The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-29
ISLANDERS on the South.

The following is an extract from a
speech of Senator Doolitt,e, recently deliv-
cred at Buffalo. Mr. Doolittle. it must be
remembered, is himself member Of tile
+" Republican" party:
Having received u letter from man Of
the South, who was once in Congress-, and
whom knew very Welt refer to Mr..
Curry, ofAlabama, and who is now the
Presidents OF one of the colleges ia that
State--and he having stated in his letter
to me that the South was completely carl
catured in some of the testimony which
was given before the Reconstruction Com
miitee in Washington, and having made
that statement on the authority Of Mr. Cur
ny In the Senate of the United States, it
drew from a gentleman in the State of
New York, who may be known to some of
you present., aud whose name [ will not
WITHHOLD refer to Col. Tarbell--a letter.
an extract from which / will now read.
Speaking of the condition of the South, he
says:
Allow me to say that Ihave been in the
States of Georgia, Alabama and Mississip-
pi since December last chat / was a Wing
and am a Republican, and hence BOXED
close at Southern society. I have no hesi-
tation in denouncing the reports in. North
ern newspapers of 0utrages upon the blacks
and upon Northern settlers as utter fabri-
cations, Of malicious exaggerations. T
travelled by rail, by water, on horseback,
on foot, in company and alone--by day and
by night totally unarmed except,a poek-
et-kniie -purposely, openly and frankly
declaring to every one was q Yankee and
a Black Republican,"
met others who had travelled on horse
back from Florida to Mississippi; who, like
me, were Republicans, and do assure you
/ would sooner travel throughout the South
than the North SO far as personal safety is
concerned. To go from here to the South
is like passing out of the work of the week
into the, Sabbath-all is qliet-a are try
ing to work for a liying--ior all are on a
level, and compelled to work with their
own hands Yankee land does not present
a more active, industrious scene, than the
whole South, nor could Yankees display
more energy, integrity and recdperatiye
power, itn standing on nothing. To sav
that the South is caricatured in the North
uoUo itoo oApIcSS IL. DIG is SlanQered, VIII
lifted, wickedly, UNANIMOUSLY belied. Were
the South to come North she would not re-
cognize herself if she did, she would dis
own herself. We're the North to 20 South.
she would be astonished at the nnisrepre-
sensations and falsehoods, and with the
cruelty unjust and erroneous sentiments
prevailing here"
7. assure you, sir, that this terrible pub
lie opinion that is driving the North to the
support Of the startling and dangerous cen.
tralization of power in Congress, is based
upon falsehood and Misrepresentation. AS
Iexpect to be judged by my Maker on the
great day of final Judgment, state to you
solemnly that, from extensive travels in
these States, from conversation with all
classes and colors, and after listening to
hundreds, ! believe before high Heaven
that all these newspaper reports Of hatred
TO and outrages upon blacks by whites, and
Of the molestation of Northern settlers, are
baseiess, wicked fabrications, conc6cted
and reported expressly to crush this fearful
public opinion which should sustain the
change Of the fundamental principles of
the Constitution"