The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-05

Are we in State of War or Peacel
ONE of the great differences betwe en- the Presi-
dent and Congress arises from the various
answers given to the question whether to-day
we are in state Of war or of peace. If the
former, then the adoption of measures not
strictly in accordance with the technicalities of
civil law is justified if, however, we be at
peace the law must resume its sway. and the
Military bill is unnecessary, if not illegal.
From the testimony which daily comes to us
from all parts of the Southern States, we must
conclude that the condition of the late Rebel
sections is still state of latent insurrec-
ton; and that the same steps are necessary
to-day to protect the lives of Union men, black
and white, as were needed three years ago.
The Southern States form a subiugated coun-
try, and display a spirit similar to that Of
Grenada under acknowledgements passive
submission, but really waiting only for an op-
portunity to be revenged on the conqueror.
As we are told that the tales which come to us
from the Rebel States are false, we select one
which is sworn to by United States Commits
sioner, and authenticated by Flakes Galveston
Bulletin, and by two reliable names of resident
citizens in the vicinity of the occurrence
MIDDLETON, Leon County, Texas, February
70 lSb1.-l, John II. Potts, OF the county OF
Houston andState of Texas. and United States
Commissioners for the Western District of said
State, having visited the plantation of Mr..
Green X. Cessna, which was occupied by some
freedmen in his absence, and there found the
most horrible sight that my eyes ever beheld.
household @ furniture, and several cabins or or
out-houSeS, were burnt to ashes; one freed boy,
about II years old, shot aDd murdered so near
the house that his clothes were burned entirely
up and his body horribly burned; little boy,
ten years of age, burned to death in the house,
W Two reed iTeedmen " We're % shot @ Iand TIE the physI.
clans say mOrtally wOunded) at the same
time, by three lawless desperadOes, one of
wuom claims to be a resident of Leon county,
the other two claim 10 be re ldentS OF kauH-
man county. will further certify that l be-
leVe the Of the ciUU IdU TO De too short to APP
prohend and bring those persons To Justice,
owing to the great prejudice that exists towards
the freedmen and Union men OF this section.
1t is true there are many who do not counte-
nance this hOTrid act, but they have already
disqualified themselves as jurors by witnessing
the scene and by openly expressing themselves.
l would further state that, for the security of
the freedmen and loyal white men, and to pre-
vent further outrageS of like character by the
hands of those murderers and house burners,
a small force of United States soldiers is greatly
needed in this section. A few cavalry would
strike terror TO those prowling murderers and
house-burners. JOHN II. POTrS
The same journal states that this is but one
of a series of similar outrages which have oc-
CURED in that part Of the State. With such
evidence before us, and so often reiterated
from all sections, can we doubt that the pas
sage of the Military bill was the only action to
save from death all our friends Unless it
operates as is desired, a law to which the pre-
sent one is mild admonitiOn will crush out
all ounoSitiOn in the SOuth