Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-01-11

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thing to chat of wars in far-off
lands" You, who are so far remov-
ed in person and interest, may
theorize and dogmatize about the
negro question, and other difficulties
with which we are confronted, but if
you will come among us and see,
that it is ga condition and not a
theory" you will have sympathy
for the white rs we'll as the black,
and give us more of helping counsel
and less of Irritating criticism.
In Tennessee the negro question is
not alarming. The whites have a
numerical strength sufficient to, as
sure their supremacy. In only three
or four counties is any charge made
that fraud upon negro Suffrage has
been practiced. Those who are sup
posed to have thus been outraged
know but little and care still less
about it. If it did not enter as a
factor into outside interests, the
world would have heard but little Of
it. In the State at large, the negroes
exercise the elective franchise so
freely, that many of them rejoice in
the privilege of selling their votes
several times at the same election.
We have negro magistrates, legisla-
tors, policemen, teachers, and law
yers. | have not in years argued a
case before jury that was not in
part composed of them. Quite
recently | defended family negro,
before a negro justice, opposed by a
negro prosecutor and negro lawyers,
all the witnesses and audience being
of the same dusky hue. AS the
justice himself was the son of the
faithful body.servant of my brother
in>law-who had followed him
throughout the war, in sunshine and
storm, through shot and shell-it is
hardly necessary to add that / Sc
cured triumphant acquittal.
But the South, as a whole, is cons
fronted with appalling social and
political questions growing out of
race antagonism. l say race antagon-
ism. l say race antagonism, for it is
neither sectional nor political. The
white man from the North who lives
in the South has far less affinity for
the negro than the native Southern
er. In East Tennessee-which never
had many slaves, voted overwhelm-
ingly for the Union, gave nearly 80
600 soldiers to the Federal army, and
majority for President Harrison OF
25,00O-white Republicans will vote
for Confederate soldier before they
will vote for negro. l make this
statement, upon the authority OF
United States District Judge Key,
who was a member of the cabinet OF
Mr.. Hayes. He is a Republican,
and he knows the feeling of the
white Northern Republican as de,
veloped in contact with the negro
He says in a recent publication:
"The apparent sectionalism be-
tween the North and the South is in
no sense a sectional difference, Wher
, rightly understood. 1t springs fron
the eXigencies of the peculiar situa'
ton of the sections. The habitat O
the negro is in the South. Almos
, everywhere in it he is a potent factor
J of our population. In some States
and in many sections Of severa
} States, he is in majority. Race
/ partialities and prejudices Away
) have existed, and they will exist un
t til the millennium. They are in
; born, a strong, positive, natura
t inheritance, as powerful and decided
g in the Northern mind and heart as il
the Southern. The negro constitute
no large or important element 0
e Northern society or politics. Wer
| the African race sent to any Northern
Y State in such numbers as to threaten
!, to overturn the control of the whit
e people of the affairs of such a State
= there is no doubt but that the whit
< race would struggle hard to main
r tain their ascendency, as the Pacifi
e States have done to stay the crowd
t ing of the Chinese upon their shores.
e What the illimitable future ma
s develop do not dare predict, blu
the present generation of whit
Il people, if they live to the age of M
+ thusaleh, would, then as now, rathe
# be dead and have their offspring an
q name swept out Of existence forever
# than submit to social equality wit
t the negro.
d We are friendly to the negro, an
o there are close ties binding many