Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-19


Grated in their poverty, ignorance aud lncapaCitF
to appreciate fine effect OF their altered condi-
ton, were SLOW to realize the necessity for sus-
tanned and continued labor on their part. Che
confederate soldier, aud all others who had,
during the years of war, devoted themselves
10 tnat cause found, on the return of peace,
nothing but poverty and ruin in all their land,
and themselves absolute beggarS among u
people who had nothing TO give.
Under such circumstances, il was impossible
to restore harmony in civil government, without
some confusion; yet so earnestly did that people
struggle 10 return to all glance, and thus eutite
themselves 10 the protection which had been
promised, that, from the day Of the surrender
of their armies, no hostile arm has ever been
raised against the authority of tue United
States. Before even breathing time was allowed
them, set CT harpes, most of whom had
shirked the dangers of the battlefield.
camp followers, horse holders, cow boys,
punderers from both sides during all the years
of strife, rushed down, singly and in squads on
that people thus PROSTATE and dcIcnceleSs, and,
for their own private gain, seized and carried off
whatever could be found worth Selling in that
country
All remonstrauce or resistance was stihed and
crushed out by the cry of disloyaltv aud treason
raised against southern people, and by the pre-
fence that the plunderGrS were prosecuted be-
cause Of their LOYALTY and devotion TO the Union,
and especially to the republican patty and its
continued supremacy.
The investigation was instituted, and among
others, the present president, then gederai OF
the army, went to portions OF the sOuth TO eX-
anime for himself The minority know Of no
better way to set forth the true state of facts eN-
listing in those states than TO quote from his re-
port Of testimony, which is dated Dec. Is, 1865,
All impartial men then agreed that the state
ment of Gen. Grant was true. II punshmcnts
had been deemed polite or possible, that was
the time to iniiict them.
The minority state that the men of the south,
under the programme laid down Tor them, rcor-
ganizcd their state governments, elected repre-
senatlvcs and senators TO congress, ratified the
18th amendment by their legislatures, conferred
civil rights on their cmauCipated slaves; in
short did all they thought the federal govern
mcnt wished them TO do; but they were mis-
taken, they bad failed TO elect men to congress
who would hliudly obey the orders of the lcad4
erS who then dictated, and were determined to
continue to dictate, the legislation of the cOun-
try,
Then, so far as the south was concerned, tax
alton without representation was its fate from
that time forward, and has continued, with
some exceptions, substantially until now.
Then followed series Of reconstruction
measures with the nth aud 18th amendments,
which they were required to accept, endorse and
approve us conditions precedent to being allow
ed 10 have any civil government at all, because,
until that was DONE the liberty, and prosperity
| OF every man, woman and child, loyal and de
| loyal, white and black, were held at the mercy
| olauy soldier who might lie placed over them. IN
The minority dwell at much length on the
! carpctbdg, scnlluwag and negro rule.
In view of the enormous deht which is shown
| to have been wantonly, ccrruptly aud fraud
ulentlv heaped upon a people as poor aS the
! census reports show with ivceighhS of their
| property gone, and taxation on the remnant
nearly fOur-lold as much as it was oil ll1e whole
winch affairs were HONESTLY managed is it 10 be
| expected that the people Of these states will
have neither love nor respect for the men Of par
ty by whom they have been thus pundcred.
History till now gives no account Of a con-
queror so cruel as TO place his vanquiShed foes
under the dominion of their former slaves; that
was reserved for radical rulers in this great
republic.
The minority says; When the testimony taken
| before us is analysed, and the ignorance and
DEGRADATION OF the southern negro is understood
| when, as ten. Grant said in his report in De-
| cember, 1865 they believed that the property of
| their former masters of right belonged to ttet1
| and was not entitled to any protectOnt whcn
as all testimony shows, carpet bdggers, bureau
| agents and loyal leagues, who went to these
| states, made the wrong the negroes had suffered
| and the right they had to take whatever
they pleased of the property they had labOred to
acquire for their masters the theme of
| their harangueS; when, in secret sworn organ.
| izations, hatred to the white race of the south
was nstlled into the minds of the Ignorant peo-
| plC w AfNll AT anu WIG lldl D,tu ulCIl could
devise; when negroes were formed into military
| organizations and the white people of these
states were denied the use of arms; when arson,
rape, robbery and murder were things Of daily
occurrence; when the great mass of the intelli.
| gent whites were DISTINGUISHED and the
ballot was put into the hands of the ne
| gro by the government at Washington
in short, when that people saw they had no
rights which were respected, no protection from
insult, many of them took the law into their
own hands and did deeds of violence which we
| neither justify nor excuse. There was but little
left for them except TO stop these things as best
| they could.
The minority review these subjects at length,
| and repeat thar they feel confident they are
sustained in the assertion that there is nothing
in the evidence tending to show that there is
either any combination, conspiracy, design or
desire on the part of any respectable number of
people OF the south TO deprive the cOiored race
of any of their civil or political rights, and
there is certainly none either to suDvert or inter-
fere with the legitimate authority of the
federal or state governments.
THE UNION PACIFIC.
| The Union Pacific railroad, partly by reason
| of The snow blockade between Laramie and
| Wasaka and the consequent enormous deten-
| ton of trains, is again claiming prominence in
| the public mind. Some pretty wild statements
| in regard to the management of this road are in
circulation. Probably everybody is familiar
with the fact that its stock has recently dcpre-
ciated from 394 to 81 in value Representing
capital OF S1O0,000,00O with immense land
| grants made by congress, it is hardly to be
| wondered at that there is a good deal OF compe-
tition to secure its control; and one of the most
| powerful combinations, with view in this
| direction, is that of Horace +. Clarke, of New
| York, who has lately bought up large quanti-
ties of the stock. Ii is said he has already Sc
cured the controlling influence, and that he will
| possibly be elected president.
Opposed to him is The present president, Tom
| Scott, of Pennsylvania, who is now engaged in
| opening line from New Orleans to Halifax and
| building paper railroads all over the southwest.
An effort is making TO Gust him from the man
agement Against this effort he is eXerting his
utmost strength, and it is difficult to determine
where the contest will end. 1t is stated that
when the road was completed he was given a
certain amount of stock for his services as pres
ldent. When the stock rose he is charged with
having sold it and pocketcd the profits so that
at this tine he is merely the nominal director,
without owning penny in the line. But the
allegation which creates the mos excitement is
that instead of relieving the road from block
adc, he is derslrous that it shall continue in that
order so that the stock may be still more depre-
CiatCd and the control fall into his hands, IL is
contended that he has made negotiations with
parties possessed of large shares, and that if he
would do so he could not only provide for the
transportation Of the mails, but clear the track
for travel.
THE HOUSE.
The house met as in committee of the whole
for debate only, Mr.. Mckee, of Mississippi, in
the chair, and about forty members present.
Mr. lloar presented aud asked TO have read
memorial from the American women's suffrage
association, Lucy Stone, president, asking suf-
frage for the females Of the District of Columbia
and the territories. and the enactment of such
laws as would extend suffrage to them in the
states. In presenting the memorial Mr.. Hoar
said that he would only say that in this act of
justice, which was necessary to the completeness
of our republican institutions, which sooner or
later must be consummated, he hoped this con-
gress might occupy an honorable position.
THE ALABAMA CLAIMS.
The foreign mail which left London on Feb.
9th, brought TO Washington yesterday Earl
Granvilles dispatches to Sir Edward Thornton.
His impossible to ascertain from that quarter
whether they include the friendly message which
the queen announced she had caused TO be sent
to this government or not IL SO the British
minister did not communicate it to-day to the
state department. 1t having been ascertained
that Mcssrs. Gushing, Evarts and Davis each
approved the American case in person, and thar,
therefore, there is no room Tor any modification
or Withdrawal, 1t is pretty well understood now
thar the tenor of the reply 10 be made will be TO
the effect simply that this government submitted
case Tor arbitration covering every possible
pOiut in lisDutp : that hot bo In