The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-29
The State of Affairs in East Florida.

This is reconstructed Virginia
The State OF Affairs in East Florida.
THE reports brought to us of the condition of
various parts of the South by Northern men
are so extremely contradictory, depending en-
tirely whether its scenes are viewed through
roseate-tinted or darkened glasses, that it is
next to impossible to decide on the true state
of affairs in the late Rebel sections. While we
have had different reports from nearly all the
Commonwealths, vet from Florida we have re-
ceived no account, favorable or otherwise We
therefore gladly give space in our columns for
a letter, some extracts from which we give
below, which reveals to us the social status OF
the races. The letter was written by a resident
in the vicinity, and one who has always been
considered perfectly reliable. We make allow
ance, however, for exaggeration, but, making all
deductions, the state of affairs il reveals is
enough to arouse the thinking classes of the
North to the dangers to which they are exposing
the blacks by their supine indifference to the
laws demanded by justice.
"But the chief and most dreaded trouble here are
the Rebels No Northern man negro safe here
You do not know what moment you may be shot
They curse the Yankees and The Government without
agreeable and dangerous for Northerners settling
here, and as for the freedmen, they treat them like
dogs, whipping and even shooting them. They get
much work out of the O.acks as thev can and tnen
cheat them out OF all their pay. h Northern man
can obtain as much help as he 1ciShsS, ashHe the
Souherner cannot get hand, though he holds out
eUery aducement for She negroes feel that they are
only inducements.
"On the 9Th OF the month (Aprl) we were called
upon 10 see some Southern reconstruction. On the
plantation adjoin ng us there man murdered.
The facts of the case as follows:-
"The captain of the State militia in this place. ac-
companied by his brother and the owner of the
plantation, came down on horseback that night as
they said to search for among the negroes 1t
was against the law for them to have any. While one
party was searching our plantation, the other went
to the next. In the latter the Captains brother
He rode up to the negro houses, asked one of the
men the question about the ms aud when answered
yes got down off his horse and deliberately snOt
at him. The ball only grazing the man, he stepped
up and fired again, saying, "There, take that you
--." The mans wife ran and caught her
husband as he fell. she tod the white man tnat he
muruered her husband, when he answered with an
OATH and threa ened TO shoot her unless she was
still. He then rode on Now to my certain
knowledge cOroneI's jury the murdered
man. and that was all the attention the civil autho-
rites have paid to the affair The murderer is stlliat
large, and boasts that he Will shoot fifteen more,
that no one dare disturb him. He has shot three
negro before, but only wounded them. The State
militia the State, 1 kno v, is nothing more than
set OF pure ~ Confederate solders-no, not SOL
dlers, but guenas; and, fear, our Government
will find it when it is too late. perfectly
tonshed at the way in which Northern papers speak
of the feeling in the Gulf States. They should be
stnct military force for five years at least. For
my part / feel that the four gears Of WIr hare not
done 0ny good, instead Of that. Tedr much harm.
1t has laId the country IN waste 1t has freed four
mill ons OF slaves, and turned them out of houses
and labor, and they have no protecuon afforded
them and not being piece of Operty, their for.
mer masters all they to outrage them, and l,
for one, will say they of for protection to-
| day than seven years ago."
| The name of the murderer we withhold in
order to protect the writer. The letter was not
intended for publication, and although by
! comparatively uneducated person is, by one
whose loyalty and devotion 10 our cause none
! can question.
The statements it contains, and its tone, show
us how the friends OF the nation in the Southern
States view the present aspect of Northern no-
tics. All looks dark. They absolutely once more
sigh for the hesh-pots of Egypt with slavery They
their friends, who have led them out of cap.
tivity to leave them to perish in the desert.
We are told thai the negro win not work; and
can We wonder? We have never met Northern
n an who had any cause to complain; and if the
statements we publish are true, which is more
than likely, need we be surprised at the freed
mems unwilhngness to serve their former mas
teIs We would willingly disbelieve the state
ment OF the murder unpunshed, were we not
forced to a conviction Of its truth by a mass OF
corroboratve evidence while the necessity OF
large military force is announced by the
Lieutenant-G himself All that we can
advise is that our readers should think of the
! facts land before them, and decide for them
selves whether in lenency or severity will be
found the remedy Tor the existing state OF evil
| and Injustice.
| ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. - The