New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-30
THE REIGN OF TERROR AT THE
SOUTH.

Prince William is strong and invariable Demo-
cratic county in the heart of Eastern or breed
ing virgDa but its little village of Occoquan, on the
petty river of like name, is distinguished by an inn
proved water-power, on which there are several
mills and a cotton factory. Such villages are
known and marked throughout the South as more
or less openly hostile to the slave-breeding oligar
chy. More than year ago, Mr.. John Underwood,
a native Virginian (not John c., whose deserted
home is in another locality, was arrested and tried,
with some of his neighbors, for publicly affirming
aDdmaintaining the right of every innocent, rational
adult human being to " life, liberty, and the pur-
"suitsof happiI ess." They were convicted of the
crime! but we believe they were only septenced to
pay fines, having already been imprisoned and
harassed quite sufficiently. On the 4th Of July, the
citizens of Occoquan saw fit to erect Republican
Liberty Pole, with Lincoln and Hamln flag
streaming from it, which, after some days prepara
ton, the Democracy Of that region finally succeeded
in cutting down on Friday the 9th inst, and chop
ping into frewood. The Republicans made no
resistance-the number of armed Democrats pres
ent being overwhelming stood by and saw the
outrage accomplished, giving three cheers for
Lincoln and Hamlin I" when the Democracy had
concluded the exercises of the day. Mr.. Joseph
T. Janney, a Bell man. on whose ground the pole
had, by permission, been erected, warned the
Democrats to respect his rights Of property, but
was defed, and, in the evening" set upon and badly
injured The Lincoln flag was stolen and carried
off. Gov, Letcher had promised to protect the
people of Occoquan and preserve the peace, but
bis promise was not made good. Of course, there
are no fewer Republicans in OccOquan than before,
and will not be until the Democracy kill some of
them.
This business of cutting down and chOpping up
Liberty Poles is not Few. Old Jefersonians will
recollect it as one of the features of Black Cock.
ade times-say 1879. 1t never yet destroyed
the cause at which it was aimed, and never will.
The Texas burnings, of which 80 much account
ia made, are probably off the same piece. For
year or two back, itinerating preachers of the
Gospel have been maltreated liz and run out of
Texas as Abolitionsts, on no other proof than the
admitted fact that they belonged to the "MethO-
dist Church North" Several were thus abused
in and run out of Dallas County last year. OF
section, and it is cOolly assumed that "the Adolf
" tionists" are at the bottom of the crime. 1t is
of course possible that some of the abused Metho-
dists or those who sympathized with them, have
thus reveDged their wrongs; but it is far more
probable that the incendiaries have contrived at
the same time to satate private malice and to ex-
cite fresh and murderous crusade against those
they are pleased to term Abolitionists. The pre-
tense Of an Anti. Slavery conspiracy looking to
rebellion in Texas, is farcical. Those who coun-
tenance do not believe it.
In every Slave State, there are many who SYM
psthise with the Republican party, but do not vote
its ticket because they dare not At three-fourths
of the polls in that section, he who should offer a
Republican ballot would do so at great personal
hazard In parts Of Virginia, such votes offered
in 1856 were refused, and there was no redress.