Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1868-10-02
THE RIOT IN GEORGTA.
Interesting Statement Of the
Hon. 3. H. Hill.

The Hon. b. II. Hill, Of Georgia, who is
now In New York, has addressed the fol ow-
ing letter to the Tribune of that city, aud
which is published in that journal Of yester-
day. II deserves careful perusal 10y every
honest and rejecting reader
TO the Editor of the Tribune: Sir: have
read all you have said in the Tribune GU the
subject of the collision at Camilla, in the
State of Georgia. beg permission to make
a statement which will present the whole
affair in its true light to you aud the North
ern people.
Early in the canvass the whites Of that
! tnine-tenths of whom arc Democrats) re-
ceived positive Information that the negroes
were being encouraged to arm themselves
and hold nightly drills in military style.
| They were told that the object of the Demo
cratic party was to re-ensiave them, aud
that they must resist It's success by force,
and especially all negroes who should vote
! the Democrotic ticket. Very soon this
canard, which originated ia the Leagues,
was openly proclaimed. White and coored
speakers at public meetings advised the
negroes to get ready to fight, and were re-
minded that they could use the torches for
! dwellings as we'll as the guns and axes
| against people. A painful rumor obtained
currency that the acting Governor (Bulock)
was in sympathy with, If not actually aiding
this movement. l do not know that this
was actually 50.
! This state Of things naturally created
alarm Several outbreaks were attempted,
and several conSpiracies to kill white people
were detected, and the negroes, wnen ar
rested in different portions OF the State, said
| they had authority and orders to this effect.
| We also most satisfactorily obtained in'or.
nation that the object OF the few whites
who melted the negroes to their crimes was
| two-luld. First-to place the negroes, by
| discipline aud excitement, beyond the inhu.
enceS which might induce them to vote W III
/ the Democrats, or not To vote at all. Second
/ to provoke collisions expressly to indu-
encp the Northern people with charges Of
"rebel outrages." Now the interests aud
| the policy of the whites was just the reverse.
| In the first place it was Democratic property
and Democratic families which would be
endangered il riots occurred. In the next
place, it the negroes became demora'ized
| by these poitiCo- military organizations and
| frequent assemblages, the crops would not
be well gathered, and Democrats owned the
crops, aud their impoverished condition
made them anxious to gather as much as
possible for the anticipated high prices.
| But lastly, we knew that the result of the
| Presidential election depended chiefly on the
vote Of the Northern States, and we were
exceedingly anxious TO avoid every possible
occurrence which could excite the passions
of the Northern people. Oar property, our
safety, our families, our maturing crops,
and our party policy all combined to make
us anXiOus-unnsnally anXiOus-to keep the
| pe1ce. How could we effectpaly keep the
peace None but those who felt the rrspon-
sibility will ever know the d flicUllirs with
which our situation invested the question.
But we resolved by common concert and
counsel
First-to hear every insult, and even
outrage, possible, and never to resist or re-
sort TO force in any form, except when
actually necessary to protect property, per-
son or family.
Second-to stop, by the constituted State
authorities, all these nightly drillings, secret
military organizations, and armed assem-
blages, of every character, as calc llated to
break the peace.
We had no confidence that the Governor
would voluntarily aid us. Therefore, let
ters were addressed to the Legislature ur-
gDg action. The Legislature did act by
passing resolutions requesting and urging
the Governor TO issue his proclamation for
bidding these armed demonstrations. The
Governor issued his proclamation, but in a
style and with false charges which greatly
confirmed the worst fears Of the whites as
to his sympathy with these movements.
But we had the proclamation, and we
hoped that all threatened dangers would
disappear. Now, there was not the slightest
desire, as you seem to think, of interfering
with the constitutional right of black aud
white "to keep ard bear arms" or to have
Republican melting-as many and as long
yh.4v tr tn.
military drills, and organizations NOT author
lied by law, and armed assemblages caIcu.
lated to break the peace and these we
desired to prevent by legal authority, execu-
ted by the ciUa officer. You now have the
exact reason why the sheriff met the ap-
prOaching armed procession, and after eX-
hibiting the Governors proclamation, told
the leaders they could hold the meeting
peaceably, hut begged them not to attempt
it in violation OF that proclamation.
Camilla is a very small village Of not ex-
ceeding, would say, 800 inhabtapis-hlack
ami whito-men, women and children.
A large assemhlage Of negroes gathered
from the surrounding counties, led by the
white men, and all armed, and to be excited
by inhammatory speeches, and many of
them 10y other causes, placed the people,
families and houses Of that little village in
N1htNA VI Pi"seH hNlb hHA bAAhlNlas WIN
the alternative, if prevented, OF fearful
"rebel outrages," to Kill negroes ard pre-,
vent free speech, scattered all over the
North Just as tho State election was ap.
preaching, which, 1t was believed, would
determine tho Presidential election!
know both Peace and Murphy, the two
white men Who conducted this whole affair
| They are OF the mos emphatic specimens
of what are termed carprt-hDggrrs. Before
the passage Of tho reconstruction measures,
there was no complaint heard against Them
THIS, measures disfranchis,d every intelli-
gem white citizen who had held OIL in
that country. Pierce settled as a huretu
agent 10 Lee County, and Murphy IN D ugh
erly county, adjoining the county IN witch
Camilla Is situated and in the mites OF
Lee aud Dougherty there arc i've u,grors %
one white. | have no idea that one dozen
white Il pnhcans could be found in tho
three counties.
Thus, yon SEQ at glance the temptations
offered to Pierce apd murphy to get ulliirs
| by the large negro votes. Accordingly since
the passage of tue reconstruction me aSurss
these mep have sorted with the negroes
/ Pierse was for n time a candidate TOR @ ~
.re.s At the last election. H. has nov re
celyrd the domination for that position from
a convection of negroes. Murphy was
/ elected sheriff by the negroes at The last
election, bat vas unable 10 give the hood.
! Ito is now, believe, on the rlrc Oral tirEcr.
| We have uAlIOEly escaped several b ooiy
/ riots VA that reg ou hrtre. Ourp.o | here
bel'tUed thes9 uun, especially tho latter, iu-
cited thrm They were both distinctly IN
view, WIKI others, when We c unel the
/ difficulties 10 the way o. preserving peace,
AMI wnen We sought 10 secure tho procA-
| nation.
Bat in spite Of that proclaim alton, and all
the ,moustranees Of our people, and the
fears Of our women aud children, they per-