National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-26

the aggressors in single instance. On the
contrary, the investigations by Congress
show that they, with their white Republi-
can friends, have been invariably, from
New Orleans to Lebanon, the victims of
unprovoked and murderous prejudice. It
is true that they have voted the Republican
ticket and that they have attempted to ex-
ercise their constitutional rights as citizens
of the United States; but this is no
crime, and while they may have been misled
at times by designing politicians and selfish
offce-holders, they have, nevertheless, kept
themselves within the bounds of law.
Their personal If not pecuniary, interests
are naturally and closely connected with
those Of the whites-the property holders
of the States wherein they reside, and If
they have not Joined with them In all re-
spects 1t is because Of some serious political
difference. Peaceable, docile and tracta-
ble as we have proven them to be, It Is
impossible that without this serious differ
ence they could be urged to take the initia-
tive in a war of races, and yet we have the
pledges of the Conservative party g., the
Democracy-of the South that no such diff
ference exists.
Let US see how truthful these pledges
are. At Ridge Spring, s. c., not long ago,
Ga war Of races" began, which attracted
the attention of the neighboring communi-
ties In the State of Georgia. Armed white
men from those communities volunteered
Immediately to proceed to the scene of the
trouble '::When we arrived at Ridge
Spring" writes a correspondent of the
Augusta Chronicle, 1--WE found the place
"alive with armed men. Numbers were
" at the depot to see US alighk and as we
" stepped to the ground we were greeted
" with earth-shaking yells of 'Hurrah for
" Georgia. and 'Hurrah for the Demo
"cratsp to which we responded with 8
hearty good will. "
Now, what does this mean, If it does not
mean that Democrats rallied at the call of
some suppositious calamity for the support
of fellow-DemocratsH 1t was not a war of
races, then, buta war between political par
ties, with white men on one side, and whites
and blacks together on the other-Demo-
Gratis against Republicans. When we ex-
anime further into this especial case, as In
all others of the same kind, we find that
after all not single white man, woman or
child was injured, although doubtful re-
port accredits q white man with having
been threatened The result was that the
negroes, these bloodthirsty, murderous ras-
Gals and midnight assassins, quietly surren-
dered the fowling pieces, old army muskets,
&c. 60, which they had ''secreted" In
their cablns-to 60 coon-hunting with, per-
haps-and dispersed" leaving several
''ringleaders" In the hands of the author
tiles" There is something 50 ludicrous In
this truthful statement Of much-exsgge-
rated affair that 1t would be laughable II 1t
were not for the fact that other occurrences
of the same kind have ended differently.
Yet none of them have had more founda-
the kind, have no doubt been possessed of
firearms, and In some instances may have
threatened. under peculiar provocation, to
use those arms for other purposes than
coon-hunting but the whites have always
hsd them at the advantage-have always
been able to overpower them by the cry Of
3 war Of races and Of "hurrah for the Dem
ocrats." But these cries are blind Demo
cratic crimes and casualties, which will |
work out good results, because they will |
arouse the people of the country to knowl- |
EDGE that Democracy is but another name
or the objectionable disorders which now
lfflIct the Southern States.