Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-07
u niun aud gispatth.
A LIVELY SCENE IN A RECONSTRUC
TON CONVENTION.


The Charleston correspondent OF the
New York Times, in his letter Of January
9th, gives an account of a row which oc-
Cured in the Soath Carolina Convention.
We have heard much in past days from
Radicals about plantation manners" the
brutality Of the people Of the South, their
disposition TO resort to personal violence,
TO the pistol, knife or bludgeon. But how
is it, asks the St. Louis Republican, that
such examples as that Of the Radical ruff
fans who assaulted and nearly killed Mr..
Hayes Of Savannah, for exercising his law
fol freedom in the conduct of the journal
under his charge, do not receive indignant
rebuke at Radical hands, We do not re-
member TO have seen in any Radical
journal any denunciation Of that brutal at
tack, though We have seen pungent refer
ences TO the instances of what they call
"RebeP violence and outrage 1t seems
that Radical manners are not better than
plantation manners" as the Radicals were
pleased TO term them. Senator Sumner
was cudgelled by South CaroIinian for a
free nae of his tongue in eriticising South
ern affairs. And now Radical South
Carolinian cudgels reporter for sketching
his father with too free hand. Mr.. Sum-
ner and his friends howled for half a score
of years over the blows he received. But
which one Of them, or what Radical news
paper has uttered one word Of rebuke of
carpet bag Radicals who, in Southern
States, have freely given the die" re-
sorted TO blows and maltrested opponents
with such brutality that they were disa-
bled for days? Champions of a free press,
as they profess to be, what have they to say
of their own friends who silence free speech
and free criticism by resorting to the style
of the prize fighter and the bully. The
Times correspondent writes
One of the journals here, the Mercury,
has persistently chosen TO publish daily
sketches Of members Of the econvention, and
to reveal the inner life of men in a style
which united so much of truth and severity
as TO have made the public look upon it as
q matter OF course that there would be an
outburst Of indignation from some quarter,
and possibly an appeal to the code or the
cowhide. To-day the paper contained an
article on DIR. A. G. Mackey, President of
the Convention. He presided, as usual.
Everything went on in its usual dull way
no matters of special interest occurring
to rouse passion to fever heat-and the
convention adjourned.
Scarcely had the announcement of die
solution been made, however, before Z.
w, NJ. Mackey, son ofthe Doctor-him-
self Gelegase-Ealked up 10 the reporters
table and demanded of the reporter if he
was the author of the article in the morn
ing's paper defaming his fathers character.
The reporter said "Yesp "Then," con
tinued Maekey, uttering terrible curse,
take that" whereupon he proceeded to
illustrate his meaning by severely striking
out from the shoulder. The reporter for
few seconds foHght ikeagame cock against
his larger adversary, until a score Of the
members, black and white, rushed between
and stopped the fray. The excitement in
the hall became Immediately Intense, and
increased every moment. The reporter
was hustled into the lower portion OF the
room and surrounded by hundred negroes
and whites, some waiting for a signal to
kill him ON sight and others anxious to
preserve his life and at the same time the
convention from disgrace. The cries were
mingled" Kill the hound" "Cut his
heart out" Throw him ont of the win
dow" "Tear down the Mercury Office"
etc, and at one moment the aspect was
anything bat encouraging. Fortunately
DIR. Mackey himself came to the rescue,
and, after some effort, the disturbance was
quelled without the aid Of either military
or police. The reporter was escorted from
the room by number of delegates who
had promised protection, prominent among
whom | was glad to see whites who have
been maligned from one end Of the State to
the other, and blacks who but a little
while ago we're filled with the most bitter
and hateful prejudices, and are now the
moderate and Conservative men of this
Convention.