The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1868-10-30

ing to make . large amount Of capt
tai over tho death of Geo. W. Smith,
who was killed In the jail at Jcder-
son, few weeks ago. Flakes Bull
letin denominatcs !, "an outrage be.
yond all parallel represents Smith
as man Of high character. and e1.
presses fears that other leading radi.
calls about Jefferson have met with a
similar fate. 1t also copies from the
New Orleans Republican a state.
aent represented to have been made
on the authority of Judge Caldwell,
in which there is scarcely word of
truth from the beginning to the close.
The Tyler Index says of il;
1.-THE blood Of Smith stains not
only the hands Of the masked perpe.
traitors of the foul deed, bu, attaches
to the skirts Of the citizens Of JefIcr.
son, and It's voice cries from the
ground Ike the blood Of 4 bel in the
car Of Heaven for rctribution.
Now, while We deeply dcplorc the
occurrence, a plain narration of facts
places the affair in very different
light. Smith was n cnrpet.bagger
from the North, without character
interest in the country, and
perfectly destitute of principle, All
the leading black Republicans about
Jefferson know this to be true, and
lattcrly they all refused to recognize
him or to have anything to do with
him. If there was any personal dan.
ger to them, it grew out of their
previous associations with him.
Caldwell refused to speak from the
same stand with him, and he stated
to the men Of character and promi
nence in the place, that he consider.
ed him, dangerous, bad man, with
whom the people of Jefferson had
borne with remarkable patience.
After the death of Smith, the citi.
zcns of Jefferson gave every assn
rance of protection and safety to the
leading radicals of that place, Cald.
well was permitted to make a speech
he himself says that he was solicited
to do so, and during n period OF
great excitement, He was listened
to, as every ono knows, with respect
full attention, although expressing
sentiments that were regarded as OK
ccedingly obnoxious, Smith lived
almost entirely with negroes, on
terms of perfect equality, and in the
most unbridled and grovcling ..cen.
tiousness His power over them wa.
very great. For three years he kept
the town and country around JciIer-
son in state Of constant terror
He los, no occasion, whenever ne
gro was arrested or threatened with
arrest, to endeavor to produce a wa,
Of races. He urged them, on all oc-
casions to 20 armed, and for month,
there were weekly nigh, meetings il
the vicinity Of the town Of armed
negroes, who were addressed by him
with inAammatory speeches. Nigh,
after night the citizens were com
PEELED to arm themselves and stant
guard over their property aud FAM
lies. lie openly boosted of his pow
or ovey the negroes, Warned bsfor,
leaving Austin that tho people o
Jefferson, who were then cnioyin,
peace and quiet after his departure
would not stand 5 repetition Of hi
diSgraceful and dangerous conduct
he stated that they did not dare mo
lest him that such was the terror o
the white lsdiss, dreading the conse
quenccs Of . negro war, that the,
constituted his protection from al
harm. Tho very circumstances tina
led to his death, exhibit the danger
Gus and desperate character Of tn
man. lie headed negro mob to in
wade the private residence Of an un
offending citizen, and wantonly fred
without notice, upon a party of gen
tlsmsn WHO had gone out as eonscr
vators of the peace, seriously wound
ing two Of them, after which attcmp
at assassination, he deserted the ne
grocs, and concealed himself until
company Of Federal soldiers cam
along, when he rushed among then
and claimed protection. And, il
addition to these atrocities, he re
peatedly threatened and declared hi
purpose to burn the city. When i
is remembered that .hc city, durin,
his sojourn, had been laid in ashe.
the alarm which such threat wa
likely to create may be well imagined
lu this connection, there is ano,h
er significant fact that mus, not b.
overlooked, end which exhibits, will
what We have previously stated, th
depravity Of the man. In Mario,
county, the scene Of this tragedy, tn,
blacks outnumber the whites over tw,
to one, the large majority of whom
are in and Immediately around JEFF
ferson and in this county, which