The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-31
Testimony of a Texas Unfonist.

The recent proclamation of President John
| son, setting forth that "peace, order, tranquil
ity and civil authority" now exist throughout
the entire country, and particularly in the
State of Texas, is well illustrated by the fol-
lowing letter addressed to the New York Ev-
ening Post. The writer is Texan Unionist,
well known to the editors of the journal he
addresses as a man of character and veracity !:
and he speaks of that which is passing under
his eye daily, and of which he cannot help be-
ing well informed. The Post does not attempt
to deny the entire accuracy and credibility of
his statements but labors hard to show that
the condition of society here exhibited has no.
thing to do with the question of the immedi-
ate admission of the Southern States to rep
resentation. That paper takes the ground
| that since there is mo armed rebellion, no IN
surrection, no organized and forcible resist
ance to the laws or powero of the general gov
eminent anywhere in the South, we have no
right to inquire into intentions, or disposition,
and it is very Improbable business to do So"
In other words, so long as they do not openly
rebel, but only give us every reason to suppose
that they are only waiting for more favor
able opportunity to do SO, we have no right to
suspect them but it is our duty to 60 on and
by restoring them to power furnish them with
the very opportunity they desire! We incline
to the belief that the loyal people of the North
will see the matter in a very different light
They do not recognize the constitutional
right Of these bloody-hanled rebels to make
laws for them; and they have had sufficient
experience cf the bindingness of secession
lists oath to show them the necessity of some
more substantial guarantees for the safety of
the future than are to be found in promises to
accept the situation, or in the assertion that
| the present resistance to and contempt Of the
laws of the general government is not an "or-
ganized" one. The italics below are our own.
The passages thus indicated very well Illus
trate the nature of the "cvil authority" which
"my policy" has established in Texas:
TEXAS, July 80, 1866.
Matters are worse here than is suspected at
the North. The war is not over yet The peo-
pie of Texas are more openly disloyal than
they were in the spring of 1861, and may be
found in arms against the national govern
ment any day. The United States force here
and the civil officers of the United States gov
eminent are tolerated for the present, because
the rebel leaders think that by the aid of Presi-
dent johnson they will soon be able to control
both at home and at Washington.
If SO much as a mob should do violence in
ones of the cities of the North, Texas will
again be in arms The rebel leaders have ex-
cited feeling they cannot control The idea
disseminated among the people is this: That
they must feign loyalty, and if possible be
thereby readmitted That done, they expect
the South to control as of old, and to intro
duce what they call "peonage" in the place of
slavery.
Indeed, since Governor Hamilton went North.
in divers localities disloyal men have consulted
together as toSwhen they would be able ''to be-
gin to gather their 'niggers" and they have
Openly expressed their conviction that candy
johnson means to give us back our niggers."
In one county 1 have heard of persons who
have "bought the chance" of negroes, as they
expressed it, at ten dollars in specie per
head.
in Texas is incredible For example, in small
county adjoining to this e1ghty-three persons
arc ;1dcfed for murder. In Corse counties
there are NO Indictments because witnesses dare
not testifu. and qrdnd.jurors dare not andict.
Since the aoar, though oDer foe hundred men
haze been indicted for murder not Ss''gte Whate
man has been conUicted and punsSaea. iee
hare knoacn of instances in which freedmen mare
been over punished for trivial offences. a negro
acas sentenced at Waco to the Penate''tadTy Jor
taoo gears for stealing q ginger-cdEe.
A few days ago the clerk of Bell Court was
shot in open day while sitting by the side OF his
wife, returning from wedding in the country,
in the streets of Bolton. The Chief Justice at
once mounted, and rode all night some sixty
miles to Austin to ask for troops to maintain