The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-09-03
ONE OF THE CAUSES.

humbug, Colonel Elliot +. Shepard, edi-
tor of the New York Mail and Express ::
The other dav this weather-beaten old
crank, who endeavors to make folks think
he is good by mixing quotations from the
Bible through the editorial columns OF his
paper, delivered an address before the \ a
tional Editorial Association at Detroit on
I" Editorial Ethics" and declared emphat-
ically against the excepting alive of
the issues that were settled with the
war" and urged ga return OF that trater-
nal feeling which meant peace and happi-
ness to the whole country" But did
Colonel Shepard mean what he said !?
We shall see. The very next day he got
himself inter viewed by Detroit Journal
reporter. What did he say then? Did
he speak of the South in a fraternal
spirit No; he opened his mouth and
lies of the vilest kind flowed therefrom.
Listen to what stuff he poured into the
ears Of the innocent reporter, in comment
ing upon what the result would have been
had Cleveland been elected
The result would be that the South would,
through Cleveland, control the nation The
negroes would be resubjugated, the white trash
of the South would be driven out and the North
would be at the mercy of the rebels These
plans would probably have been covered up by
some pretended political issue Of another char
acler, but think that had Cleveland been re-
oil hay va had 4 ~,
the four years OF his tenn. The South would
no doubt, have been anxious TO withdraw from
the Unlon again, and the people Of the North
would not stand it. But the Good Lord God
Almighty, in His benetcent providence, saved
us the calamity by defeating Grover Cleveland.
Is this ga return of that traternal feel
ing which means peace and happiness to
the whole country:' But we are glad to
say that such men as Col. Elliot +. Shep.
ard do not voice the sentiment Of the
\ Orth. We know that there are few
such bitter, foul-mouthed, lying old fools
as he in the North. The right-minded
people of the y orth know that the South
is too busy, developing its resources and
Industries, to waste time in a political
war. But there are people who will take
the braying Of that old Ass as a voicing
Of the Northern sentiment, and it is such
utterances that keep alive sectional feel
inc and causes the South to mass into
more impenetrable solidity. But the
above quotation is not the only falsehood
uttered by Colonel Shepard in that inter-
view. Hearken to his further braying
l often dine with General Sherman, and in
our several talks he agrees with me that the
Southern people are as traitOrous as ever, and
that there is no patriotism among them. He
does not think that they will take up arms again
during this generation, but that it is only the
sturdy, unf1inching patriotic spirit and superior
strength of the North that keeps the country
together. The negroes now have no political
rights, and many are in practical slavery. They
can't vote unless they are taxpayers, and when
without means OF support can be sold 10 prison
contractors to prevent them becoming public
charges. Should the South gain CONTROL as
Cleveland had planned, the different Southern
States would repudiate the last three amend.
ments claiming that they were forced upon them
while in duress, and in law such action is not
binding. They would then practically repeal
the amendments SO far as they were concerned
and say that slavery still existed, and that the
negroes have no rights rs citizens. l insist that
the people Of the South will never become pa
triotic. Look at the way they idOliZe JEFF Davis
whenever he appears in public. You notice that
the men who are most popular in politics in
Southern States are those who were most de-
voted to the lost cause, and who insist that the
lost cause is not lost, but is yet alive. The South
will not have liberal sentiment. They send
home all our Northern men who go South to
stimulate the productive industries OF the coun-
try. Why to indicate how strong the rebel
sentiment is to-day, do you know that in Alex
andria. six miles from Washington, there was
not a Union flag to hoist on the recent centennial
day, and they had to send to Washington for
one, and it was hung up with two old rebel flags.
In giving utterance to such rot as the
above, Colonel Shepard and men of his
ilk do SO, not that they really believe
what they say, but simply for the purpose
Of working into the good graces Of the
Southern negro, and thus drawing their
political chains tighter about them. But
the Southern negro of to-day is not SO
easily deceived. They are learning to
think for themselves, and none better
than them know how vilely false such
statements as those made by Colonel
Shepard are. AS evidence of this we
would respectfully call the attention OF
Colonel Shepard, and all Northern Re.
publicans of his way of thinking, to an
able and intelligent letter written to the
Monticello Tribune recently by Rev. A.
J. Kershaw, colored minister and Re
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