National Republican., 1883-11-21
Tnr rHoMAs coNcEnrs.
"MAKE THE MOST OF Ir.n
Brave Words from the New York
Tribune.


Ycsierdays Nctu York Tribune.
Several Of our contemporaries accuse the Tribune
oftrying to wave the bloody shirt. The Tribune
has repeatedly given evidence of its desire for
entire reconciliation between the sections and for
progress IN the south in manufactures and COM
merce as we'll as in political liberation and gem
eral intelligence. II has gladly recognized every
new feature of southern prosperity, and, 1t is prob
ably safe to say has done something to help along
their development. 1t did all in its power to d-
rect the attention of the people of the north to the
Atlanta and Louisville expositions, and has just
been urging northern manufacturers to aid in
making the worlds fair at New orleans next year
perfect success. But the Tribune cannot shut It's
eyes to facts. If men are still murdered In the
south because of their political opinions, If negroes
are still intimidated and deferred from voting by
threats and violence, the Tribune cannot ignore
such things, because 1t wishes well TO the SOUTH
ern people. If to denounce political outrages is
to wave the bloody shirt" We shall wave It as
long as the outrages are committed; and in that
case not those who denounce them, but those who
commit them. will be to blame.
Facts are the sole means Of judging whether the
buidozlng spirit is still alive in the SOUTH Rhct
orlc will not count with any one. Take the case
of the killing of Matthews, the republican leader
and one of the largest taxpayers, in Copah
county, Mississippi, at the polls election day.
The circumstances show that the murder was en-
tirely unprovoked, and that 1t was done for po-
litical effect. We have the word of tho democrats
of Copiah county themselves for this last state
ment. They met in mass meeting the day after
election--to do what? To take steps to bring tho
murderer to justice? No; but to announce that
he must not be brought to justice. The resolutions
adopted stated that rumors were current that rela
tives of Matthews intended TO avenge his death,
and declared that If any such attempt were made,
they would be held accountable" and regarded
as without the pale and protection Of the law
and common enemies of society" and promised
them certain, swift retribution." Two additional
resolutions deserve to be quoted in full. The
"best citizens of Kemper county" after the muir
der of Chisholm and his children, would not have
expressed themselves differently. They are:
Resolred, further, That in the opinion Of this
meeting 1t Is necessary to the safety OF society and
the welfare of all races and classes in this county
that hereafter the Matthews family shall keep out
OF politics in Copiah county.
ReSolped, further, That from henceforth no man
or set of men shall organize the negro against
the whites In this county, and If 1t shall be at
emped HHp In me dutere we hereby give notice that
tempting TO do so.
These are the utterances of the Copab county
democracy-not the assertions of their enemies.
Is 1t "waving the bloody shirt to denounce po-
litical murder and ostracsm and despotism such
as these resolutions approve? Ifso, "waving' it
becomes the duty of every newspaper in the
cal action for the black as well as the white.
Here is the verdict that was passed upon the
murder Of Matthews, taken from the Copidhan,
and not published before, we believe, in the
north:
In regard to the killing of j. p Matthews, it was
suggested TO me by Il. =. Ware that had better
have jury of inquest over the body; before sum
moning the jury, was told t. b, Wheeler did not
deny the act; saw him and he told me he had
done 1t and / could make out my verdict that
way. w. Nj. ROBERTSON, Coroner.
This was the end Of that case of political MUIR
der. 1t is not wrong for southern men to do muir
der. o, no; 1t is wrong for northern newspapers
to object to It'll
We dwell upon this case because 1t is the latest
made known. But there have been Others Sem
ator Mahono's facts regarding the failure of
| thousands of negroes to VOTE who were already
| registered, must convince those who would not be
influenced by his rhetoric. Why isit that in Dan
| vile, where the readjustor ticket received 7S9
votes two years ago. and s41 votes last year, and
over 1900 readjuster votes enrolled, only 26
negroes dared to vote? This Is a fact and in
other communities 1t was the same way. VIII
the newspapers that deprecate "the bloody shirtp'
please explain it? And If further proof is wanted
that the bulldozng spirit is still alive in the south,
the comments of papers like the Charleston NetUs
and Courier and the Macon Telegraph upon the
kuklux convictions in Georgia would furnish it,
These and numerous other democratic papers had
no condemnation for the crime, but reserve their
abuse for the prosecutor and the government. So
long such things continue, the Tribune will con-
tinue to denounce them. If that be waving the
bloody shirt" then make the most oft