The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-05
CAUSES OF THE OUTBREAK.
Rcpulsive Aspirations Of the Negroes Toward
Social Affiliation.
GROSS INSULTS TO WHITE W0MANH00D.
They Propose to Ride Through Blood !"
to Gain Her Hand.

regard 10 the origin OF tne TROUBLES Win Tic
blacks in Tennessee. In response TO question
to elicit that Information the Governor said
''Uur present troubles in Tennessee aJtrb-
utable to the agitation OF the Civil Rights bill. Until
the sitting Of the colored convention in the city
OF Nashville last April the relations between the
black and white races for several years. had been
OF the most amicabe character. There had been |
no disturbances worthy OF notice. Masked ma |
RAIDERS were not heard OF. Under the act OF
March, 1873 public schools for both had been
established all over the State. The white people |
were friendly to the colored schools and had
fostered and encouraged them, although 1t was
a notorious fact that nlneteen-twentieths, and
even much more Of the school taxes were PAID by
the whites. The negro was becoming both indus
trious and frugal; and intelligent men everywhere
INDUCED hope that the negro would become
not only useful freedman, but o satisfied men,
Der OF the community.
THE PRovoCATIoN.
"Under the inspiration, however, OF the agita.
ton OF the Civil Rights bill in congress the leading
negroes In the State gave utterance, in the April
convention, to the most inflammatOry demands
for their social rights Many offensive expressions
fell from the lips OF the speakers IN that conven-
ton. Samuel Lowry demanded the right, under
the law, to take a white woman on his arm and
60 all around Nashville with her. Another
daughters unless they were ladies and qualified
and competent to be the wives OF colored men,
"a short time aiterward, at q negro gathering
in Somerville, in the midst OF pOpul0us cOOred
community, one or the speakers was reported in
the local paper to have declared that they would
have the right to marry white women,
send their children to the same schools
with the whites, &C., even If they had
to ride in blood up to their brde-bits' These and
similar expressions raised a feeling OF intense
Indignation and resentment among the whites
These events, together with the passage OF the
Clvi Rights bill by the Senate, produced deep
impression upon the whites OF both parties. And
so intense did the feeling become that in the can
vass for county ofncers which soon followed, in
almost every county IN the state, the Civil Rights
bill became
TEST QUESTION
Tor ONCE And so overwhelming was the public
sentiment OF the white people against this measure
that scarcely an avowed friend Of that measure
was elected in any Of the counties, or even stood
as candidate OF either party. 1t is not din1cult
to perceive how such antagonism OF sentiment
especially in communities where the negro
euualed or outn umbered the whites, ripened into
feelings OF bitter hostility. Threats OF killing,
sacking and burning were made or reported to
have been made, by the blacks. And thus this ex
| crement kindled by the speeches OF negroes at
| Nashville and Memphis, became more and more
intensified until 1t eliminated in the recent out
breaks which have nlled the columns Of the press
for the last few days."
"What immediate causes, IL your opinion pre-.
cipltaued the late troubles between the whites and
blacks iE Gibson cUuntyf"
IMMEDIATE CAUSES OF THE OUTBREAK.
'.You can readily perceive that, in the midst Of
the unfortunate excitement that existed in COM
munities where the blacks were very numerous,
very slight causes might produce serious cOnse.
quences. In the immediate locality where the
disturbance in question occurred the negroes
were numerous and lawless. They had been under
bad influences and accepted bad counsels Under
very inadequate provocation they Unexpectedly
and perhaps without any well defined purpose
threatened to burn an adjacent village and kill
the people, These threats were communicated to
an excited populace with increasing exaggera-
tons, as they passed from lip to lip, until forml
dable conspiracy was believed to exist. 1t was
thought that the negroes mad an Organiza-
ton and meditated the execution Of these
threats. At all events, one OF their number
confessed that fact and implicated sixt cen others
BY name. They were arrested and committed,
alter pre- llminary examination, to jail. l have
no doubt it was the desire OF min eteen-twentieths
or more OF the people OF the county that they
should be punished by the judgment OF the courts,
and but Tor the untmely act Of a few rasn and
reckless men they would nave had fair trial
under the law, and met only the punishment pre-
scribed by statute, The people OF Gibson county
are intelligent and law abiding. There Is no COM
pacc ce s y %en wo
violated the JAIL and cruelty murdered those
helpless misgaas6 Se negroes are an
comm unity is afflicted more or less with SUCH
TIE LYNcHERs TO BE PUNISHED.
| evil these men be detected and punished ?'
81 feel confident they will be detected and
ana the whole matter is undergoing strict IN
and am sa' viii 40 i
Whole soa duty .a and that their aSors win result
ties This hope is based upon my knowlsdge OF
the efficiency and fidelity Of those agencies ana
the unmistakable indignation OF the people at the
commission, in their midst, Of crime SO shock
ing. II the parties or any OF them are indicted:
they shall be arrested at any cost or sacrifice and
NO MORE TROUBLES FEARED
az do not think there Is much reason to appre
| bend a recurrence or these troubles anywhere In
the state The danger lies only In the possibility
"Do you think the general government viii in
terfere, or that its aid Will be requlred"
II do not. There Is no necessity for such inter-
ference. The agencies created BY the state laws
! will prove equal to the emergency"
THE MURDERED SCHOOL TEACHER
"What about the Julia Hayden murderY Was
she killed on account OF her teaching coored
Julia Hayden was killed by unknown parties.
But after awaiting myself Of every source OF in0r
| nation and "a careful examination oil all acts TO
be obtained. am thoroughly satisfied that the act
proceeded from no hostility TO c0l0red schools,
| but that the men were there Tor an unlawful pur-
pose, and, being bafied in It, they lred into the
house o random shot, not intended to take life,
but accidentally killing Julia Hayden. The whole
community are indignant at the outrage, and
have determined, and are taking active steps, to
bring the guilty parties 70 Justice"
| Have the negroes committed any Outrages upon
white women that have tended to produce exas.
peration on the part o! whites 2"
NEGRO BEASTIALfTY.
81 have Intentionally omitted any reference 80
such an unpleasant subject, but candor compels
me 10 say that there has been number OF such
! outrages here upon white women within the last
, three months. Only Yesterday, within thirteen
miles OF this city, a most estimabe white married
! lady, whose husband was temporarily absent,
| having gone TO a store, was brutally assaulted by
| negro, who was a stranger 20 her. she had
been IN the orchard, and, on returning with q