New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-09

RECONSTR UCTTON-A LESSON FROM TEXTS.
Texas is the last State in which Mr.. johnson
declared the Rebellion ended, and, in doing 80,
he did not fail to compliment the new reign OF
good feeling, ORDER generosity to the freedmen,
and devotion to the Union therein existing.
Outside of his proclamation these things have
never been heard of, and probably no one was
moro surprised at his praise than the people
who received it, If the present condition OF
affairs in Texas ia of peace, war would be pref
cradle.
One of the first acts of the Legislature was
to abolish the judicial districts in which Union
men had been elected judges; the admlmstra-
ton of the law was restored entirely to Rebels
Large grants Of lands and money were made to
Rebel soldiers. The bodies of Rebels were
brought from other States for reinterment, and
an act passed to remove the bodies Of Union
soldiers from the State cemetery. Congressional
districts we're created by which counties 80.
miles apart were placed in the same district
for tue purpose Of preventing the election OF
any man to Congress who could take the test
oath. Inrejecting the Constitutional Amendment
October IS, the Legislature adopted report
which declared the action of Congress 10
be ga nefarious conspiracy" crafty and
" ipiauitous legislation degrading and
"malignant." Labor laws were framed, which
practically reduced the freedmen to Slavery
and were found so monstroUs that the Freed
mems Bureau refused to admit their au-
thofity. In brief, the Legislature OF Texas,
animated by the old spirit of Slavery
and Rebellion, did nothing for loyalty and
order. but directly encouraged that reign
Of violence Which IS now now driving Union
men from the State and making the negroes
serfs. The United States military force in Texas
is small, and outside of its immediate protection
Union men and freedmen are at the mercy of
Rebels. Hundreds of cases of outrage have
been published recently; of these we will quote
few furnished by UNREASONABLE authority.
In the Spring of 1866 n son Of Jonathan Lind
ley was murdered in Bel County; his murder
ers were arrested by the military, and i'll
attempting to escape two OF them were hlied,
it is said by Major Carpenter COM
maading the troops, and Mr. Lindley
In November, Lindley was arrested for
murder and placed i'll jail. Through
his counsel he applied to Gen. lIeint2elman
for protection. affirming that his life was in
danger because of his Union principles. Gen.
Heintzelman laid the facts before Gov. Throck-
morton, who replied, Nov. Il: 81 apprehend
L" that Mr.. Lindey is in no danger from rash
violence in Bell County. ! shall write to
4" the authorities Of that county on the sub
"iect, and impress the necessity OF strict
compliance with sthe law, and the conf
dence expressed by Mai6f-Gcn. lIeintzelman
&" in their regard for law" Solemn assur-
t1,. H. 80. ina of
Bell County that I.ndIey should bc dealt
with justly. Near the end of November
the troops in the ncshborhoOd We're sent to the
frontier to protect the people OF Texas from
Indians, and on she night of December 8, a mob
of about thirty entered the jail, murdered old
Mr. Lndley, his son. and another inmate 0i the
| jai who was an entire stranger to the Lindlcys.
| In this case not even the interference OF Gov.
! TlEOckmOrtOn was protection. IL is m in
| stance 81 the cruelty of trusting to the civil
courts the lives of zion mon; the folly of be-
Loving that Texas Rebels respect any authority
but that Of the bayOnct.
We believe that for almost every day of the
past six months murder of a Union man or 4
negro might be cited. But the cases which we
quote are sufficient to show the condition of
the State. On the 2Ist of October, III Grayson
County, four men rode mp to the house of
freedman named Daniel Wheat arrested him
for some pretended Offcnse, and shot him be-
fore his own door The murderers were not
arrested In Sumpter, Trinity County, freed
man was burned alive in December, and several
killed In Chambers County. in the same
month"; Union man was beaten by two mon
till he was senseless, and his house robbed.
II Al.
outlaws snatched the warrant from the Sheriff,
tore it to pieces, and defed his power. Ed
mund Parsons and Mat Hewln, two freedmen,
were shot in Travis County iii December, by
white men, apparently from mere wantOnncss.
Their murderers were not arrested. At Prairie
Lea, Dec. g, a negro was publicly whipped for
calling q young Rebel Thomas, instead Of Mas
ter Thomas. On the 18th, at the same place,
bottle of whisky was demanded OF negro
and upon his refusal to give it, he was shot.
The murderers were known, but the civil au-
thoritics refused to arrest them. Prairie Lea is
forty miles from any military post and it is
the common amusement of the Rebels, mounted
on horses, to chase the freedmen through the
streets, and shoot at them with reYOlyers.
Never" says q Trustworthy correspondent of
the Freedmon's Bureau. presenting tho case of
Union man, i'll the days of Slavery has there
"been known the wrong, the outrage. the OPP
preston that now exists in the north eastern
counties of Texas toward the poor negroes.
They are now more down-trodden and bruta1ly
treated than he has ever known them during his
residence here, which has been ever since
1883. They have no rights whatever that are
respected; and he has related to me instances
of cruelty, wrong and violation Of all law
toward them, which would make your heart