Year: 1874

letters from the South which We have pub
lished during the last two or three years, our
correspondents have shown, with remarkable
yiyidness and o candor which Is now univer-
sally recognized, the results OF this condition
OF things in South Carolina and other States.


We consider it, therefore, subject OF con-
graduation when any movement Is made
toward destroying this fatal unanimity among
the colored citizens of the South, and dividing
their votes between the two parties. Hereto
fore the only especially promising symptoms
of such a tendency have been seen in Louis
lana, where the negroes voted In unexpec'eu
numbers for the Conservative candidates, and
against those who have so long and 30 badly
held possession of the State by virtue OF the
African vote and the favor of the Government
at Washington. But since the election the
same tendency has been visible in other States.
At Memphis, for instance, the leading negroes
have come together, under what influences Is
"A vet uncertain, and adopted the singular
resolutions which we print in another column,
which amount to declaration OF hostility and
non intercourse against their former leaders
and allies among the whites. They appear to
recognize the fact that they have been giving
their labor in vain to political tricksters, and
their pennies in vain to political savings
banks. They talk as new converts generally
do. with headlong rhetoric. of "their only
"true friends, the people OF the SOIL" and
pledge themselves in future to vote for no
man not thoroughly identified with the latter
class.


OF course, there is the usual dose Of nom
sense about this. In its very essence, it re-
peats the Same fault from which they pre-
tend to be recovering. 1t would be just about
as disastrous to tho South for the negroes to
90 over bodily to the Conservatives as for
them to stay with the carpet-baggers. 1t is
the soldity of their vote which has hitherto
done all tho damage, and this would be as
injurious and as fruitful of corruption on the
one side as on the other. But there is no
reason to fear any such result. There is not
the least probability that those who have or
ganized this demonstration will be able 10
carry half the colored men of Tennessee over
with them. If they succeed in detaching any
considerable number. however, it will be so
much gained, and will serve as nucleus for
further accretions, in case the new con-
yerts are not murdered or reconverted
before the next election by their sim
cere compatriots. The practical measures
which they propose in addition to this declara-
ton of political principles is one which re-
quires such a degree of wisdom and skill, that
we need not be surprised if it does not sue
ceed, They intend to establish bureau OF
labor, for the purpose OF supplying planters
with the right kind of laboring men. Ii they
knew as much of the laws of supply and de-
mand as they appear to know of the charac-
ter of the carpet-baggers, they would see what
a difficult enterprise they were taking upon
themselves. But Utopia cannot be closed to
youthful races or to youthful individuals and
the Conservative colored men OF Memphis
must learn, like others before them, that laws
Of trade are not made or altered by the unan-
imous adoption of resolutions Without ex-
pecting much of the Memphis movement, we
can yet welcome the increasing promise of
gradual division of the negro vote of which
it gives indication.