The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-13

and always when IL was unsound In thit
doctrine. His party has never been Q
purely black party in fact or principle
The solid black vote Is only by outside
pressure solidifed about principle o.
American liberty, which Is itself against
solidity and destroys the political solidity
OF classes wherever 1t has free play. But
the 'solid white VOTE" (which Is not solid
by including all whites, but because nc
colorcd man can truly enter Its ranks,
much less its councils, without accepting
an emasculated emancipation = the
solid white vote Is solid not by
outside pressure, but by inherent
principle. Solid twice over first,
In each State, from sincere motives
OF sclf-preservation, solid in keeping the
old servile class by arbitrary classification,
servilo; and then solid again by q tacit
league OF southern States around the as
sumed right OF each State separately 10
postpone a true and complete emancipa-
ton ~ long I'M the fear remains that, with
full American liberty-this and no more
to all alike, the freedman would himself
usurp the arbitrary domination now held
over him, and plumber and destroy society
so then the southern question AT It's root is
simply whether there is any real ground
sufficient TO justify this fear and the atii-
tudo taken against IL. Only remove this
fear, which rests on majority OF the whole
white south. despite all its splendid, well
proved courage, and the question OF right,
in law and in morals, would vanish along
with the notion Of necessity. Whoever
attempts toremove this apprehension must
meet IL in two forms (ll Fear OF u hope
lQea WrneE nf pnllie sxnxoenn,aut k., n 49,.
plete supremacy OF the lower mass; and
~, fear OF yet more dreadful
wreck OF private society in n del
ugc OF social equality.
There Is vague hope, much commoner in
the north than IN the south, that some
how, II everybody will sit still, time will
bring these changes. A large mercantile
element, especially, would have the south
let politics alone" II Is tool busy TO UNI
derstand that whatever people lets politics
alone Is doomed. There are things thai
mere time can do, but only vigorous All
taiion can be trusted to change the iunda-
mental convictions ON which a people has
built society. Time ms-4 do il N last, but
II Is likely TO make bloody work OF il. For
either foundation idea on which society
may build must, II let alone, multiply
upon itself The elevation idea brings
safety. and safety constantly conmcuds
and intcnsifes Itself and The elevation
idea. The suhjugation idea brings danger
and the sense OF danger constantly inten-
sites the subjugation idea. II may be
counted on for such lighter things as the
removal OF animositics and suspicious, and
this in our nations case IL has done.
North nor south now holds, or suspects
the other Of holding. any grudge Tor the
late war. But trusting time to do more
than this Is but trusting 10 luck, and trust
ing 10 luck is u crime. What Is luck
doingg Here Is the exclusive white
party in the southern States calling itself.
and itself alone, "the SOUTH" PRAYING tho
nation to hold of. not merely lis in,crier.
cncc, hut It's counscl-cyen It's notice
while 1t, not removes, but rcfnes, pol.
isles, decoraics, aud DISCUSSES 10 liz own
aud the nations eyes this cornerstone Of
all lis own and the true south's, the whole
sou,h's woes; pleading the inability 81
any but itself 10 understand the negro"
when. ia fact. itself has had 10 correct
more, aud more radical mistakes about The
negro since the war than all tho nation
beside; failing still, more than twenty
icars since reconstruction began aud more
han ten yean since It's era closed, 10 oilcr |
my definition OF the frccdman's needs !
nd desires which he can accept; making
laily statements OF his preferences which |
he 100 newspapers published for his nat
onage, and By himself, daily and unani-
nously rcpudiate; trying TO actllc affairs
m the Que only false principle oi public
ocial order that keeps them unsettled;
proposing 10 settle upon sine qua non
hat shuts out Of It's councils the
whole opposite side OF the only
natter in question, aud holding
,ut for settlement which, whether
Effected OF not. can but pcnpetualc dis
Of interstate equality fatal 10 tho
nations peace settlement which II no
more than q refusal 10 settle nj all. Mean
while, over l,0OO,0O0 American citizens,
with their wives and children, suffer n
suspension OF their full citizenship, and are
subjects and not citizens, peas.
ants instead Of fcrmcn. They cannot
seizc their rights by force. and tho nation
would never allow II II they could. But
they are learning one Of the wort lessons
class rule can teach thcm-cxclusiyr. oven
morbid, preoccupaiion In their rights ~ a
class, and inaticntion 10 the general aflnirs
OF their communities, their States and The
nation. Meanwhile. Too, the present one.
sided effort at settlement by subjugatlon
h not only dchasing 10 the under uiass. hut
c0rrupung Ia the upper. For Il teaches
these TO set aside questions Of right aud
wrong Tor questions OF cxpcdiencyi 10 wink
nj and nj times 10 defend aud turn 10 ac-
count cvasions, even bold iniracllons, Of
their own laws, when done 10 preserve ar
blirary class domination; 10 vote confess.
cdly for bad men and measures as against
better, rather than jcopartlizc the white
mans solid party aud exclusive power; TO
regard virtue and intelligence, vice AMI ig-
norancc. ~ going by race, and 10 exicnu.
ate and let ~ unpnosccuicd the most
irighiful crimes against the under
class, lest that class. being avenged,
should gather boldncss Inconsistent with
IL arbitrarily fixed status: and innsmuch
M these results are contrary 10 our own
and 10 all good government, they induce a
OF gcncral political debate aud
yagucncss Of general political belief which
leave the ruling class In is younger gener.
atoms largely uncounsclcd by their |
fathers, and inspired only with the ultra. |
traditions OF the lrcsiie. |
which yield no wclldchncd political faith /
beyond the one determination 10 rule With. |
out appeal TO any consent but their own,
and at oil costs, spiritual or material. 10 |
Others OF themselves. There Is now going |
on In several parts Of the south a rcmark. |
able development Of material wealth. |
Mills, mines, furnaces, quarrics, railways |
are multiplying rapidly. The eye that can |
not SEQ the value Of this ACKNOWLEDGMENT |
mus. be dull indeed, But many an eye, in |