, 1873-01-01
NEGRO RULE IN FLORIDA,

a Shocking Condition OF Affnlra-A
Veteran of 1872 TTnltrcsstctl by u Nc.
gro Mob-'Ehc Penalty os Voting for
Greeley.
He'on'a"spe, Alaehus C., Fs tyor: 12> corrcepond-
Tho following is plain statement Of facta
which wo dosiro to present to the people Of tho
United States for tlsoir consideration. Such out
until thoy layo booolno too frightful to be on
dured. Our appeals to tho local authoritioa nre
nil III vain, and we despair Of oyor having our
grievances rcdrcsaed by thom. Our only hopo
is in arouang public sentiment Which shall
lead 10 ncasuroa for our relief, otlsorwiBo wo
shall bo compelled to abandon our homes to tho
blnckH, who have bucomo our mRstors.
III this tow, resides focble old gentleman,
now in tho sevonty,nlnt yenr Of his ago, john
Powers by nanao, who carly as 1919 onliBted in
through tho war. 1Io was also with Decatur In
Ills expedition ngaiuBt Tripoli, mud served in tho
Creok War under jackson. LnHt Saturday week
thia old gentleman, whilo attonding to somo lit
negro, horscwhippod,. mud knoclod doal,. Mr..
Powers through tho interference Of anotllor no.
gro, who lsad gomo respect for his gray hairs,
1nado bis escape, followed by about thirty Of
theso devils, shouting, "Kill the ID old =,
friond, where he secured n gin. Tho nogroon
stopped thou in their pursuit, thus showing
their bravery. So long M this old MIN was IN
armed they wanted to kill him hut whom Ito
was ahlo to defend himself tloy rotreatel. This
outrage occurred in broad daylight, and was wit
nossod by nearly tho ontiro community. 1t is
not the first attompt TINT has boen ma1e on tho
lifo of afr. Powers. During tho fall Of 1870,
while guarding his cotton crop in tho fold from
the depredationn Of THU antne gang, llo wnB na-
saulted, knocked down, aud MI attompt made to
cut hls throat which would have becn successful
but for tho bravery Of Ills dnnghtor, WHO, boing
armed, i}rod on tho gang ana drove thom ofr.
f+nY
front Of Nlr. powor's dwelling, t]lrcatoning
to kill him md using all ulanncr Of yiotcuco.
A. warrant waB iBsuca for tho nrrost Of
two Of tho parties engUgod IN this outragc aua
sent to tho sioritf at Gainesville; but no stopu
hayo boon taken by him to execute tho warrant.
nor will tloro l,e. This Ia only ono Of tho num-
orona caaea that arc Of common occurrence III
this county.
Ono OF tho most recent of tt,ceo outrngos hap
po,ol on tho flny OF election at tha precinct,
md IN tho writer and hundreds OF others woro oyu.
Witnesses to whct follows: Tho polls wero open-
cd At the usual hour, and when tho voting began
it was almost impossible to keep tho negloeH
from taking complete possession Of tllonl. About
tho middle Of tho day colored nlan voted
for Greeley md tho Conservative stuto
ticket, when 4 disturbance aroao which WAS kept
up Until late in tue evening, and finally culn,i-
mated III Il deadly assault on two citiZenB OF tho
and knocked scnseloaa by g blMdgoon OF sonlo
kind as llo wau entering his dwelling to 60 to ln
supper, aud ho now lies in dangerous condi-
tion. 4 gun was fired ut him while fnl!ing, nnd
so,no forty or fifty shot penetrated the door OF
his llouso. About tho Eanle time n young man
wns also assaulted, but having been struck /!
slAnting blow OH The sido Of his loud, ho waa
only slightly atunl,ed. Tho only offence that
those gentlemen had committed was that Of
voting as they EaW proper.
Being usod to sucll scenes, I was not 30 much
shocked when calling on Dr.. Jackson ns I would
hayo boon BY ti,o Same sight before tho State
waa reconstructed. Ills raco presented d fear
ful appearance, the skull fractured, fear, with
so. however, with gentleman who Ind only
arrival from Now York day or two previous Il,
tho election. This gontloman had made quito
m Investment in property thore, consisting OF n
plantation about liyo miea from town. two
storo-housos, grist milI gin house, and rosonco
III tho village. Tic has Bcen enough Of hiH
property, and will roturn in q day or 10 satisfied
with liiB short Bojourn in this portion Of tho
land ~ Howora