The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-04
THE WACOOCHEE VALLEY RIOT.
Condition Of the Negroes in Alabama
The Political Aspect-Crops and Busi-
ness Prospects.


The Political Aspoct-Crops and Busi-
ness Prospects.
COLUMBUS, Ca. Sept !, 1874.
or course you heard the rumors that portend
war OF races in the lower Southern States. l am
now writing at Q distance OF only twenty miles
from Wacoochee Valley, near the Chattahoo
chez River, seventy miles south OF At
lanta, and yet the news received from that
point a lew days since would lead US
to believe the blacks were in insurrecton, and
chat IN their attempt to plumber the valley four Of
them we're SLAIN by the heroic defenders OF this
Alabama wyoming. l have silted the matter to
the bottom, and were 1t not that the recent dis
turbance in Alanama is to a certain extent al
index OF the feeling in that State the rumored riot
would not deserve notice.
THE TRUTH OF IT.
You nave, no doubt, noticed in the last few
years that just before election in the South the
news leads us to believe that for reasons OF his
own the devil seems to enter .'tne nggers," and
outrage, ROBBERY and riot are the peculiar amuse-
mere ens1 carpet basSers or designing democrats lead
the black people into excuses for poiti-
s ss s Dui as that race their 'hn 1
norance makes them too tractabie and too easy
tools OF designing men. The first story from Wa.
the settlement with the intent 70 ROB, pun.
der and murder. and mat in the night attack
truth Is that the negroes met in one OF
their humble log churches on the night named
whites that lncendiary speeches were beng made
and that the negroes intended destroying the VAL
ley. This news, as might be expected called out
the whites In force, and they met the negroes re-
turning from the meeting. They accused them OF
conspiracy, and high words, followed by blows and
that any man, black or white, was injured, but
the negro church was burned down, and this
the whites now offer to rebuild, Z concession that
shows they do not consider the negroes 50 much
10 blame. Strange as IL may seem, this incident
has set this section o. the south ablaze, and white
men are arming as If o Zoe were marching on them
with torch and sword, when the fact is the poor
black man is innocept and there is less danger IN
him than in the ruf1ians VINO seek the Offices and
spells OF both parties in the South.
Your correspondents was Union soldier and Is
now Union man, yet he cannot ignore the fact
that the administrator has placed, as o rule, the
worst possible men In office In the South, and these
men are looked upon by the poor negroes as the
true representatives OF the North and the admin
fstratiOn. Consequently they are led into ex-
cesses OF wh,eh they would not dream without
such COunsellors
THE sNIGGRRn TRApUcBD.
Only yesterday, when the news Of the exag-
with an oath, :'Wel, II thar's gwine to be war
see There were some black men within hearing
at the time, but, unlike what your readers would
nave done under the circumstances, they re.
NAMED quiet, and only raised their heads when
denounced the murderous edct this man had
uttered. am no radical, nor am a democrat,
course that gives justice to all men, and 1, know
ing the South as do must blame the
e Condition Of the colored race. "rhs black
men," it Is said, steal and have no
you "the black women have virtue" but for
the former slavery il to blame, and with the latter
"our southern civilization" very largely Is charge
able, rs witness the unnatural mixtures that con-
'front.' you every have yet to learn OF aIcase
where the blacks proved derelict where they were
ly dealt with by their employers In freedom. The
stories ABOUT their crimes as rule, are down.
eeevs om good in the is base
gratitude. During the war ''the niger" was
faithful to his master; history has record Of sucn
who called him 'save." There is no case OF
arson, outrage or murder by the slave during the
recent war Yet every escaping Yankee prisoner
Will tell you the negro had q Iull comprehension Of
his own power and the situation at that time; so
5aat , ne cannot DC charged T WIN M the ougaoco
OF the other race" about which one
eternaIly hears so much here the
is more ehildllke and less cunning than Bret
Harte's "Heathen ChiDee." wlsh could say all
aaa ssS not Sssro ~ -hoS
s sS eh, soSn would 'f BE more of
wilderness than Death Valley, IN Southern Cali
iornia. Where the black man has erred is where
he was forsaken 10y his old master, or where he
has taken after some politca. prostitute from the
North, and God never created meaner man than
the average carpet Dagger. | don't except some OF
the Senators and Congressman.
PROSPECTS OF THE SOUTH.
Farmers growl more AZ Providence with less
cause than Arctic sailors The south this year has
raised large grain crop, and cotton in Georgia,
Alabama and Florida Is better than e has been for
years. Yet we hear on every hand fears OF bad
crop, though nearly all the crop Is secured. The
cotton crop Will be much larger than last year, and
! as consequence We expect TO near a storm OF
! grows about the low price an abundant crop viii
/ make. The farmers hav adopted q new plan TINS
year, and are Keeping herds. Next year they viii
add the important item OF meat 70 their products,
and the consequence will be success. The need OF
tnis country 10 new blood--a race OF men
J neither AFRAID nor ashamed OF work. The
/ South holds out unusuai advantages 70
the emigrant and the law here will protect him as
| well as il does In the West. have been South
| two years. and have never hidden my feelings nor
ceased TO denounce CRIME, and IN my course have
been sustained by the best men, Tor their desire "
/! neace and nroapertI.