Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-08-06
THE NEGRO QUESTION.
Memphis Congressman Presents
the Issue In q New Light.
THE SUPREMACY OF THE WHITE NAN
While Talking to the Old Soldiers Near
Brownsville, the Memphian Tells the
Veterans What He Thinks of the
Negro Amendment to Federal
ConstItution-Strong Views
Boldly Spoken.

ConstItution-stronE Views
Boldly spoken.
Brownsville, Tenn, July 30.--The
twelfth annual reunion of the Hiram
8. Bradford Bivouac, Confederate Vet.
Grams, took place today at Johnson's
Lake, three miles west of this city.
In genuine good cheer and perfection
of detail this surpassed, perhaps, any
previous meeting.
The hallowed memories of days gone
were revived by many comrades, who,
perhaps, had not met since the close
Of the great struggle.
Crowds poured in from adjacent
counties, neighboring towns and even
States, to attend the reunion, Many
men distinguished on the field OF bat
tie and In the councils of the nation
were present.
After a business meeting at Cuth-
bert Memorial Hall, the crowd adj
journed to the open for the purpose
of enjoying the program for the ecea-
sion. Hon. Malcolm r. Patterson,
congressman from the Tenth Congress
sional District, was the orator of the
day. He made an excellent speech
before the old soldiers before he had
reached the concluding and interest
Ing portion of his address.
The Negro Question.
The speaker concluded his remarks
by referring to the negro question,
which, he declared, was one of absorb
ing interest, and which would contin-
ne to vex and disturb both races until
a satisfactory solution was had. AS
sorting in plain terms the absolute
necessity for the supremacy OF the
white man, he held to the doctrine
that the negro had been hurt and the
white man oppressed by the negro
amendment to the Federal constitu-
ton. Applause frequently Interrupted
the speaker. That part of Congress
man Patterson's speech referring to
the negro question we print below.
He said:
''The time was when the North was
without sympathy or understanding on
this momentous question, which has
never been settled right, 1t is fortu-
nate that the country has reached the
point where the fifteenth amendment
may be viewed from a national stand.
point, and its results judged In retro
SU0CL ny LIE SOUSl tVStS VI dSo ~
experience.
THE fact Is full of significance that
after the lapse of so many years we
are beginning to hear expressions of
opinion by Northern men of influence
and character, that universal negro
suffrage was a mistake, if not a crime.
In the South, where the burden has
been borne and the question under
stood, there has never been and never
will be but n sentiment. 1t is racial,
elemental, necessary, and, above all
else, right.
Time has demonstrated that uni
versal suffrage was not only a mon.
strous wrong against civilization and
the dominant race, but that is results
have been most unfortunate for the
negro himself.
"The franchise is not a natural rihgt
and the negro never demanded 1t. He
had done nothing to deserve it. 1t
was a gift forced upon him which
he did not need, nor know how to in
t%elligently use. He cared nothing for
it when it was given him, and, as q
race, appreciates it little now.
A Day Of Failure.
used by designing and corrupt
men, the negro as a voter has had his
day of ignominious failure.
1.-The intelligent and property-hold.
ing class among the negroes knows
lnat the masses of their race are ut
terly untitled for participation in gov.
eminent, and they would be content,
in my opinion, for the sake of good
order and the restoration of friendly
feeling, If the elimination of the negro
from politics was at once complete.
They understand that the natural feel.
ing of the Southern white man for
their race is one of kindness; that
he has been their best friend and has
done more, even in his poverty, to
help the negro than all the world COM
bined. They have seen and felt the
kindness of the Southerner in times
of sickness and distress. They know
he has taxed himself for their educa-
ton and borne, uncomplainingly, the
heavy burden. They know he has
been lenient and considerable of their
fraiities. But they have seen, too,
the lightning of his vengeance fall
like a bolt from heaven when his home
was invaded. They have witnessed
the determined and successful effort
of the white man to govern himself.
1.-The experiment of universal negro
suffrage, if it can be called by SO mild
a term, was, from the start, a failure,
and time only demonstrates its i'll ef-
fects.
In his new relation to the men
who were a while before his masters,
the negro in many instances became
arrogant and the object of suspicion
and dread. He too often has invited
wrath and the Southern man has too
often committed excuses when that
wrath was aroused.
False Gods Brought Evil.
Before the civil war the lynching
of negroes was unknown, for the
causes did not exist. But the false
notions which political equality has
bred in him have always brought up
on the race q swift and terrible ret
ribution.
Recent occurrences in the North
ern States, even where the black race
is few in numbers and where wholly
different conditions prevail than in
the South, show that race feeling is
not a question of locality, but that the
same causes will produce the same
results in Ohio or New York as in Mis-
sissippi or Tennessee
Instead of decreasing this race an
tagonism is growing every day, and the
negro is more and more the sufferer
from the false position in which he
has been placed.
who does not know that it would
have been infinitely better for the ne
gro not to have clothed him with po-
litical rights? Who car fail to see the
injustice and the wrong that 1t will
do him in the future? That he is less
secure in his life, liberty and property,
which every good nan wishes him to
enjoy to the fullest extent, with po-
ntical equality than Without it, is a
lesson the whole country is slowly