The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1860-02-02
The Negro Disturbances iER
Canada.

The PuJlic Schools Of Chatham takes IN
Possession Jy several Hundred Negroes
School Disturbances at Sdndwtch--
Tie Beauties Of Practical AbolitOnism.
From the Detroit Free Press, Jan. is.
The negro disturbances which were al
luded to in our Issue of yesterday, were
not over-rated in importance. as Is confirm
ed by subsequent advices, than was at the
time surmised. In regard to the tendish
transaction enacted at Anderdon, half OF
the truth was not told. Officers are still
in pursuit of the rescued criminal, and
great indignation prevails throughout the
whole vicinity. SO that, ii they are caught
and delivered into the hands of the popu-
lace, they will be severely dealt with.
At Chatham, forty miles from this city,
a crowd composed of several hundred ne
groes took possession Of the public houses
early in the morning, and, when the white
teachers and scholars arrived, refused TO
allow them to enter ol in any manner OBJ
tain possession of them. AS there SEEM
ed to be disposition to carry matters with
high hand, the authorities were called IN,
but, from the fact that the negroes inhab-
iting the town far outnumber the white cit
izens. there were no means available ex-
cept those Of conciliation The Africans
were headed by one Shadd, negro. who
has made hin:elf prominent in that vicln-
ity for some time, having been concerned
in the forcible rescue case which occurred
there two years ago. The mayor and
councilmen assembled on the spot, accom-
panied by a majority Of the citizens. The
whole town was in an uproar, in conse-
uuence of the warike demonstrations of the
negroes, and the crowd and excitement
were consequently very great. The ne
groes, demanded not only that the schools
should be thrown open TO them, but that
they should be allowed to participate in
their management, which, on account of
their numbers is e, ,uivalent to giving them
the control They have hitherto been al
lotted shools and teachers by themselves,
the latter being drawn from their own race,
but they declared that they were as good as
the whites, if not better, and that they
must be allowed to send their children TO
the white schools. 1t was not claimed that
not superior advantages were to be gained
by this arrangement, but the negroes con-
sidered it an indignity that they were not
placed in immediate contact with the whites.
AMI were determined to compel the latter
to submit To their society, and that of their
children. As the hatred entertained by
the white citizens against the whole race Is
neither slight nor in any manner disguised,
it may be imagined what tler feelings were
upon being coerced into Compliance with
such insolent demands. The conference
continued some hours, the authorities main
tanning a conciliatory and peaceful course.
and the negroes asserting their claims with
arrogance and violent demonstrations
They were finally qu'eted by the assurance
that their claims should be taken into con-
sideration, and such arrangements made
as could with proprieiy be brought about.
This means nothing, of Course, as the de-
mands of the negroes must be complied
with or resisted In case they are COM
piled with, the town, and as consequence
the surrounding country, will be under
their rule, and if they are not, conflict
may be expected between the white and
black races, in which the former viii have
great difficulty in maintaining their ground.
as they are in minority. There are
about twenty-five hundred negroes in Chat
ham alone.
At Sandwich, three miles below this
city, there was disturbance growing out
of the same cause The whites, in appor-
toning the school tax, assessed themselves
only, leaving the negro population out, in
order that they might control the cause of
education by their voles at the ballot-box.
The negroes were highly incensed at this,
and went in a body to the polls on the oc
casion of the election of school officers. de-
to vote. They were resisted and
drived away. and much i'll feeling and en-
nifty engendered.
1t will be seen by all OF these indics.
tions that the negro population of our neigh
boring province is becoming organized and
bold in its opposition to the legitimate in
stitutions of the country, and overbearing
and insolent toward its rightful citizens
We may safely say that the hatred with
which they are regarded in return is not
less violent or open than their own demon
strations. There are very few whites lly-
ing on the borders, where this fugitive race
must congregate, SO fanatic as TO close their
ewes to the tact that their immigration Is
fast tending towards the Decentralization of
the country. As citizens they are worth
less to the last degree. while crime pre-
walls among them TO an alarming extent,
al. d swells the criminal calendars of the
country with the most revolving Offices
with the violation of female
chastity. With all this in return for tho
mistaken kindnesseS which have been of.
fered them, they are now becoming bold
and violent, and have daed TO le sort TO
the high handed measures which We have
recorded, al of which, we repeat, are OBJ
viously the result Of concerted movement
among the great body of negroes inhabit-
ing this portion of the province. Canada
has nursed viper in its bosom, which is
now preparing TO turn upon it. The
horGs of blacks which have for years pour
ed iato its border counties are beginning
TO feel their power, and, if we mis,aSe not,