The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-08-21
TESTIMONY OF A CANDID MAN.

In his recent great speech at Saratoga, New
York, Senator -Doolittle said:
"Having received letter from man of the
South who was once in Congress, and whom
knew very WE'LL refer to Mr.. Curry, of Ala
bama, and who is now the president of Que of
the colleges In tina. State-and he having stated
in his letter to me that the South was complete
ly carlcatured IN some of the testimony which
was given before the Reconstruction Committee
in Washington, and having made that state
ment on the authority of Mr. Curry in the Sem
ate Of the United States, it drew from a gen.
tleman in the State of New York, who may be
known to some of you present, ard whose name
[ will not WITHHOLD refer to Colonel Tarbel
"a letter, an extract from which | will now
read. Speaking of the condition of the South,
be says:
"Allow ne to say that | have been 10 the
since December last; that was Wing and am
a Republican, and hence looked closely at
Southern society.
81 have no hesitation in denouncing the re-
ports in the Northern newspapers of outrases
upon the blacks and upon Northern settlers as
utter fabricatlons or malicious exaggerations -
[ travelled by rail, by water, on horseback, on
foot, in company, and alone-by day aud by
night-totaliy unarmed except pocket knife,
purposely, openly, and frankly declaring to
every one was Yankee and a black Repub.
lican.' l met others who had travelled on
horseback from Florida to Mississippi, who like
me were Republicans-aud | do assure you
would sooner travel throughout the South than
the North, SO far as personal safety is concerned
ITO go from here to the South is like passing
out Of the work of the week ihto the Sabbath
all is quiet-all are trying to work for liv-
I'll
work with their own hands. Yankee land does
not present more active, industrious scene
than the whole South, por could Yankees dis
play more energy, integrity, and recuperatve
power in standing on nothing. -.
"To say that the South is 'caricatured' in the
North does not express it. She is slandered,
vllifed, wickediy, UNANIMOUSLY belied. Were
the South to come North she would not recog-
nize hersef-if she did, she would dsown her
self. Were the North to 90 South, she would
be astonished at the misrepresentation and
falsehoods, and with the cruelty unjust and
erroneous sentiments prevailing here"
Passing over many facts which he mentioned,
[ send the closing paragraph:
81 assure you, sir that this terrific public.
opinion that is driving the North to the sup
port. of the startling and dangerous centraza=
ton Of power in Congress is based upon false
hood and misrepresentation.
GAS l expect to be judged by my Maker
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 molcstation of northern
settlers, baseless, wicked tabrcations, con-
cocted and reported expressly to crush this fear
full public opinion which should sustain the
change of the fundamental principles of the
Constitution