Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-15
Reconstruction Horrors in the South.

The shocking outrages upon life and
property which have been perpetrated oil
late in Arkansas and other portions of
the South afford another specimen of the
workings of reconstruction, surprising
even that of Tennessee. The arming OF
militia, composed in great part OF
Ignorant and unfit men, has led to scenes
Of bloodshed, and of worse than bio ID.
shed, which it is appalling to contem-
plate. The Arkansas militia are charged
with plundering the people, arresting
citizens without warrant, numbering
prisoners, ravishiHg women, white in the
meantime the cotton fields, white with
cotton, are left to destruction. The
Radical Governor of the State has
actually authorized this militia to forage
upon the communities in which they
may happen to be, and this in time of
peace
The Ogeechee troubles in Georgia,
which have only been quieted by the
military finally taking charge, and a
later exhibition of that which malignant
interlopers are trying to fashion into an
irrepressible conflict" between the two
races Because of some alleged dis
agreement about wages or their proper
ton of the crops, the colored population
of that district is said to have Keen
worked up to state of complete insur-
rection, compelling the white inhabitants
to flee to the city for protection, and
attempting to take fercible possession Of
the lands and property of the whites,
which they had been promised by politi-
cal advenrurers, but found they coui1
only obtain by violence.
In both the Arkansas and Georgia
troubles there have been representations
made by military officials, whose parti-
sanship is patent to every eye, to explain
away and belittle these occurrences,
which, if it can be done, would have the
effect of showing that reconstruction is
not working altogether in the direction Of
political and social chaos. 1t is admitted,
however, in the letter of General Porter,
who processes to have Investigated the
Arkansas troubles, that the militia pun
ishes all the disloyal and extorts pledges
from them to support the laws. He also
states that the Governor "eould seldom
secure good men for officers, and in the
eastern counties be had to depend en-
tirely upon negroes for soldiers" Here,
then, is conceded to be an organization
which "good men could not be had to
command, and which in the eastern
counties was composed entirely of me-
groes, and this organization punished
disloyalty and extorted pledges, being
themselves, for aught that appears to the
contrary, judge, jury and executioner
1t is also admitted in the report that
business men of all parties were injured
where martial law was proclaimed, travel
interfered with, supplies taken from the
people under orders, and that one of the
negro militia had ravished a white wo-
man, for which he says he was executed,
though how many more offenses Of the
same kind were perpetrated for which no
one was punished does not appear. Gen.
Porter seems to rely good deal upon
the statements Of the Governor of Arksn-
sss, the party who is principally Grim
mated in these proceedings, and whose
repeated and unwarranted attempts here
tofore to subject Arkansas to martial Law
show the manner Of man he is. 1t is by
no means probable that there should
have been such a number OF refugees
from Arkansas to Memphis on account
Of the conduct of the militia, if their de-
pertinent had been as decorous and
orderly as General Porter seems to sup
pose. 10 regard TO the 0geechee troubles
in Georgia, the palliating statements OF
Colonel Williams, in his report to Gen.
Sibley, seem to be founded on the decla-
rations of the accused parties themselves,
and are in direct contradiction to sfida-
Wits by two of the sufferers from these
outrages. These are but specimens Of
the peace that follows reconstruction.
In all these difficulties the military have