The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-09-07

NN"o correspondent oil the New
York Post who for prudential reasons
conceals his name and the exact 10
c"'''y from whica he writes, SAYS:
The number of crimes of violenco
committed in Texas is Incredible.
FOR example, in small county adj.
joining to this, SO persons are indict.
ed Tor murder. In worse counties
there are no indictments, because
witnesses dare not testify, and grand
jurors dare not indict. Since the
war, though over 500 men have heen
indicted ior murder, not a single
white man has been convicted and
punished. Yet have known of in.
stances in which freedman have been
over punished for trivial ofTenses
a negro was sentenced at Waco to
the penitentiary for two years for
stealing ginger cake. AS a matter
OF course Gov. Hamilton pardoned
him.
A few days ago the Cleik of Bell
Court was shot in open day, while
sitting by the side of his wife, return
ing from a wedding in the country
in the streets of Bolton. The Chic,
Justice at once mounted, and rode
all night, some GO miles, to Austin.
TO ask for troops to maintain law ana
order in his county; he cannot return
without them. III he should escape
assassination on account of his hay
ing asked for garrison for his coun.
", II will only he from fear of retail
ladon on the part of his sons, three
oil whom have been in the United
States volunteer service. Even they
can scarcely protect their father
lie, II the troops which are to be
sent should be withdrawn.
Every day hear of murders OF
freedmen. Since o'clock this after
noon tour new ones have been report
ed here. The disloyal press sup.
press the mention OF such occur.
rences.
Should there be another outbreak
In Texas, very many Union men, as
well as large proportion of freed.
men, would ut once be massacrcd IN
order to bring about such another
reign OF terror as would make the
South an unit.
Three freedmen were murdered in
or near tie line OF an adjoining coun
ty few days ago. The wagon which
one of them was driving was rob.
bed OF all the fine goods it contained
The other two freedmen were shot
by the same man, who is believed to
be their former owner. The head of
one of them was cut off, and they
were left unburicd. No investira
ton has been, or probably will be
made into these murders. IL any
Union man were to move in the mat
ter it would be at the peril Of his
life. ....t ....
The brave and loyal man who told
me OF these murders was applied to
by freedman--a kinsman of one of
the murdered-.for advice. The freed
man was told to go to Austin, and
report the fact to the agent of the
Freedmen's Bureau; but he appears
not to have.arrivcd Perhaps he was
suspected, and, like the freedman
dispatched by the Chief Justice OF
Refugio county, with letter setting
forth the disorders in that county.
he may have been shot on the road.
My informant, seeing that / set
about writing down the facts as to
these murders just as he stated them,
said to me: "Do not make my name
known, for IL is all ! can do to hold
my own in - county just now"
and added, 81 keep no money in my
house, but few dollars for current
expenses. ! can take care OF myself
in daytime, but l do not feel safe at
night"
Matters are worse here than is sus
pected at the North. The war is not
over yet. The people of Texas are
more openly disloyal than they were
in the Spring of 1861, and may be
found in arms against the National
Government any day. The United
States force here and the civil officers
of the United States Government are
tolerated for the present, because the
rebel leaders think that by the aid of
President johnson they will soon be
able to control both at home and at
Washington.
If so much as mob should do vi.
olence in one of the cities of the
North, Texas will again be in arms
The rebel leaders have excited feel.
ing they cannot control. The idea
disseminated among the people is
this; That they must feign loyalty,
and, if possible, be thereby re admit
ted. That done, they expect the
South to control as of old, and to in.
troduce what they call ,"pconage" in
the place of slavery.
Indeed, since Governor Hamilton
went North, in divers localities dis
loyal men have consulted together as
to when they would be able to begin
to gather their "niggers," and have
openly expressed their conviction
that ANDY johnson means to give
us back our niggers." In one coun
ty l have heard of persons who have
"bought the chance OF negroes" as
they expressed it, at $40 in specie
per head. yen
The rebel, or as they call them.
selves, CONSERVATIVE leaders, are
telling their adherents to behave
themselves, or at least keep up ap
pearnnces, until the State Is turned
/ - 1T. .,,Io 'rk.a { Z, oil TIN 3