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

the war oil 1851 10, tolerate this enaScua
ton OF the American freedom which that
var is supposed TO have secured TO all
alikeY Asto the southern people the an
swer ia that, although the southern master
class now cordially and unanimously adj
init the folly OF slave holding, yet the
fundamental article OF political faith on
i which slaveryrcsted has not been displaced.
Az TO the people OF tho north the answer
is simpler still; the Union IL saved. %"
The war was fought and the Union
saved. Fought rs IL was, on the issue OF
the consent Of all 10 the choice OF the ma
Jority, the conviction forced its way that
the strife would never end in peace until
the liberty OF self-govenment was giiaran-
teed 10 the entire people, and slavery, as
standing for the doctrine OF public safety
by subjugation, destroyed. Hence, first,
emancipation and then eniranchisement.
And now even tho Union saved is not the
full measure Of the nations triumphs; but
saved once by arms IL seems at length to
have achieved better and fuller salvation
stili, Tor the people OF the once seeded
states, with q sincerity that no generous
mind can question, have returned 10 their
old love OF this saved Union, and the great
north, from east 10 utmost west, full OF
citation, and feeling what one may call the
onns OF the winning side, cries "Enough"'
and asks no moro. Thus stands the matter
today. Old foes nro casping hands ON fields
where once they mot in battle, and touch
ing glasses across the banqucting board,
pie lying long life 10 the Union and pros
pcrity to the new south, but nj every feast
there Is one empty seat. Why should one
seat be ever empty, and every guest afraid
TO look that way Because tho southern
white man swenrs upon his fathers sword
that none but ghost shall ever sit there
And ghost Is there; tho ghost OF
that old bercsy Of public safety by the
mass subjugation. This is what the
northern people cannot understand. This
Is what makes the southern white man an
enigma 10 all the world beside, II not also
to himself. Today the pride with which
ho boasts himself citizen Of the United
States and the sincerity with which he de-
clarcs for free government as the only safe
government cannot be doubted; tomorrow
comes an explosion, followed by such
misinterpretation Of what free government
requires and forbids that Il Is hard TO iden.
MY him with the nineteenth century.
Emancipation destroyed domestic bond
age; Acknowledgement, rs nearly as its
mere decree can. has abolished public
serviiude; how, then, docs this old un-
American, un-Democratic idea OF subjuga-
ton. which our British mother country
and Europe ~ well, are 30 fast rcpudiai-
lng-how does IL remain? Was II not
founded In these two iorms Of slavery?
The mistake lies just there. They were
founded IN II, and removing them has not
removed II. II has always been hard for
the north 10 understand the alacriiy with
which the cx-slnveholdcr learned 10 con-
denim rs moral and economic error |
that slavery In defense OF which lac |
endured four yean OF dcsolatihg war. |
but II was genuine, and here is the OK.
PLANTATION: lie believed personal ensliyo-
ment essential to subjugltion. Emanci- |
patton nj one stroke proved Il was not. |
But Il proved no more. Unfortunately for |
the whole nation there was alnady before |
emancipation came n defined status, pc |
cnliar niche, waiting for freed negroes.
They were nothing new. Nor was Il new
70 lose personal ownership in ones slave
when, under emancipation, no one else
rould own him, We quickly saw he was
not lost at oil. There he stood, beggnr 10
~ Tor room for the sole OF his foot. The
and and all its appliances ours. and lac.
Il
he land. The moment he fell TO work OF
lis own frco will. We saw that cinanclpa-1
ion WIS even more ours than his public
order stood fast, our holmes were sale. our
iiresides uninvaded he siil served. We
still ruled all need Of holding him in pri.
vate bondage was disproved, and when
The notion Of necessity vanished the no.
lion OF night vanished with L.. Emauci.
patton had destroyed private, but il had
hardly disturbed public subjugalion. Tho
'x-slaye was not free man; lac was only
/ free negro.
Northern men often ask pctplcxcdly Il
The frcedmcn's oniranchsement wns not
NJ 10 the south, premature and incxpedi. |
emit; while southern men ~ often call II the |
one yindicliyc act Of the conqucror, as
foolish ~ II was cruel Not bv Intention |
and mnybe'unav0idahly, but certainly not |
for its haste but for IL hardness Had en-. |
franchisemcni come into cncc., n emanci. |
patton did, while the smoke OF the wars |
last shot was still In the air, when force |
still ruled unqucstioncd and civil order |
and system had not yet superseded mar.
tial law could u, while wounds we're siill |
warm and disiocaiions had not yet set and |
nthcncd, have come operating with SURF. |
cal authority and dispatch, and proving. as
emancipation. did, by one vast practical
demonstration, the grOundlcssncss of the |
horror and terror which the authorization of |
both alike inspircd, the agonics. the |
shame and the incalculablc losses of
the RECONSIDERATION period that followed
might have been spared the south and the
nation. Instead, there came two unlucky
posiponcmenis, the slow doling out Of n. !
enlrnnchisemcnt TO the best intelligence of
southern white society and the delay Of the |
frcedman's cnimnchiscmcnt 80 his civil |
emancipation until the "old south, In. |
stead OF recognizing public society In liar. |
mony with the national idea, lar,rrly NJ. |
turned 10 IT, Entertainments In the notion |
OF exclusive white rule. Then, too late 10 |
avert q new strike. and as little more than 1
defensive offset, the freedman was in.
vested with citizenship aud tho
experiment began OF trying 10
establish form Of public orlcr.
wherein, under political equality accord.
cd by all citizens to all citizens, new and
old, intelligence and virtue would bc 40
lrcc 10 combine, aud ignorance and vice
feel 10 frcc Ia divide. ~ 10 insure the ma.
iorty's irco choice Of rulcn of ut least
enough intelligence aud virtue 10 secure
safety, order and progrcss. This expert.
mcni, the north believed, would succeed,
and since this was tho organic embodiment |
Of the American idea, forwhich Il had lust
shed seas OF blood, Il stands % ruason the
north would not have allowed Il 10 fail. |
But the old south, still bleeding from her
thousand wounds, but rs brave as when
SHE lind her tirt gun, believed not only /