The loyal Georgian. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1866-1867, 1866-02-24

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The FREEDMEN INCIDENT
| A novel incident occurred to-day before
the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs.
Among others, Gov Aiken Of South
Carolina gave the South>side view of the
condition of things in his State, reflect
lug severely upon the freedmen and in.
dulging in much Of the fippeant preiu-
dice against the negro. He was follow~
ed by an intelligent 'contraband,' Just
arrived here from Charleston, who aston
ished the Committee BY a straightforward
statement of facts concerning bis race in
the South, and the animus Of the. recon.
structed whites toward the negro. His
narrative inspired all hearers with its
truthfulness, and his recital of acts of
cruelty evidently made deep impress
sion upon the Committee. 1t was adj
United by all that Governor Aiken had
found more than match in the colored
witness.
Mr. Frederick Douglass drew the
lrgest house of the season at the Brook
lyn Academy of Music, last Tuesday
evening, to hear his lecture on 'The AS
sassination and its Lessons Unusual
interest had been awakened in Mr.. Doug.
lass, before his coming, in view Of thc
fact that the Academy of Music bad at
first been refused to him on account Of
his color. But at last vote of directors
stood IL to in favor of granting the
platform. Of course, after. such an at
tempt against free speech, the most in~
telligent audience which it is possible to
gather in that city saluted the orator.
with welcome refreshing to witness, and
delightful to remember. The speech was
strong, high-toned, and noble; abound
ing in characteristic passages of argu-
meat, humor, aud satire; making, on the
whole, a mastery performance, aud an
impressive occasion. We understand
that the names of the FIVE dissenting
directors are to be written on shells and
deposited in the Brooklyn Historical
Soclety's collection of Long Island fossils.
General Howard, Superintendent Of
the Freedmen's Bureau, lactured.ip Bos-
ton last week, on the subject Of The
Freedmen He was introduced by Gov.
Bullock. A crowded assembly, en,bra-
cling many eminent citizens, received him
with the utmost enthusiasm, and listened
with eagerness. to his lecture. He said,
1--WE quote from the report in the Adver.
tiser):
Although the South had been defeated
In their opposition against liberty, they
had not yet given it over, notwithstahd-
ing their asseyerations to the contrary;
they would not give it up till constrained
to do SO; even now they were doing all
IN their power to deny the freedmen their
rights. The truth was, the greater part
OF the Southern people were sincere in
the belief that emancipation was wrong
The following language is from the
pen Of Joseph Mazzini, the Italian patri.
OF. 1t occurs in letter addressed to our
couutrymen, Monclare D. Conway, now
resident in LONDON.
you have abolished slavery. You
have, as a'crowning to your glorious strug.
gle, deereed that the sun of the republic
shines on all; that he who breathes the
air of the republic is free; that as God is
one, so on the. blessed soil where liberty
is not hap.and. hazard fate, buta faith
and gospel, the stamp of mankind is
one. Can you mutilate this great.princi-
pie Can you cut it down to the mon.
archical half freedom standard proclaim
the existence of the half man constitute
in the republican American land mid
die ages. class of political serfs Is there
liberty without the vote p
Perhaps those sad Italian eyes pence
trate further into the meaning and the
mystery of events which are now in agi- !.
tation in America than many another's
which gaze at those events from nearer
point OF view, but amid the binding
drapery of the storm.
Among the witnesses examined by the
Congressional Reconstruction committee,
was Ex-Governor Aiken, of South Caro-
Ina, formerly the largest STAKEHOLDER in
the United States: lie represented the