The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-16
FUTURE OF THE NEGRO.
THE SUBJECT DISCUSSED BY
BLANTON DUNCAN.
Wild aud Reckless Statements Which
Are Not Borne Out By
Proven Facts.

Proven Facts.
HUNTINGTON. MISS, February 15.-
Col Blanton Duncan Of this city has
addressed en- open lett n TO John W.
Daniel. the new United States Senator
from Virginia, in which he discuss--
at Length the future OF the negro race
in the United States. He refers to the
civil, political aud military history of
Virginia, and Expresses the hope that
Senator Daniel will consider the needs
OF the South apart from any pa ty
view. He a'serts tba. the question
which precominates and darby over
shadows the future, not only Of the
South but Of the entire country,
is the social, moral and political
condition OF the negro Iace in connec-
ton with the white ace. He termst ii
"oa'amitous danger which threatens
direct destruction, asserts tba. there is
no precedent in history OF an inferior
and a superior race living together in
equality, and says t is an animOtiiy
which must bear most bitter fruits. He
proceeds as follows:
A, SERIOUS QUESTION.
Senator Sherman and other great
Northern leaders. have announced
that they intend ID make their ba tie.
cry henceio-ward reduction OF the
Sout1eTn strength in Congress AM in
the ELECTORAL vote to accord with the
numser o. negro votes which are year
ly counted out aud DISTINGUISHED.
They state the open secret that in hun
dreds OF localities in the Southern
States there hes not been a fair
count and q fir eleccticn with
in the past ten years. That
mtans agi Il ion and fanst cism in the
North and excitement and incite nent
to ~bloodshed and violence thu 1ghout
the South. To abstract from the South
ern vote by legal enactment that they
shall not have the negro counted in
would require AGO Institutional amend
ment, which the Southern States, if 50
inclined, could easily defeat. The a.
lotment tf quslity and the franchise
OF the negro was never legally accom-
plished. 1t WIS done ny the sword
aud the declaration Ct c~srpetbagger
Legislators, not exercising the senti-
ment OF the overthrow Confederat,
people. 1t is not any more legal t.
day than any enactment which through
the ssms instrumentality, should
have transferred the title of ell the
lands of the defeated whites to taeir
former slaves, and yet we are power
less to set that outrage aside. The
Southern negro race, twenty years ago,
was scarcely more Fl ted for self.eov-
eminent, to appreciate the duties of
citiz snship, the purity Of the ballot,
than were the kangaroos of Australia,
or the citzsns OF Genital Africa. In
two decades there has been no prog
less-mentally, morally or otherwise.
To-day they are a mass CT Iaupers,
not one in a hundred rising above the
'comSnon herd, and If left to them
selves for ten years would retrograde
to the state Of their common ances-
tors."
COL. DUNCAN
goes on ID say that it has taken ten
generations under most favor able cir
Gums a 1ces TO make the Northern ne
gio suppose himself superior to his
Southern brother, and that the lat er.
owing to his vastly superior numbers
aud t1e different circumstances, can.
not be brought up to the same plane
in 800 years, il ever. He proceeds to
give various reasons for his belief
Among them are the f flowing: That
the Southern whites lave neither the
means nor the inclination to cultivate
the minds and morals of the negro;
that the attempt would be use
less, as they would remain un-
der the curse Of God against Ham;
that education alone will do them
no good and will only result in making
interruptions leaders of the brighter
among them; that, as mongrels
the vices OF both races. the
growth OF n laIgs proport'o1 cf mu-
the offspring OF british whites
and dissolute negressee, the situation
would be 30 much the worse; that they
cherish race hatred and would be
If able, to light the fires Of a
San Domingo holocaustj thai they
love whisky and care nothing for
honor, virtue or religion; that they
cannot appreciate kindness and are
best ruled when treated like dogs.
WHAT SHOULD BE DoNRP
Col. Duncan then adds: "What
shout the real stst asman do when
p'ocoies to reduce South.
ern. political strength? Meet then.
than half wsv and return 10 the
legal s'a,us Of 1860, when South
cit z enship was confined to the
white race Accept the proposition of
men and let the Southern
resume their legal rights and
the franchise where it belongs
before revolutionary methods struck
Town sovereign States. Reduce the
vote and strength simply TO the rep.
ion Of whites. Let the South
voluntarily place it beyond per-
that lis voice shall
,hape political contests and let
he North, with its intelligence
nd manhood, as it will then, when
aaaticism and falsehood shall have
Ost its power, to keep the Union in
act and its people harmonious and
n concord. The South in national |
.,ounCils, after performing such abne-
would have tenfold influence.
Dur statesmen would WELD a magic
wand. What is the excuse in South.
,rn localities for unfair elections? !
That the negro is a brute unfi ted to
'uls or select the servants of the pso-
,le, and If granted the power would !
not only the property and
dot out civilization OF communities,
,ut Danish periorce in time the
whites unfortunate enough to the =
esident unless massacres thould be
preferred" Mr.. Duncan then quotes ,
lom the Rev. J. +. Tucker Of Jack :
Ion, Miss, as to the social and moral =
I.atus of the Southern negro, which :
lie pictures as Of the lowest and most !
degraded character; afirms that there :