Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-09-26
Alarmed at the Consequent
ces of their Own Acts.

The members of the Southern
"White Leagues" are already becom
ing alarmed at the effects produced
upon the public mind by their acts
Of ostracism, murder, and Other
atrocities committed against the
harmless and defcnceless colored
populations in some of the South
ern States. They did not intend tC
have the secret movements of tho
"I.eagues" made public, nor to allow
their prescription of the colored vo
ter from the ballot box to be made
known in the North until after tho
elections were over. In ante-bellun
times there were no Republicans in
the South, and no Republican news
papers south of Mason and Dixon's
line. Deeds of darkness could be
committed then nd Mfnitum upon
the helpless colored race in almost
any part of the slave States, and
never published within the State,
or known in any Northern State I'M
less some smart negro escaped On
the underground railway and car
ried the news to Canada. But the
emancipation of the Southern bond
men and the suppression of the re-
belliou opened the way for establish
ing a free press in the South, in
many cases conducted with con-
siderable degree of ability by eman-
cipated slaves themselves. And
now these atrocities are made pub
lie as soon as they are committed.
and the facts are republished
throughout the Union. Conceal
ment of deeds of darkness is no
longer possible to any considerable
extent. Their enormitX is seen 10y
the public eye in all it's Nervousness
from Maine to Oregon, and the
crime is left and accepted as com,
mitted not only upon the helpless
victims who are made more immedi-
ately to smart, but against the peo-
pie and the Government by whom
the cOlored race was lifted from the
condition of slaves to that of freed
men, and ultimately to trcemen and
citizens, one of whom, at least, has
already occupied the Speakers chair
in Congress, and conducted the bust
ness Of the House, for the time,
while others of their race have
represented the Government abroad
in official capacity.
The time has come when the lights
of colored citizens must be respect
ed, and those who attempt to tram
pie upon them, be they "White
Leagues" or Satan's own black
leagues, must be made to know that
they cannot longer do so with i'm
punity. There is apparently an i'm
preston abroad among the turbu-
lent spirits of the South that they
are so guarded by State rights that
Federal interference can not reach
them. This is IL delusion inherited
from the past generation.
The President and his Cabinet and
the Congress and people of the Uni
ted States have been disposed to be
and for nine years, since
that memorable scene under the
Appomattox apple tree, the Admin
stra ton and the peoples Represen-
.atives in Congress have labored
and in earnest to unite the
North and the South, and tempt
capital, enterprise, and with them
carry prosperity into the disaffected
Southern sections of the Union, SO
hat the people there might partici-
,ate in the harmony and material
progress Of all other parts of the
But against all these earnest and
continued efforts persistant Oppo-
ition has been manifested by an in
unreconciled, and unrea
enable portion of the white people
n the South. This spirit is now
developing itself more prominently
q acts of tyranny, deliberate muir
Ter, and usurpation.
Forbearance and patience have
heir limits, and in the relations of
he Government to this remnant of
he old secession spirit they have
cached that limit. These crimes
nd acts of violence of every kind I
lust be brought to a close, and the ..
riminals punished, at whatever
)st. The President has spoken, t
nd Congress and the people may i
nd it necessary to speak and act. !:
We must have peace and security :
} life and property throughout the s