The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-07-04

has the courage of his conviction il
an eminent degree 1t is Col. L. b
! Edgington, of Iowa. He was born in
Ohio, and was educated at the Yves
lleyan University in Delaware. He
was Federal Colonel in the war
He delivered the address in Memphis
Tenn, before the Grand Army Re
public. The Democrats Endorsed all
he said, and one of the members of the
G. A. r. who felt greatly outraged by
the plain words spoken by a Northern
soldier, went to a philosopher, as il
turned out, and asked him to join in
kicking the Colonel out of the organ.
ization. The philosopher took anoth-
er view. AS reported in the Ava-
lanche, he said:
"This man was brave Union sol
dier. We invited him to deliver an
address on memorial day. He deliv-
cred it, and instead of being a disser-
tation upon the virtues of the negro
race, it contained a number of Stats.
tics showing an alarming increase of
that race, and pointing out few de-
fects in the character of the ex-slaves.
We didn't expect that kind of a
speech, but we got it, and we have no
right to object. And for my part I
indorse Edgington."
When asked about his speech and
the surprise he gave the hearers, he
boldly said
"There was no more fitting place to
warn the people of the danger to the
republic than among the graves of its
defenders. l regret that 1 have
offended the sense of propriety of any
one, but the subject is of so great a
magnitude that no one should be too
fastidious. For years Decoration Day
has been made holiday and fete day
of, and nobody has commented up
on it.
We have not read all of the speech,
but most of it. 1t is good reading,
and while the Northern Radical poll
ticians may howl over it loudly and
Justify, and the organs may grind out
maledictions on the speaker and on
the Southern whites, the rejecting
people at large who may read it will
agree that there is no little truth in
it. He told the colored auditors that
they were unfit for self government,
and that the right of franchise confer
red upon them by the 18th amendment
to the Constitution was an unmitigated
blunder and ought to be limited. He
discussed kindly the Southern
Whites" He then discussed the
prolific qualities yf the negro and the
dangers ahead from his increase. He
probably exaggerated the increase, as
the mortality among the negroes is
about double what it is among the
whites, and that fact will offset a
great deal of the prolifficness of the
race. Col. Edgington said:
"The census Of 1880 gave Mississip-
pi a white population of $4,000, and
a negro population of 650,000. 1t
gave South Carolina a white popuIa-
ton of 391 900 and colored popula.
of 604 900, or about two to one. 1t
gave Louisiana Asa, 900 white popula-
ton. and $4,000 negro population.
The census of 1890 will probably
show that the negro population out
numbers the whites in Alabama.
Georgia and Florida. Ten years later,
or the year 1900, will find Virginia,
Arkansas and North Carolina with a
population that outnumbers the
whites Thus, in ten years hence,
upon a free ballot and fair count,
we will find nine states of this Union
ruled by its ex slaves, its unlettered
hNl
property holders will be in hopeless
minority"
That is a gloomy view. If correct
as to statement and prophecy, then
one Of four things will occur and inev
'itably-the whites will emigrate and
leave waste bowling wilderness; or
second, the Australian system will be
adopted or in State election none will
be allowed to vote who does not pay a
poll tax and can read and write, or the
Estate laws will be 80 changed as to
allow no voters but whites. If none
Of these shall occur then race troubles
without end will follow, and the most
i vigorous, self asserting, bravest race
will triumph. It is plain fact that
1.-the Aryan race has never had mas
ter. Trace that blood for two thou
sand five hundred years, and where
ever it has gone il has been the
master.
Col. Edgington next discussed the
duty of the whites and urged them to
e prove themselves worthy" He said
Eand every man of the white race with
a manhood worthy of his skin will
echo it:
Listen attentively for the faintesi
whisper that comes from there graves
and you will hear no syllable of ap-
probation of this overthrow of the
white race and the destruction of all
its dearest aspirations and hopes
Let us prove ourselves worthy survi
Evors of our brave and chivalrons com.
.rades, and let US demand of the poll.
ticians that we shall have a voice in
the settlement of these problems wpich
were SO hastily acted upon when the
mad passions Of the war were at fever
heat. Let US unite our voices with
the voices from these tombs, and thus
united let US demand of politicians Of
all parties that We shall formulate a