Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-03-29
Robson County and the New York
Herald.

and gratifes its passion at any cost. For
weeks past the columns of the Herald
have, with rare intervals, teemed with let
tiers and kilograms concerning the noto-
rious band of outlaws who have so long III
tested the swamps of Robson county.
The letters came first and apparently
sought to hide the enormity of series OF
crimes unparalleled in the history OF the
world, by throwing around the perpetra-
tors q veil of romance, and by most ln9e-
NOUS, persistent misrepresentation, pre-
ssnting the LoWrey clan to the world as
band Of bold and daring, though lawlc3s
men, of consummate address, skill and
courage, who for years past have been en-
gagged in avenging the accumulated wrongs
and injuries inflicted upon them and their
ancestors from generation to generation.
The wrong done to the LowreyS as black
men, by holding black men as slaves; the
wrong done to the Lowreys as Union men
by Confederate authorities the wrong
done to the Lowreys as peaceful citizens
by the lawless Ku-klux the wrong done
to the Lowreys as Radicals, by the people
of Robson, in preferring the COnSery atiye
party and its principles; the wrongs done
to the Lowreys in their own persons, by
citizens of Robson, as officers of Justice,
or as individual avengers, are all separately,
distinctly and most ingeniOusly set forth,
50 much SO that if poetic justice were done
it would seem that these men ought rather
to be worshipped as heroes of modern TO
nance than hunted as criminals.
The untruthfulness Of these letters, both
in statement and inference, was palpable,
but we did not deem it necessary to notice
them for the reason that we supposed that
this sensation would die with the hour
that had given it birth, and would be for
gotten.
Not so, however. Another colrespOn-
dent appears upon the scene, proceeds to
the Lowrey Land, and after short dalli-
ance with the Bloody Bandits Beauteous
Bride begins the role Of prisoner in the
hands of the outlaws, and straiGhtway the
feelings of the readers of the Herald are
narrowed beyond control AZ the dangers,
real or imaginary, that the 6 Journalistic
enterprise " of the Uer,%s,1 has doomed its
agent to undergo. TO all this we made
no objection. 1t was Il matter OF inditter-
ence to us whether the UcrdiA man tab
ernacled in a rude hut with the dUsky
darling Of Henry Berry Lowrey, or whether
he slept in the innermost recess of the
sobby swamp with Henry Berry himself
Ii either event we could only wish him a
good stomach and bad nose.
The base Of operations for a campaign
against the Swamp Angels having been
established, it was next necessary to open
lines of communication Herewith. And
straightway we have established here in
Wilmington, some eighty miles from Z" the
front" Herald Bureau of Information"
From this Bureau the Herald obtains and
publishes every morning columns Of tele-
grams accompanied by the usual display
OF capitals, italics, double leading, &c.. &c.
Fer several days the absorbing topic has
been the probable consequence OF the out
lawry which the RObesOniGn newspaper
stated had been declared against the Iierd{d
man for having joined the Lowreys. 1t is
pravelv discussed whether he will be 8 as
sassinated " by some of the ''street corner
heroes of Lylmberton." 1t is gravely hoped
thatit will not be attempted, " since, should
it occur, no outrage more wanton and 10
murder more cowardly trocous could
ever stain the annals of this civilized Com
monwealth."
Now what vast deal OF misplaced SYM
pathy and virtuous Indignation, to say no
thing Of money, would have been saved if
the veritable "Rcrald Bureau of Informal
ton" had onlynoticed in another column OF
the Robesonidn paragraph stating that
there was no truth in the report of the out
lawry of the Herald correspondent! 1t
would, indeed, have saved all this waste of
feeling and money, but then it would have
ruined the sensation.
But while we care nothing for the Gun
paralleled journalistic feats of the Herald"
we do care for the good name and honor of
our people.
We are not willing to allow people who
fought valiantly in behalf Of the Southern
Cause, to be sneered at as ''street corner
heroes as men who have manifested Eek
traordinary generalship i'll avoiding the
I.owreys," and who lack only the opportu-
nifty to become 'assassins," by even the
"Herald Bureau of Information, in search
Of a sensation.
We are not willing 10 submit ia silence
TO such charges upon the good people of
Robson, even though it be at the risk of
spelling a good sensation for the New
York Herald.
The army Of Northern Virginia con-
tanned no better men, no drawer soldiers,
than those who came from Robson
county, and who, after laying down their
arms at Appomattox Court House, re-
tarned to their homes under guarantee
of protection from the Federal Govern
ment. Once more at home, these gallant
men, instead of finding that protection and
security, the guarantee Of which was the
consideration upon which they laid down
their arms, found themselves helpless vic
HRs in the hands of the Lowreys.
From that day to the present, with the
brief interval of Governor WoBTH's adj
ministration, the brave, long-suffering
people of Robson have had to contend !
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