The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-10-08
sMiSrellavtnuls,,,... !, Z.
BLACK LEAGUES AND THEIR CON-
n. SEQUENCES.

the Constitution, comforting citizenship |
and unconditional suffrage upon the col |
ored race, may be said to have been plan
ted the seeds of discord and strife which |
have grown so rankly since that time.
To say that these extended privileges
were necessary consequence of the
Thirteenth Amendment, fOrbidding sla-
very within the jurisdiction of the United
States, is to assume forced and false
conclusion. y -.
Certainly the mere act of emancipation
could not confer intelligence, lift up 9
race degraded by centuriesofslayery and
almost stepped in barbarism, to the plane
of civilization, or fit the millionswho had
been reared 10 obey masters will for the
responsibilities of citizenship and sut-
frage. The darkest Ignorance, supersti-
ton, and even fetiGism had to be at least
partially eradicated before the freedmen
could begin to rise TO the height OF their
changed condition..
Various causes contributed to the adop-
ton of this amendment. sentimental
philanthropists thought ita good thing
10 do to illustrate their progressive ideas.
Another class thought 1t would be an en-
ergetic mode of Furnishing the South, by
putting the ballot in the hand of the for
mer slave 10 vote down his old master,
and of making the latter realize practic-
ally that he had lost quite as much, ifnot
more, than the negro had gained.
But the controlling influence was parti-
san, and that shaped the new policy. AL
though the Republicans had possession
-ofall the departments of nthe-GORern-
ment, the shrewd leaders foresaw the
probability of reaction against them
when the passions Of civil war should
cool, and reason resume its sway. So
q they took time by the iorelock, aid prot
vided for that day of reckoning by Great
ing 100000 voters, who could be marched
to the polls at the tap of the drum, or by
concerted signal.
1t was easy with the immense patron
age and power their hands, TO organ
ize thisforce and discipliheit like a, p0-
liticar army. And to help-that work the
Freedmen's Bureau was created, and put
under the control Of Gen. Howard, who
used il proftably both for the party and
for himself. Millions YeTeapPropyiated
stolen and squandered. under the pretext
" of improving, elevating and Christianiz
ing the black man. .t.s. g..
With the raw material of the planta'
ton negro to work upon, his fears and
his hopes were easily excited in equa
proportion. He was made to believe
that the owners of the soil wanted hin
remanded to slavery, and that his graft
tude was only due to those who had con
ferred freedom upon him. The most alb
surd stories were invented to disturb hi
imagination, to rouse his jealousy, to in
flame his animosity toward the NATIVE
whites, and TO keep the races apart.
The carpet baggers saw Their opportu
nifty and improved it. Many OF then
were thieves who had served an appren
ticeship in the Freedmens Bureau, 9th
ers were vile adventures who could n
longer live in the North, and others agail
were rogues who had graduated from tn
prisons or penitentiaries. Altogethe
they were the scum and dregs. of the com
munities from which they had fed, fo
safety, forming perhaps the worst clas
as a whole, that the politics of this couI
try has ever produced.
Between the bureau and the Carpe
,baqgers, which In fact were branches
the same concern, the negroes were o.
panized into secret societies known {
Black Leagues, with the most terrib
oaths, ceremonies, and obligations. Deaf
wasone of the penalties of revealing the
plans. These leagues were multiplied
every part of theSouth, all upon thesan
basis and with the same form.
Every effort of the native whites
break up this formidable organizatiC
failed. Even now it is only partially ~
paired in its strength. Encouraged 1
the support of the Administration al
the presence of troops, it has been ke
well drilled, and generally thrown cor
pact vote until recently, when some te
signs of disintegration have begun'to'a
pear. In vain have appeals been mat
To them to renounce this bondage al
ioin their old friends in arresting thecc
ruption and frauds that were Pfuipous
both. There was only a limited respons
When the oppressed people OF Lou
lana addressed themselves to the Pre-
dent he would not ieyenalloW eqmm
tee Of one hundred Of the most respect
BILE citizens to approach him. He stTuYC
but would not HEAR CASEY, and Kellot
and Pinchback, and Packard, allconcer
ed in the grossest outragesS and all
officeholders had spoken, and that W
sufficient.
When a committee from South Caro-
ma, whom the President had indireC
invited to present theit grievances
peared at the White House and w
calmly proceeding to State them, tn
were rudely stopped, grossly insulted, a
on dismissed with the manners ofia plan
ntion oyerseer and the vulgar violence
professional bruiser. To the credit
that place, be it said, no such disgrace
scene ever before occurred within
walls. L;1I
Repulsed by the President, neglec
by Congress, and tmmpled upon by
arpet-baggers with the black leagues
their back, the whites have patien
borne the hunilations, robbery, and
iouities to which they have been subj,
ed under partisan reconstruction. ~
have fairly tried by every honorh
means TO divide the blacks, when d
could not win them over by reason. /,
content with all these wrongs, the
nublicans in Congress press still ster
penalties on the South, while pretend
To preach amnesty for all past often
THEY now insist upon social equality
tween the races, and make the {
Rights bill q test of this last loyalty, /
ING in view no higher purpose thar
consolidate anew the black vote.
The effect of this policy has been
alarm the true white Republicans
oyerthe South, not onlyfo the safe
,GAtheir common schools, but for this
their families under the bad teaching
desperate, seamps, who are nothing
social incendiaries. That fear, take
or connection with the vast number Of
RACES perpetrated upon, helpless wo
ocaA female childre1 ityiblaeB 6ends
brouoht the whites together by nal
law and without any regard topoliti
,A.E,QIn some places they have formedS
leagues, as an offset 70 BLACK Leagues
,,fktod q nTnQt nl1Il