The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-07-31
The savannah Riot.


plore the riot which took place in Savannah
on Monday night. p -
It is the evident and natural desire of the
Administration to provoke disturbances IN
the South. Falling in their effort to ALLEVIATE
the Democracy from the Liberal Masses
foiled in their plotting to provoke the oppo-
sition leaders contemporaries to of speech, the
| Administration journals and speakers devote
themselves, with wearying iteration, to warn
| Ing the people that Liberalism is only an
other name for Ku-Kluxism and Rebellion.
Mr.. Greeley is abused, because he fiayed the
carpet-baggiDg thieves and shook hands
with MIR. Davis; a large sum OF money is
paid for archives which are expected to
show that "loil" men, now on-the SIDE OF
Schurz and Sumner, sympathized with the
rebellion; Senator Wilson declares that there
shall be no reconciliation the bloody
chasm shall not be closed; the burden OF the
| universal song is, that Grant is national
| necessity. But all this talk is vain as long
as the South holds its tongue and folds it's
arms. This conviction led the New York
| Tribune to warn Southern men that "only
"one thing can re.elect Grant," and that is:
"a new outbreak of violence in the South
nern States, or what would answer the same
"purpose plausible false reports of
"violences in tie South as ,oOuld thoroughly
alarm tile Northern mind" The attacks
upon the Liberal colored men in Raleigh and
the attempt to break up the Liberal meeting
at Charlotte were expected to bring on
collision in which, by hook or by crooS, the
Southerners should be exclusively to blame.
Even this device did not answer. The
Administration found it's policy q foil
ure. While its henchmen shouted war,
the people demanded Peace! There
was not o speck OF trouble, until the
announcement of the bad business in Savan-
nah. Until then, all the schemes OF the
Grantiaus had miserably failed.
The origin, the progress, and the end OF
the riot are described elsewhere. What We
have to consider is Its cause, and probable
effect The published accounts leave no
doubt thst the disturbance was instigated
and planned by customhouse officials who,
on the eve of the North Carolina election,
were spelling for fight. They encouraged
some negroes to attempt to ride In the cars BET
apart for the whites, and this brought on the
row. There is no disposition In Savannah,
or elsewhere In the South, to deny the COL
ored man his natural and acquired rights.
1t is one of his rights to have for the same
price, as good accommodation, in public
conveyance, as is given to any other class
OF passengers. 1t is not one OF his rights
to determine where and how he shall be car
ried-that is matter which must be regula-
ted by the company. la Savannah there are
separate cars for whites and blacks These
cars are alike in appointment, and equal ln
comfort. The whites have 40 business IN
the colored cars, and the blacks have no
business in the white cars. There was,
therefore, no excuse for disturbance. The
only object was to get up riot which might
help the Grant party. It was not an i'm
promptu affair. Ample preparations had been
made. The negroes were armed to the
teeth. They fired into peaceful citizens and
harmless women who we're sitting in front OF
their houses. They deliberately threw q pas.
senger train from the track, and threaten
further mischief. Iuhamed by liquor, they
howled aud yelled like demons The wonder
is that the whites, armed and organized as
they are, did not sweep every rioter into the
turbid waters OF the Savannah River. That
they did not do so is another evidence OF their
desire to avoid even the appearance OF quar-
relsomeness. They defended themselves.
AS white men, with red blood in their veins,
they could do no less.
Yet we deeply regret that the riot should
have taken place. 1t would have been far
better, il practicable, to leave the execution
OF the laws and the suppression OF disorder
entirely in the hands of the municipal au-
thorities. These could have called upon the
citizens had they needed assistance. The
Radical papers will assuredly make the most
of the first bloodshed, and for all that We
know may contrive to estrange from the
Liberal movement some War-Republicans
who, day or two ago, were ready to give
it their support. Above all things The South
ern people need to be patient. They owe it
to themselves not to give way to anger 1t
is hard to bear the jeers and gestures OF the
Radical canvassers, but a few months OF
forbearance will bring an abundant reward.
Disturbances like that at Savannah
strengthen immeasurably the chances OF
Grant. II makes no difference whether the
whites or the blacks are the aggressors. In
either case all the blame will fall upon the
whites, and be visited upon the Liberal
cause. And the punishment must be borne
not by the few hot-headed men who take
part in the fight, but by the millions, North
and South, who long for tranquility and the
blessings of good government 80 long denied
this people.
Help North Carolina.