New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-09-25
From Georgia.
MACON, GA. Septemher :. Ii

/ FROM Georgia.
MACON, GA, September :, 1873.
10 t.s Edaors At tas New National Sra and Citizen
have read with feelings of much interest
the communications in your columns from
various sections Of the country, and have seen
with feelings Of satisfaction the many evil
dences, even in Georgia, of the high appre-
citation in which your efforts are held to found
a newspaper which shall be an able exponent
of the views of the colored men of the whole
country, and determined advocate of their
rights. The New ERA is supplying a def
ciency which long before its appearance was
seriously felt to exist, and has already as
sumed position of commanding power and
influence which its strict adherence to the
line OF policy marked out in its prospectus
and the ability displayed in its management
so highly merit. 1t opens up a field hitherto
closed to the young colored men of the coun-
try for the display of their talent in the dis
cussion of all questions affecting the interests
OF their race, and is a reflex of the thought
and opinions which they entertain upon sub
Jects in which they as apeople aremterested.
The colored people of Georgia have in many
respects been more unfortunate than those of
any other Southern State.
Georgia has been, to certain extent,
beyond the limit Of the salutary and progress
sivc influences which have tended to such an
extent in some other States to cool down the
passions and resentments engendered by the
| al i'll,
without the pale of the protective influences
OF the Federal laws. The Republican party
in this State had but short-lived supremacy
The control Of public affairs was wrested
from their hands by intimidation, violence.
and outrage, and the peaceable and law-abid-
ing majority were placed under the heel of a
| tyrannical and lawless minority. When
threats and intimidation failed, open violence
was resOrted to, and, in consequence of the
reign Of terror which everywhere existed,
colored men by thousands were compelled
to leave the State. The exodus of laborers
was so great as to depreciate the value of
lands in some sections, and to attract the
serious attention Of the press and people of
the whole State. 1t is estimated that in one
year twenty thousand citizens left the State,
thousand The violence which everywhere
existed drove away the laborer and repealed
capital and immigration. The outrages of
the kuklux Khan were supplemented by the
enactment of odleus and unjust legislation
directed against colored men as class.
| This con,hipa tin, Of oyilS hoo hol ,bo q II, q,
of demoralizing the labor system, impOver-
ishns the planter, and desolating the State.
To take into consideration the existing trou-
bles an agricultural convention was called,
which assembled at Athens last month, and
which was supposed to represent the intelli-
gence and worth OF the State. Many speeches
were made, the most notable being that of
| the present Governor of the State, James NJ.
Smith. He charged upon the colored people
the responsibility for the present State OF
affairs, attributing all the evils which aftlict
the State to shiftlessness and laZiness on
their part, and advocated the enactment OF
legislation which would restore the old plan
tation system, which embodied the worst
features ofslavery, giving, as his opinion, that
laws might be enacted without conflicting
with any national law, which would so oper-
ate as to again introduce it..
The present condition and the wants and
obligations Of both classes were made the
subject of an able and exhaustive address
delivered to a large and intelligent audience
at the Congregational church in this city last
I Tuesday evening, by Edwin Belcher, Esq,
2. NJ. at this place. He animadverted upon
the speech Of Governor Smith in strong terms
showing the fallacy Of his reasoning, and the
disastrous effects which the carrying out Of
his policy would entail upon the State. He
adverted also to the all-important subjects OF
education, and the acquiring by the colored
people Of homes, giving much useful and
practical advice. The speech during its de-
livery and at its close was enthusiastically
applauded, and was an able exposition Of the
true source Of the deplorsble state Of affairs
with statement of the only true remedy
the repeal Of all proscnptive state legislation
and cheerful acquiescence in all rights con-
ferred upon eolored men BY the Constitution
and laws of the country.
The law which excludes cOlored men from
the State militia also received share of Mr..
Belcher's attention. The Legislature Of 1872
passed an act making it obligatory upon the
Governor to distribute arrns first to such CON-
panies in existence prisr 10 January /, 1851
as might reorganize, and that as TO other Or
CARNATIONS it should be discretionary with
him whether he should furnish arms or not.
Sheltered under this plain evasion of the Ma
tional Constitution, the Governor has inva-
riably refused arms to colored companies.
1 saw in the telegraph;c dispatches few
days ago that General Young, II. C., from
Georgia, was in Washington endeavoring to
procure the quota Of arms allowed the State
under the recent act Of Congress, and stating
that white and eolored companies were Or
ganizing all over the State and anxious to be