The Evansville journal., 1868-02-21


The tax Just mentioned, be it re-
membered, was a special poll tax only
+ applicable to colored persons, and ap-
piicable to these without regard to
sex. Besides this, cOlOred men with
all male inhabitants of the State, be-
tween the ages of tWenty-one and
sixty, were subject TO a State poll tax
/ of one dollar per annum, and if il was
not paid the Sheriff was to compel the
/ delinquent to work six days on any
/ public road or bridge or other public
work and if there was 20 such work
In the county to be done, the Sheriff
was to hire the defaulting tax payer
for six days to any person who would
1 pay the one dollar tax and one dollar
additional for cost. This law In terms
applied to white persons as well as
! black, but any one can see that it was
aimed chiefly at the defenceless freed
men, it being well understood that
none Of the white chivairy of the
South could or would be made to sub
NIT to the performance of six days Of
compulsory labor to pay poll tax of
one dollar. l
The crowning evidence Of the en-
tire acquiescence Of the people Of
Mississippi in the results of the war
is, however, to be found in an act.
approved November 29, 1865, entitled
an act to punish certain. offenses
therein named and for other pur-
poses.
By this act a penalty of not less
than ten nor more than one hundred
dollars is denounced against every
freedman, free negro or mulatto toho
shall exercise the functions Of a Minis
ter of the Gospel without a license
from a regularly organized church,
and should he fail to pay the fine and
costs for the space Of FIVE days after
conviction, he shall be hired out by
the Sheriff or other officer, at public
outcTy, to any white person who will
pay such fipe and costs and take such
convict for the shortest time.
Such was a part Of the diabolical
ingenuity which these reconstructed
rebels employed to evade the amnesty
oath they had just taken, and to show
their entire acquiescence in the results
of the war. Is itnot marvellous that
Mr.. Hendricks, in searching for evil
denoe Of the acquiescenca Of the
Southern people in the results Of the
Wsr, should ignore these solemn leg
islative records, and instead thereof
rely upon the opinion of General
Grant, formed on a flying railroad
trip made through the Southern
States, and occupying, as it did. but
few days? Is it not still more strange
that the Senator should turn aside
from this and similar legislation, and
adduce as conclusive evidence of ac-
quiescence, the opinion Of his distin-
gulshed colleague In the Senate, ex-
pressed more than a mouth before /
this legislation had been inaugurated2 |
Among lawyers, it is accounted to i
be a sure sign of a weak case, when /
the barrister resorts TO inferior,
secondary, or hearsay evidence. in
support of his cause, where the best
evidence is attainable Such cause
may enable the advocate to exhibit
his skill, and occasionally to make
sharp point on his adversary, and may
have victory, but cannot have truth
for its object.
| present you not the opinion of
this distinguished general, or that
eminent statesman, as to what he sup
posed to be the temper and spirit of
the people of the South, as regarded
their yielding respect to the authority
of the United States. and acquiescing
in the results of the war; but as in
fnitely better and higher evidence, l
submit to you what these people,
said and did In their legis-
lative assemblies.
Mr.. Hendricks, in the speech to
which ! have alluded, for the purpose
Of working up the passions and preju-
dices Of his party against despised
and injured race, drew fancy sketch,
with which he was so well pleased
that he subsequently held it up, In
another speech, to the admirirg gaze
Of the Senate of the United States.
% this sketch, he depicted the afro
cious conduct of the colored men of !
the South waging war of barbarians
against the property and persons Of
.he white people, and in prosecuting
his cruel purpose, he exclaimed:
Whatever may be the sympathies
IF the North on the question of free
lom from slavery, you need not think
hey will be with the negro in this hOr- !
'ible contest, now imminent; for when
he Northern man sees the mother and
children escaping from the burning I
house that has sheltered and protect
ID them; when he hears the screams
If beauty and innocence in the fight /
rom pursuing lust; if he ever vene-
'ated a mother, or loved a sister or '
wife, his heart and hand will be for {
he pale-faced woman, and for the a
.hild of his own race. I
As a work of art, this picture lacks {
tut one element to make it a master 7
,ieee. That lacking element is its Z
liter want Of trnthfnlnass IL nnrht /