The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1865-11-04
Brutal Treatment OF the Negroes
south by Northern Officers and
Civilians.

Iotales towards the negroes, ana contrasts
with it the treatment they received at the
hands Of their old masters aud the South
ern people generally. We make the fol-
lowing extracts from his correspondence
| stopped to drink (oh, how sweet
wafer tastes to foot-trayeler in the sunny
and sandy South. at place temporarily
occupied by a gentleman Of the name Of
Tatunl. Herbert Tatum Il was particll-
lar to inquire his name) is Southern
prodigy, being the only man ! have yet
met in the South, who, upon upon the
testimony of the negroes themselves. (for
their master was away fails to share the
universal sudden reyulsion by the late
slare-lords against their emanripated vic
tins. Strange to say, this planter IS edu-
eating his negroes himself. Strange to
say. though impoverished Ike The rest,
he was at the time absent trying to pro-
cure corn) he had all along through the
war, and still continues. to sha1e with his
people the same he eats himself Fur
ther. he does not now, and never did,
show any distinction whatever among his
Iservants-had treated all alike-no favor
itism. To be sure he had informed his
servants oftheir perfect freedom Of choice
TO go where they liked. at the same time
telling them hat if they preferred to re-
main he would do the best he could By
them; take them back with him to his
and their home in Mississippi, and locate
them ID comfortable Independence and
freedom on the plantation What won
der that the faithful creatures still cling
to such man? What wonder that while
others complain that their able-bodied
negroes are leaving until they are com
PEELED to drive the rest agay-these true
servants, grateful for spirit Of sincere
kindness which | never knew any Of this
uiuch-abused race, however imbruted, to
ignore-what woDder that they all, little
and big, ask nothing but the privilege Of
remaining, even if they should have to
remain as before with sfch MASTER
Opposed to this is the policy gener-
ally pursued Distrust and dislike beget
them appropriate compliments How
heartily these tropical African natives
reeiproeate feeling, whatever it may be.
Aud then when the military forces the
fugitives from injustice back into the
Iclatches of the same injustice. what cru
Ieity What infamg for an United States
soldier, at the bidding of one Of these
white slave hounds. to whom the negro
has been recommitted-what disgrace to
the uniform he wears | say for the Tn
ion soldier to be called upon; aud still
deeper disgrace for him to be found COM
hl sard udeEseT fe r.e. II y 4es e i5asez ]
:. We don't see how you people have bet
tered the condition of the negroes-We
never treated them 50 badly while they
were slaves.
Stopped 10 chat with q kind-hearted
Alabama mistress, about twelve miles out
who said: Northern masters are al
ways the worst. Two men kept store
on the road near by. They took their
meals at neighbor's house, and mean
while left the store unattended, 50 that
the negroes, in their absence, would get
in and steal. | had seen some of my ne
groes with things that | thought could
not belong to them, and sent these mon
word not to let them come about the
store. Pretty soon. one of my servants
was missed. | was anxious, aud my hus-
band went down the road toward the
store. On the way, he met these men
returning with the missing negro, holding
him up between them. As soon as the
slave saw my husband, he fell upon his
knees, crying O, my massa O, my
massa Ny husband thought he was
Ishamming, for fear of further punishment,
for evidently he had been caught steal
ing at the store,) and taking a cowhide
from one Of the traders, struck the negro
with it, when the poor creature fell back
dead Those Northern traders had been
whipping him all night-frst one, then
the other"
This correspondent thus speaks of the
conduct of Federal officer towards the
negroes
| Major Ross Wilkinson is an individual
who merits due consideration in this con-
noetion. Major Ross Wilkinson, of the
10th Corps, Provost Marshal, has had
the Immediate military police of all Upper
/ Alabama. You know | mentioned how
negroes upon the plantations | passed
from Columbus to this place, have been
{" regulated, to the out-Heroding Of even
Southern severity. All that tying up By
the thumbs is, it seems, part Of a system
whose head and instigator was the Pro
vost Marshal, Major Ross Wilkinson. A
| few days ago, not far from town, three
colored girls were stripped of their cloth
ing, and by Union soldiers (under order
LOT Major Ross Wilkinson lashed upoI
the bare back, with a buggy trace-on,
fifty, one sixty, and the third ninety
nine times, all, to use the phrase of tn
Alabama statute, we'll laid on, A re
spectacle clergyman of this place, who
in obedience to a published circular, re
j Iquesting that the usual functionarie
4 should administer the marital sacramen
to negroes, also going to Major Ros
4 Wilkinson, Provost Marshal of the l6tl
Corps, for permission, in a particular in
stance, was answered " You may MARI,
respectable white people, but III no
permit you to marry niggers. | mean t
make an end of niggers. If | had m,
way entirely ] would stop the breed.
These are about his words, as reported t
! me, and brutal as they are, they are bu
consistent with his infamous spirit.
/ In addition we viii give the following
extracted from the statement Of CORES
lpondent Of the New York Independen