Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-18
From the Chicago Tribune.
TIE NEGRO HORGOBLLN.

patches from Vicksburg. containing the
details of the struggle between the ex-
Rebel whites and the loyal blacks for the
possession of the county offices, cannot
fail to be struck with the fact that the
blacks are the only sufferers, If any one
is punished, it is negro. If any one is
driven from home, it is negro. If any
one is killed, it is negro; and if any one
is to blame, of course it is a negro. This
fact, however, does not tally with the 9TH
er facts which are regularly sent from
Democratic sources. The negroes having
no opportunity to send their version OF the
story, the North has to form its opinion
from the version Of the other side, and, as
the version of the other side does not hang
together, but is fnll OF the most glazing
absurdities and Inconsistencies, it becomes
a very difficult matter to form correct
or intelligent opinion, or, in fact, to form
any opinion, except that the Democratic
story is tissue of lies invented by cut
throats, and diffused over the country for
the purposes of deception.
In the North, the natural character OF
the negro is peaceful. The average col
ored man, notwithstanding his ignorance
and low condition of life, is fully as we'll
behaved and law abiding as the white man.
In these respects he compares quite favor
ably with the whites Of all nationalities.
In the South, however. we are told that
the negro is law-breaking, ierocious,
blood-thirsty demon a sworn enemy OF
society; pillager Of property an incen-
diary, and natural murderer. We are
told that he takes this bent without any
objective cause, and, consequently, that
no community is safe where the negro ell
ement exists in any considerable degree.
As the result of this dreadful condition OF
society we are informed one day that great
masses of negroes have armed themselves
and are marching in solid phalanx against
some city or town, with the purpose OF
massacring all the citizens and burning
their homes. The next day comes the in
telligence that this fearful force is dis
persed, and sixty, eighty, or hundred
negroes are slaughtered. No white men,
however, arc killed or hurt. One day we
are told that the negroes outnumber the
whites five or ten to one, and that breech-
loading guns of the longest range and
deadliest capacity have been distributed
among them, with plenty of ammunition,
and we naturally expect to learn the next
day that there has been wholesale
butchery of whites, but somehow or other
the "defenseless whites manage to
slaughter fifty or sixty more armed ne
groes. No white man killed or wounded
in the terrible battle. One day we are
told that the negroes who are marching
on Vicksburg or some other Southern city
are of the most ferocious character and
prodigious numbers; that they are impal-
ing infants upon pitchforks, ravishing
women, and are within an hours march
of the devoted city which is doomed to
the fire and sword. The next days tele-
graph brings the intelligence that seventy
more negroes are slaughtered. and not a
white man is hurt. In yesterdays dis
patches we were informed that the black
women were arming themselves with the
view OF butchering the white women.
This, Of course. is very dreadful intelli-
gence, but isn't this intelligence getting q
little too dreadful ? If the black men are
going to murder all the white men, and
the black women all the white women,
who knows but that the black pickaninnies
may break loose some day, and, armine
themselves with carving-knives, sirup-bot.
ties. safety-pins. and feather-bolsters, de-
liberately proceed to cut, maui, stick,
slash. and suffocate all the white babies
in their neighborhoods
Now if the blacks are as powerful and
ferocious as the Southern Democrats con-
tinually represent them to be, how is it
that they do no damage? If they are so
well armed, SO much more numerous, SO
well organized. and so bloodthirsty in
their disposition, how is it that they kill
nobodyP If the whites are so feeble and
defenseless, how is it that they succeed in
killing off large number of these fero-
cious creatures every day with no harm to
themselves? How is it that white men
do not get killed, that women and chill
dren are not injured, that houses and cot
ton gins are not burned with such a
swarming multitude of "black demons"
let loose
Isn't it about time, therefore, to stop
this kind of dastardly falsehood and to
state the real version OF the Southern
troubles? In the case OF the Vicksburg
contest. Would it not be Just as well to tell
the truth, that the Democrats Of Vicks.
burg, owing to an informality in the Sher-
IFS bond. took advantage Of il to drive
out all the Republican county officers by
force and violence, instead of availine
themselves of the plain legal remedy,
and. when the negroes opposed this nro