, 1870-03-18
1890
1,IsE
THE OUTRAGEs IN TENNESSEE,
4 he Co1orrd Peoples Appeal for Pro-
Acknowledgement OF Their Gffcv~
0nCc84

4 he Co1orrd Peoples Appeal for Pro-
tcction-Stn1cmen OF Their Grfcv~
Nnccs.
WAsuSo7o., March 15.-Tha delegation Of
colo1ed men from Tennessee, who have been
here for some DAYS, urging protection ior their
mittee on Reconstruction to-day, and n,ada
statements Of their E1ieyAnccs- They pre-
eeuted a report made to the Convention Of
Colorcd People in Tennessee, which delegated
them to come here md present their case.
In this report it is set forth that from tho
cyidence elected from tho delegates to tho
convention from the several counties OF Middle
md West Tennessee. and from the testimony
Of hundreds OF sufferers from these districts,
and from the reports published in the VARIOUS
proper Investigation, eommencing with the
outIages In Rutherford County, in August,
1869. and continuing up to the present time,
Il IL = fact that crimes Of the most kl1r1n-
:ng atrocity arc prevalent in the abovo named
localities prevalent that tho lives and
thceo districts arc unsafe in Tho extreme. In
tho abote-uamed communities the colo1ed
peorle have been hunted down Ike the wild
aui1nA1s Of the fungles, and mnrdared in cold
:lood. Many have been forced to Leave their
homes and families, thar crops and their
the cruel ouhxges committed On them by dis
,,,liscd outlaws and midnight sEsaesins tbs cit
les Of Nashville and Memphis arc over1un With
raupcra, shlo-boded men and women, who
nave becn driven from comfortable homes in
tho country TO seek the protection Of
consequently, arc olliscdt to beg, steal or starro
Tin 4 common cverr-d2y oocut1ence that
scme CT these people, without Just CAUSE,
without e1cuse, and without proroc1tion, arc
put to death in the nost tozsurous and bsr-
hazous mAnnez-br hanging, shooting, whip
ing, and burning. The persons who commit
these crimes &c said to DO we'll known in the
communities in which ther live, and IN which
these crimes have been committed, and many
Of them aTn known to members Of the COM
mistce, and could be brought to Justice II the
laws we're enforced They even boast Of them
| selves as The perpedasozs Of the slaughter Of
| innocent men and women. Only few nights
.efore the committee left the 6tato,
at ColhesEyi1lc, u Shelby County, the
ee e fss 1oanans q pesoetul nSsn issaa
! ;rd hellish attempt to Burn their bodies md
| household effects, vas kdded to thu hIack catA-
| loeue Of crimes committed upon our people
| lie cruelty with which the colnred people
were treated in nan! counties q this State,
l.irtorr. The committee further state that
4 when colored men are arrested, In tho rural
districts, for alleged commission Of crimes, il
matterB not how trivial, they are, IN large
ms1oritv Of cases, without Eial BY Jury, and in
| S10lAL1On AAA l4hAAA4AA4ohA$ NAAEsA A1GLl
the custody OF the proper authorities, md put
TO death in tha rnost cruel manner.
1t would eeem from the uniformity Of actor
On the r.rt Of these Outlaw that they operate
% organized bodies, aud that they ase deter
mined TO leave no effort uutried that they nsl
crush out tho Gfe and energy Of The coloress
people of TIM State Asa people, tho coloret
: Ieopls claim to haye mado. individual ant
united appeals to the authorities OF the Stat
fo1 protection. but they hAvo been as fruiHes,
as The plaintiye cries of halples
contrary, The Lesalaturo has paaset
many arta which niht1te directly aeains
the interests and happiness Of tho oolo,c4
reople. For instance, The repea1 Of The Com
. iuon School Law, whereby colored children n
left without educational pxivilegea; the repcs
rf what wrs known Il Tho K9-6ku law, Ii
results Of which arc too vel known to N; i
repeal Of The Common csEscgs' act, whereb
: respectable colored people, holding h1st-cla.
.:ctets, sso compeI'ed 70 dde in he snnkin
>ar ON III ra5hoads, and submit to The iee1
md taunse Of those who Ars not their equals
, raonla, rednenent, OF education.
N oopc.ussoo, tho committee pray thu,