Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-07-25
Col. W. II. stokes.

The Republican Banner, published, at
Nashville, Tennessee, furnishes the public
this description of Col. w. B. STOKES, the
Radical United States Senator from Ten
nessee: 90 ,ITtif H}JEt.h.
That was a rich remark which Col. Stokes
made to Wendell Phillips, in Boston, the
other day, to the effect that If white men
are allowed exclusively to vote, the negro
nor such as himself would be permitted to
remain in this State twenty hours. If
Mr.. Phillips knew but small part of the
history of Col. W. B. Stokes in connection
with his treatment of the negro in this re-
gion, while he was an officer In the United
States army, he would have perfect con-
tempt for the effort to win his favor by a
statement so false and absurd. We wish he
could be in this and few adjoining coun-
ties, and hear from the lips OF colOred men
their estimate of the said Col. W. B. Stokes.
He was in military command here, with
headquarters at Carthage, in 1864 and 1865.
During that time he had at least three me-
groes shot without trial, and upon mere ru-
NOR. And some men under him, without
any rebuke from him, or any effort on his
part to restrain them, wantOnly took the
lives of others. In one instance, two men
belonging to his regiment, within six miles
of his headquarters, in Smith county, In
January, 1865, murdered a negro man who
was quietly at work, against whom they had
no charge, except that he claimed to be free,
and the same day set fire to some cabins
which colored men were building on the
lands of true Union family. The gentle
man and lady who were the head of this
family were absent at the time. Indeed, the
husband and father, on account of his eX-
treme Unionism, had not been athome since
early in 1862, and was at that time attend
ing the Convention at Nashville of the 9th
of January, 1865. They not odly set fire to
these buildings because they were for ne
| groes, but cursed and abused the elder
daughter of the family and threatened to
shoot her. These facts were communicated
to Col. Stokes by the young lady herself
and he failed and refused to punish such
acts, or even rebuke them, so far as was
ever known. The murder of nnOffending
negroes, and the burning of habitations de-
signed for them, was too much in accord
ance with his own opinions and actions To
cause him to punish the perpetrators Of
such deeds. These few facts show the mis-
cradle hypocrisy OF his statements to Mr.
Wendell Phillips, which, if that gentleman
knew, he would scorn to ever quote him
again. The influence which Col. Stokes
would have drawn from bis statement to Mr.
Phillips, would seem to be, that if negroes
were allowed to vote he would be safe, be-
cause they would vote for him, and such as
he. Now this might deceive New England
man, but no one acquainted with the negro
character is in any danger of being deceiv-
ed by such statement. 1t is true the ne
gro is not vindictive, andis disposed to for
get personal injuries. But on the othei
hand he never forgets fayors, and he has
wonderful sagacity in discriminating be-
tween his real aud pretended friends. Let
him vote therefore In the region where Col
Stokes is known, and he will never vote fol
him.. Any decent Conservative whom the
negro knows to be his friend, can beat hin
ten TO one. rUl -LkE- E--.Zgr "lnt