New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-08-04
JOHN FOSTEFS FRIGHr

AS our fcducIS KNOW difcuuJ, Wo watch TIA
conduct and the character of the Souther.
Colleges with natural interest, because i.
these institutions the young men are now h.
ing trained who will represent to consider.
BILE extent the White element of the Stats
lately in Rebellion, during the important en-
of social reconstruction which has already con.
menced. The state of affairs in none of h~
seminaries is at present particularly encoun
cling. Thus we learn that recently seven ssa,
dents of Emory and Henry College, in Virgin,
Disgusting themselves Gas Ku-Kluxes,p viii
two pistols loaded for an emergency visited
the house of a negro in the vicinity, and, cal.
ing him out, began to fire at him volley Of
blank cartridges from other weapons in Their
possession. John Foster-for such was til.
name of the man who was to be frightened out
of his senses-was very slow to appreciate the
joke, but quick enough in pulling out his own
pistol and in returning the compliments Of the
literary young gentlemen. There was nothing
blank about his cartridge, for he lodged q real
and unmstakable bullet in the breast Of Henu
Pitts, "a son of as. tits, Of Abingdon" thereby
disabling from I'll, =. .dy of Greek and Latin
that ardent youth for some time to come. Er
Pitts on the shoulders of his comrades, 10 bs
attended to by the Doctor, his father. Bnl
John Foster in the character Of victorious
colored man. Canaan clearly, upon this occa
sion at least, came out "a leetle ahead"
The statistics and moralities of this iustd.
Gus rencounter are worthy of moments
attention. We gather from them the important
fact that, when Virginia negro Is TO b
scared, it is merely proper and prudent f9
the White young adventures to advance
against him in the proportion OF seya TO
one-a disparity of forces which would seen
to imply that be is a small host in himself
and possesses physical power perfectly
Titanic, and readiness of resource in emery
encies somewhat like that of Napoleon. This
leads us to the reflection that, as in most
Southern localities the sable element, out
numbers the sallow in the proportion Of two
or three to one, in case the latter should
resolve upon a general scare-not only o.
John Foster, but of all of his complexion
the material for these alarming campaigns vii
speedily be exhausted, especially ii al The
other John Fosters should have pistols and
the inclination, in their paroxyshs OF terror
to use them. 1t may seem hard to cut Of the
Southern youth from the delights to which
they have been so long accustomed; but N
hunting Freedmen should turn out to be
rather more dangerous to life than hnntiK
gorillas, tigers, or elephants, we fear that ths
branch of young gentlemanly education mus
be given up. Innocent amusement ought t0|
abe encouraged" as the delighted om lady
observed when her fondly-loved grandchiltI
stuck pins into the cat; but then the cat had
q way of her own which made the sport dan
gerous-and so, it appears, had John Foster.
So far as we can determine, considerable
portion of the Whites of the South are engaged
in the thrilling game of soaring the John FOs
tiers, with scarcely any better result thn
attended the experiments of these frisky col
legians. The truth is, the fine old patrarchs
relations having disappeared, and Canaan haV
ing made up bis mind not to be easily fright
ened, and the bafiled Abrahams no lOnga
being permitted to resort to the persuasive
paddle and other ingenious utensils of eonyie
ton and correction, it is very much TO be
feared that soaring" either as branch Of
social science or q variety of juvenile reerea
ton, must be abandoned Formerly. the ngh'
to keep and bear arms was mOnopolized by t@
masters, and negro with pistol was an en-
bodied felony, liable to instant execution with
out benefit of clergy, trial, or indictment
That this is all changed, is one of the fact'
which, with all their learning, the students o.
Henry and Emory College have, it would
seem, failed to acquire. Prof. John Foster hs
given them lesson which. we have no doua
the youth who received the bullet inhis bosoS
fully appreciates.