The national Republican., 1869-02-06
THE OaEECHEE AFFAIR.

All the troubles which occur down South
In which the colored people are at all In
yolved are by certain parties placed at the
door Of these people; or, in other words,
they are set down as the aggressors In the
first Instance.
The report which has been published In
the papers as true statement In respect to
the Ogeochec troubles places all the blame
upon tho heads Of the blacks. Some eighty
three Of these people, 1t Ia already known,
were arrested and indicted for conspiracy,
and the report attempts to show that the
negroes were altogether TO blame for what
occurred.
The substance OF the report sent abroad
is that these people settled themselves In the
neighborhood of the farms Of some immi-
grantsi that these immigrants had acquired
legal possession Of the lands; and then the
report goes on TO state that these colored
men formed themselves into an armed body
TO prevent the cultivation Of these lands, and
that when the crops were grown they (the
Colored people) made the attempt to steal
them and carry them of. Thus there was
certainly made out very strong case against
the blacks, and 1t has been offered as an ex-
cuse for the prosecution against them.
We have learned to look upon all such re-
ports and stories with dlstrust, because in
most instances when they have been traced
TO their source, we have found them to come
from parties inimical to the negro. Such
reports are very generally the offspring Of
hatred and prejudice, and we now feel as
sured that this ogeechee case will present no
exception to the rule.
snow, mark how plain a tale shall put
this (story) down."
1t is known that General Grant sent
Colonies Babcock and Porter to report upon
the condition Of the South. These gontle-
men have returned to this city, and have
made their report, which shows the affair in
an entirely different light from what has
been heretofore published.
Their report is that the whites were the
parties most to blame, and that the blacks
were the sufferers. These colored men went
to work upon the lands under contract,
which stipulated that they should receive
certain wages and n share In the products OF
the soil. They labored faithfully during the
season, inspired by the hope that they were
to receive at least some compensation for
their labor; but when the crops were gath
cred in their employers refused to pay Their
wages or give them any share In the crops.
1t will be seen that under such circum.
stances, stripped of their hard earnings, des.
titute, and winter staring them in the face,
they made the attempt 10 seize what be-
longed to them. Then II was that the charge
OF conspiracy was trumped up, and they wer,
arrested. This is the truth, according t,
the testimony Of these military gentlemen
and as we expected all along, it Is the cor
rect version Of these Ogeechce troubles.
The negroes were not trespassers upo
these farms. They had worked there al
summer as laborers, and it was by their Ia
Dor that these crops were produced. o.
every principle Of fairness and justice, there
fore, they were entitled to their pay, AM
these immigrants and planters, or whoeye
they may be, were the aggressors, and upoI
their heads rests the blame.
1t has been said that this band OF colore
men were thoroughly armed. But wha
says Colonel Porteri His statement Is tha
there were not more than dozen efflcieu
weapons in the hands of these people, an
these were muskets purchased Of the Gov
eminent by some of the negroes, who ha
been soldiers, when they left the army.
In conclusion, we are free to say that tn
statements of such men as Coloncls Bah
cock and Porter carry with them much NOR
weight than the fabriCations Of rebel editor
and interested negro prosecutors, who dl
not scruple to rob the laborer of his hire.
It is such facts Us We record above tha
create distrust in the North in respect to tn
intentions and bearing of the Southern peo
pletoward the colored population whom the,
have so long held In slavery. The NatIona
Government must be, and will be, slow Il
abandoning the colored man ill he has tn
full power to protect himself.