Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-02
MEMPHIS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1888.
TIE DEAD LINES.

death was the penalty for all who crossed
this line. The adjoining nations were
of each other and these lines
were agreed upon to prevent any encroach-
upon each other territory. Amer
lea is not bounded by dead lines; but
strange to say it has two dead lines which
prevent our becoming a homogeneous peo-
pie as long as they exist. One is Mason
and Dixon's line, the other is the color
line. Through the heart of the Union,
Mason and Dixon's line is an impossible
fssure of fire, which neither time nor
patriotism can bridge over. 1t has been
nearly twenty years since the war closed.
The American people were never so
homogeneous as now, The mad passions
born in war have given place to peace
and a loving brotherhood. There is now
less sectional animosities than there has
been in the United States since the pas
sage of the Missouri compromise and
its repeal, and especially since the
introduction of the Wilmot p%roviso.
Both the two great political par
ties boast of their nationality. The
Republicans insist that they have earned
the right to rule the nation whose life
they saved. The Democrats pretend to
know no North. no South, no East, no
West, and claim that they are the only
national party in existence. Pending every
election both parties tell the country that
they have obliterated sectional lines.
But when they meet in national conven-
ton the sectional dead line flames up
like a pillar of fire. They will not shake
hands over the bloody chasm. If Ma
tiunal Republican proposes to nominate
Bruce or Lynch. Of Mississippi, as a can
didate for the ce-Presidency the con
Vention is seized with horror at the mon
strous idea of selecting a man who resides
ON the other side of Mason and Dixons
dead-line and the color dead line, and
these national patriots in one loud, stem
torian voice, reject the nomination of
the man who is guilty of the heinous
crime Of living on the wrong side Of the
dead line. The Democrats will meet IN
national convention in JulyneXt in some
Northern city. for it would be sectional
ism to hold a national convention ON the
south side of the dead line as has been
formerly done when sectional hatreds
were more bitter than nov y Northern
Democrat is selected as president OF the
convention. He delivers a speech bulb
bling with the l~Olticst spirit of nationality,
congratulates the convention ON the TACT
that the sectiOnalism on which the Re
publican party lived has been sup
planted by that spirit Of loving brother
hood which the Democrats have incul-
Gated and made triumphant. The North
ern Democrats lovingly pat the solid
South on the head. The convention pro
ceeds to ballot for a candidate for the
Presidency. a Northern man, OF course.
is nominated. The South, whose vote is
relied ON to elect the ticket, proposes a
Southern man for the Nice-Prcsidcncy.
with the view of showing to the country
that the Democratic party is indeed ma
tional-knows no East, no North, nc
South. no West. The response of the
Northern Democrats is, the man you pro
pose'is UNDERSTANDABLE; he is Il national
patriot, who grandly rises above sectional
issues, and would reflect honor upon hi
section and upon Southern statesman
ship. But unfortunately he lives OF
the south side of the dead line; the
South is expected to elect the ticket
but to share no honor IN furnishing
the men to be elected. The rec.
ognition of the dead line is the quint.
essence of ~sectionalism. The Demo,
cratic party, liberal and patriotic as are
its views, is not fully national in it's or
ganization and principles so long as it re.
fuses to nominate Il man for the Vice
Presidency, not because of his untitnes
ar any want of craftsmanship or brOaC
national views, but because he unfor
tunately lives in n section and among
people whose votes give power anC
patronage to the Northern Democrats
This is the sort of sectiOnalism which tbs
APPEAL would obliterate. There is M
use of a dead line in a civilized nation
ike the NnlltN ElJltN' hN N'i'lC
people are doing much themselves towarC
nbliteratin" the color line. In ever.
part of the country the blacks are look
ng Ia their own interests, and soon III,
color line will disappear. In many of th,
Southern States party lines are gettin'
muddled and confused. The whites Ut
longer fear the blacks, who once masse,
themselves together against the whites
and the blacks no longer fear to vOt,
with the whites. In the last Grenada
(Mliss.) Sentinel a colored man gives tn,
following reasons why he is a Democrat
FiSi.-I know that a great majority o
the white population OF the United State
are Democrats, and il is To the interest o
the African race to be friendly with the
white people. About half the population
of the North are Democrats, and the great
mass of Southern white people, showing
that a great majority of the whole white
race are Democrats.
.Sscond.-Becausc | thoroughly under
stand the Southern white people and they
understand me and my race, and If | bymN
conduct gain their good will and show that
we can live together in peace, they viii
protect my race now and hereafter, and il
the futurc no doubt my race will neeC
their friendship and protection.
Third.-Because all the half million o
immigrants that land in the United states
every year., and the poor laboring people
OF the North are naturally opposed to my
race, however they may talk and vote
and | had better, for the future safety o
my race, keep ON the best terms possible
with my people ut home.
FoHrh.-I acknowledge that while my
race is improving in education by means
of the good schools the Democrats give
us. the white race are more intelligen'
than my own and can give the State bet
ter government for both races.
Ftlh.-I acknowledge that the Dcnlo
cratic party has given us good officers anC
good government since 1876. They have
kept mp the free schools and made hen
better than they were before, II have
passed no unjust law against my race.
Sirdt.@ hop5 to ave Il little piece al
ground and n home of my own some day
and don't want the country stirred vi
and high taxes put on us as they wer'
nnder Radical rule.
Serenh.-As the white people have beer
kind TO mc-when | was in distress, anC
have furnished me meat and bread out o
their stores, on credit ~alwaysfee e bette
when | am on good terms with them ans
Tknow that nothing will please them NOR
than for me to Join the Democratic party
hence, for the sake myself, of my wife an,
children and the future OF my race, | am
true Democrat from this time on.
Eighth.-If ! must vote for white candi
dates, | will vote for those that most G
the white people are for, and not Tor
few Independents who only want m
votes TO get office-who can do ne no goo
and who will 20 back on me when it suit
them, after they get the offices.
Ten or fifteen years ago such a car
would have cost a colored mau his lf
and white men can now affiliate politica
ly with the blacks without ostracisn
The division of the colored vote in I'll
Southern States has had a potent Unfit
ence in producing a more reasonable d
vision of the white vote. The colore
people will be the gamer by the extin'
ton of the color line, as the whites d
feated them when they were unite
against them in a solid compact organ