
| degree true of US; aud if so-'and many de- |
voted Souiherpers,' 1 said, lament that it is
only too true'--to do all in their power TO |
correct the evil.
u base my patriotism, Mr. Editor, upon
this principle: Righteousness exalteth ma
| ton, put sin is a reproach TO any people,
The lat is manifest that We in the South
are too greatly chsJgeable with the stu of |
which The Ndtion accuses US. / know men
who fought for the South during the war,
and nodonbt are as true patriots now IS
| then, who say that the charge in the main is
true. know three Virginia editors who in
| private will say the same thing.
| The louisville ConricT-Journol (ss quoted
| by the Nuiier of January 11th) says of Polk's
defalcation. l'If he had killed man in heat
and passion, or II he had coldly assassin
ated him, The effect would have been differ
ent, and hiscondemnation much less certain.
In The Southern StRIes we can fnd it in our
hearts 70 ipfgise murderer, but The crime
OF theft we punish more rigidIy when we
| catch the tiief.' This Charleston Is. CT |
Nous and cozsier, slss quoted By the Nation,
| admits the fHqueney Of these brutal street.
| tights IN the South, sttfibuting them 10 a
general pubic sentiment thai lacks the
liner courage which would resort to the law
for the redressof private wrongs. In 1880
South CaFolils Judge, Ia his charge 10 the
grand jury respecting the carrying of con-
ceaied weapons said in substance that South |
Carolina was III with the blood Of lis sors
shed by the hsats q their brothers.
Gas to The hanging Of these murders, who
OF US ever hear Of II? Isn't it almost an
impossible thing G get white man hung In
the South? A few days ago I read in a
Lynchburg paper that In the frat eight weeks
OF his governorship Alexander II. Stephens
pardoned forty -nine sonyicis out OF the peui.
Tertiary, twelve Of Them being murderers!
"As to the alimus Of the Nation, ] have
this 10 say, that, While ! myself prefer to
believe it to be hontfi 10 disclaiming any
malice toward us, yet IA this state Of affairs
we cannot afford TO att.nd to that. A man
returning home at nigh, and Told that his
house is on fire does not bother himself with
the animus of his informanf.e In such a
crisis he would hardly stop TO notice this:
and yet il he were thus enabled to rescue
those dearest to him be would hold himself.
in certain measure, indebted TO his inform
ant, even il the latter showed great glee in
giving the tidiugs.
snow, Mr.. Editor, what shall those of us
do who desire to see this blot remoyed from
the reputation OF our beloved Sonth? /
know of Southern journal that took M
the matter some years ago, but now Is con-
tent to let il rest, because ii met 40 much
criticism and Misrepresentation at the hands
OF Southerners. Ii we try TO do little
good by addressing the Natioa's Z. ssenthern
readers, our motives are misunderstood aud
violently assailed. Will you not, Nj. Ed
tor, throw your influence on the side OF right
and OF law, and induce other Southern Jour-
nails to do the same? Perhaps the Nation
will then retire from the discussion, and the
State will have the proud distinction of again
battling in 3 righteous cause, in spite Of the
violent prejudice il will encounter. But il
our own papers will not do this then say
and I say il boldly, and because / love the
Soulful bid the Nation Godspeed in lis work
of stirring up the Southern conscience, and
trustit will calmly hold on its way till this
crying evil is sbaied.
thank you, Mr.. Editor, for your kind
ness in allowing me so much of your valu-
able space to maintain views with which you,
perhaps, do not altogether sympathize
Yours respectfully, ADDISON HODGE
"HA,rPpEs-srDNEY COLLEGE, fslScE EDWARD
COUNTY, VA" ~
'P. S.-Since wrote the aboveI have re-
ceived the Dispatch, of Friday, with an ac-
count of a typical Southern murder, such as
the Nation charges against US. Ii was a
street murder, one count in the Nation's in
dictment; murder and victim were boih
prominent men, second count; il was al
business homicide as the Nation calls it, the
dispute being about sum of money owed
BY one to the other, third count; the con-
cealed weapon was on hand, fourth count:
and fin lly, the tragedy is deeply de-
plored,' fifth count. Now, remember, indie.
nsnt Southerners, that the Nation offers It's
columns to any of you who will report =
case where one of these terrible tragedies is
so deeply deploredP as to result in the hang
ing of the msn-slayer The files OF the
.State and Dispatch for the last few months
could, no doubt, show a dozen or more
similar murders, but / have never vet read