Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-07-23
From the Raleigh Sentinel
RiGt at iGuiSbufg.

, Two drinks more Of whiskey aud the
/ peaceabe village Of Louisburg would hav.
been the scene Of Il most sanguinarv trans
! action. The Louisburg correspondent of
| the Sentinel has given onr readers an ac-
count of the disgraceful particulars of the
Republican meeting, and the nomination
Of Gen. Phil. Hawkins for the Senate
In the opinion of oil reasonable men.
riots and public disorders should be placed
to the account Of those who might have
prevented them. Gen. Willie ID. Jones
and Gen, Phil. Hawkins should understand
this, and that they We're in more danger in
the Louisburg riot than any other two per-
sons. At one time bloody fight was i'm
minent, and it was only averted by the cool
Judgment and impurturbable temper of
Capt. 10. Davis and Mr.. BENJAMIN It. Bal
lard, magistrate of the county.
There are several gentlemen from Frank.
lin in the city at this time. One of them
says if the difficulty had eliminated in
bloodshed the carcases of Gen. Willie D.
Jones and Gen. Phil. Hawkins, would
have graced the oaks which stand before
the Court House, for they would have been
hung.
The want of provocation on the part of
Radicals and negroes for the difficulty
which they sought, put them wholly in the
wrong. They sought it with one whose
real character they did not understand
tarris, the GoverLor's 8 keeper of the Capt.
toi, approached Capt. Joseph Davis and
told hun he understood his party was to
attack him there that day Capt. Davis
said he had not heard Of it. "I have heard
that you and your brother are going to at
tack Inc, said Farris. I" [ have no broth
er here, and [ have no such intention on
my part, " answered Capt. Davis. ''Who
gave you this information 2" st have the
Information" said Farris, "from a very
reliable source" Capt. Davis then de-
nOunced his informant as liar, and told
Farris he believed he had made the whole
story himself. At this time three young
men stepped mp and Farris went into
drinking saloon; the young men followed
him; Farris drew a pistol; one of the young
men seized him by the arm and shook him
until he dropped the pistol. Farris then
broke and double quicked it to Dennis
Hotel, making good time and safe re-
treat.
Col. Harris, OF the 10th regiment, Route
Agent on the n. G. Railroad, and member
from Franklin, called for the militia to fall
Ill and disarm the white men, and the ne
grOeS assembled armed with clubs.
Here there WAS a difficulty between Far
rls and Capt. Davis, every man who knows
either OF them, without inquiry would
know who was in the wrong.
When the militia, or rather, the mob of
negroes, headed by Harris and Galloway,
the colored Senator from New Hanover,
were forming, the three young men, with
rey0ivers, stood at the corner OF the street
some hundred and fifty yards below the
hotel and the line of the militia. On they
came, yelling, shouting and brandishing
then clubs until the collision seemed ine-
yitable. The citizens besought Harris to
desist, but he disregarded them and march
ed on with his half drunk negroes; for
Gen. Hawkins had that day given free
treat, and most of the negroes were more
or less intoxicated.
The purpose of the citizens was to fire
on the mob as soon as they crossed little
ditch just in their front; but before the
mob reached the ditch, Ben iamin T. Bal
lard seconded by Capt. Davis approached
Col. Harris and threatened to arrest him if
be did not desist and disperse his mob
Harris dismissed his mob and the bloody
tragedy did not come Off
We have heard that Gen. Hawkins cried
out to the negroes ito disarm the white
men" We hope it is not true. Gen.
Wiley Jones took no part except he is the
brother Lacquer of the negro and partakes
of the honors which they bestow. The citi-
zens of Louisburg We're determined that
he should have partaken of the sorrows of
his black, infuriated comrades, if they
had unnecessarily shed the blood of one
man.
Nothing but the forbearance of the Con
servative white people of the State have
prevented the occurrence of bloody scenes,
such as this riot at Louisburg promised to
be. The head center of the League, Gov.
Holden, is now parading his worthless
militia over the State to intimidate the
white men who will not join his secret
Leagues.
We regret that Galloway, (colored,) was
in this mob and behaved badly; we were
disposed to look upon him not only as the
leader, but as the most decent man of his
party, white or black.
The white man who led the negroes,
should understand that when the bloody
fray does come, they will not be allowed
to withdraw, as Gen. Hawkins and Gen.
Jones did at Louisburg. They had as well
go in and take part, for they will be made