Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1868-11-13
Southern Testimony-Letter of J.
TarbeIl to Senator Doolittle.

Southern Testimony-Letter of J.
Tarbeil to Senator DoOlittle.
Col. j. Tarbell, of Hillsboro Nississip-
pi having been referred to by Senator
Doolittle in one of his late speeches as
favoring the revolutionary policy ofthe
Democracy, that gentleman writes the
Senator long letter IN which he indig-
nantly refutes the assumption and
takes occasion to make some interest
ing statements in regard to the South
ern political situation. He says;
''Prior to the adoption of the recon
structiOn policy of Congress, was up-
posed to negro suffrage, and so express
ed myself to Senator DOolittle. of Wis
him to the public.
Two years in Mississippi have sufi-
ced to educate me up from q moderate
to a straight Republican, and a quarter
over, as six months would do to make
Mr.. Doolittle a worse Radical than ev-
er Messrs. Sumner. Stevens, or Butler
dreamed of being. q
1 was in the South when Senator Sum-
ner made his speech in the Senate, De-
cember 20, 1865, in which he enumera-
ted Outrages upon, and murders of I'm
ion men, IN all the Southern States
From the most positive denials I was
made to believe the Senator's alIega-
tiOns without foundation. I now be-
Heve he was right. 1 frequently urged
upon gentlemen giving utterance to
the views above set forth, the duty of
assn ming public position, or of publish
ing their sentiments, but they invaria.
bly, declared their purpose to retire to
private life, and that they as cheerfully
as voluntarily handed over the direc- /
ton of official affairs to other hands.
fvrF ftH~
please" During this time met sever 1
al Northern gentlemen with puE pose
similar to my own of settling in the
4'Sunny South,' some of whom had
Travelled on horseback from Florida to
Mississippi, all concurring in these gem
eral staten ents.
In reference to Doolittle's change of
politics Col. Tarbell says:
fThe thought that you would or could
go over to the Democracy never crossed
my mind nay, the idea did not rise be-
fore my vision, aot-eVen- in my
dreams.
To my astonisument, you lost your
balance and fell among thieves
and traitors. You deserted to the enc |
my. I could not. My duty, as we'll as
my inclinations, and my training of a |
lifetime led me the other way"
The following in regard to the Oppres-
sive legislation enacted by the bogus
governments of Johnson:
eff opposed to the acknowledgment
of an uneducated class, was more op- |
posed to the internal ard damnable |
laws of the Legislature of 1865, which |
would prove to whites and blacks a 1
more fatal system than slavery itself |
as bad as that was, and no less to the |
general hostility to the rights of the /
blacks as men and human beings, save |
as 'iuferiOrs," (" Servants" "peasauts', |
and "laboring men," which has been |
developed, and marks the great line Of /
demarkation between parties "like a
pillar of fire by night and a cloud by
day."
Of the purposes Of the Southern mall
contents Colonel Tarbeu remarks:
t'If the leaders were to pronounce for
war, the same system of threats, intim-
idation, coercion and terror which car
ried secession, and was so successfully
practiced in our recent election, would
carry the South into another rebellion /
tomorrow. War is, I know, a topic of
common conversation, and Of desire
among the masses.
The same in regard to slavery. With
the success of Democracy, the restora-
ton of slavery is anticipated, and, if
insisted ,upon, by the leaders, Il would
be voted, with merely nominal resist
ance. With few honorable except
ions, the rights of the freedmen, as men
and citizens, are secuted with contempt.
With the same few exceptions, the 4
freedmen are held to be, by creation
and nature, the ''inferior race" and
hence fit only for servants, peasants
and labOring men. The purpose OF the
great body Of the South is to keep them
in a condition of bondage by means of
claws regulating labor" But for the
military, the laws of Mississippi of1S65,
passed by the pretended loyal Legisla-
ture called together by President John
son, would be enforced, by which every
freedman in the State would be hired out
-sOLd-in six months, for penalties I
fines, costs, taxes, and as vagrants and
apprentices, and there is nothing in the
law to prevent a sale for twenty years
or for life! The spirit of these laws is
approved to-day, and the freedmen,
and the State, and the people, and the
nation, if saved from the disgrace and
deleteriOus influence of their execution,
will owe IL to Republicans.
The following statements in regard
to the condition of Southern society are
instructive.
"Republican speeches are held to be
"incendiary," !" and meetings of the 10y
al Leagues are declared "illegap' with
in the infamous vagrant laws of 1865,
subjecting persons, white or black, to
fine and Imprisonment for attending
IuGAAls ioos bOug LAAS same laws AuEDAla
under penalties, colOred men from ex-
ercising the functions of a minister
without license from a regularly or
ganized church, under which licenses
issued by the Uuited States Methodist
Episcopal Church, because based on |
the principles of freedom, are pronOun-
ced illegal and void. Turkish tyranny
is light in comparison with the intoler-
anoe that would prevail under Demo-
cratic rule.
Senator, the evidence of the disloyal-
ty, disregard of law and Of the rights Of
loyal men of the intolerance, and Of
the purpose to overthrow the recon
body Of the Southern people, is perfect
ly overwhelming. There can be no
successful denial. II YOU will come
down and spend few months, iHe00.,
l pledge you to 60 back heartily asham-
ed of your political association.
The ballot in the hands of the freed
men was the only way 20 secure 60
them protection of person and property,
and the fright to life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness" 1t was the only
way to secure to them education
and Justice, as it was to make them val
liable citizens. They may now be-
come a source of wealth, If not Of pride,
to the State.
Democratic policy would make them
beggRrs and vagrAnts. Events have
justified their Acknowledgement upon
every ground advocated by friends Of
the, measure, and upon the eternal truth
"Inasmueh as ye have done It unto one