The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1889-06-07

Col. I. B. EDGINGToN delivered
an address at the Grand Army
celebration at the National Gene
terry in Memphis Sunday, on the
occasion of the decoration of the
Union soldiers graves. The adj
dress was eloquent and logical ana
has created considerable discussion.
Col. Edgington is him,elf member
Of the Grand Army, and was gal
liant soldier on the Union side. His
audience Sunday was composed of
perha ps fifteen hundred negroes and
one hundred white men. In the
course of his remarks, Col. EdgIng>
ton said that the increase IN the
white population within ten years
was only eight and One-third per
cent, while that of the negro race
was thirty-fve and two-fifths per
cent, for the same period, thus
showing that within ten years from
now, upCn a free ballot and a fair
count, we will have nine states of
this union ruled by ex-slaves and
illiterate negroes, while the inteli-
gent, educated gentlemen and prop
erty owners of the South will be
relegated to the background, unless
existing laws are changed. He tells
his henrers while in the sacred pres
ence If his dead comrades, that
they will hear no whisper Of approx
al from their graves at the over
throw of the white and the suprem'
acy of the cOlOred race. He is OF
opinion that limitation on the right
Of negro suffrage should be Of such
a character as TO remove the fear
and apprehension of negro suPrem'
ncy, and calls ON the survivors Of
his comrades to demand a voice in
the settlement of there questions sc
hastily acted upon when the pas
SONS of war were at fever heat. BE
SAYS that the enactment of negro
suffrage was the greatest crime o.
the age; that the negro can never
attain 10 shat position of superior
ity that will permit his vote to evel
become anything but a race vote
He pOrtrays in beautiful language
how the Indian was driven from
the fertile lands of his ,,forefatheri
until the remnant of the race nov
seeks shelter in the barren border
of the northwest, and defends tn,
action of the white people on Il
ground that the Indian was MOI
making the best use Of ms God
given advantages, and that hii
lands should be turned over to the
EuperiCr race, which would work
out for man his highest destiny
In equally as eloquent language, be
shows how the falrest portion of oul
land is gradu ally being taken from
Abe white man and turned over Il
the eniranchised slave, who was no
even "A success as a tiller of the
soil. for he ruined our lands by hi
reckless modes Of cultivation. Pri-
meval forests have been felled and
underground permitted to grow IN
its stead, while our virgin soil ha.
been allowed to wash into almos
irreparable gullies. Under the SUI
pervision Of the white man these
lands may be reclaimed and under
the undisputed dominion of the
country by the white race, the ne
gro can attain TO a prosperity and
happiness that would be impossible
while competing with the white
man IN the race for political power.
The nglo-American race in the
South has been familiar with the
chains Of slavery for two centuries,
but they have never worn those
chains and never will. Col. Edg-
ington was severely Kissed by his
negro audience during the delivery
and 81 the conclusion Of his remarks.