The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-12-13


The; ;PRRa1DRkT ON SOUTHERN Our.
RAaEs.--Whfls we have given the Presi-
dent credit for the general spirit Of his
message. and the purposes aimed at in
1t, there can be no doubt that on the
subject OF Southern outrages he speaks
in q somewhat ambiguous tone. He
thinks that there have been wrongs
committed on both whites and blacks.
He speaks of white leaguers aud bands
OF masked and armed men in conneo-
tion with preparations for the late
election. There were decided indica-
tionB, he thinks. on that OCCASION Of q
determination. By acts Of violence and
intimidation, 10 deprive citizens of the
freedom OF the ballot because of their
political opinion. How far the Presi-
dent may be correctly informed on
THE subject @e wil! not undertake to
say, but it would seem that he is not
over confident himself of his facts,
from the apparent tone Of apology in
which he iustifies his interference in
Southern affairs, while at the same
time protesting to regret its necessity.
He confesses that Southern citizens
have suffered'grievous wrongs, and ad-
mits that s'the better part of them"
have "a disposition to be law abiding
and to do no violence either to indi.
viduals or to the laws existing" aud
saya that he s'sympathizes with their
prostrate condition, and would do all
in his power to relieve them, acknow-
lodging that they have had most trying
governmenments TO live under, and
very oppressive ones in the way of
taxation" The late elections indicate
that the American people concur in
this view of the Southern situation,
and emphaticalIy show that they do
not concur with the President in his
belief of outrages to such an extent
upon any class Of voters in the South
as to justify Federal interference.
Among the many instances which
have occurred of the nnreliability of
stories reported by interested South
ern letter-writers for political effect of
outragas upon the blacks, is one men.
toned in late number of the New
York Tribune. a few weeks ago cor
respondent sent thar journal a copy Of
letter he had received from Alabama,
telling story of the murder of an
estimable citizen, Mr.. A. G. West,
who was said to have been shot in tho
most brutal manner because he was n
Yankee. The Tribune says that no
sooner wss the narrative OF his assassi-
nation read at the scene of the sup
posed tragedy, than half score OF wit
nesses hastened to inform it that the
whole story was lie. Among others,
MIR. West himself is very much an
noyed at the reported murder, as he
has not been killed nor hurt in any
way, but still lines, aud is on the best
terms with his neighbors. It is re-
markable feature of Southern outragcs
that their victims, after being s,augh-
tered, frequently como TO life. This
is true of eolored as we'll rs white men.
the former often figuring in political
conventions, and passing resolutions
of thanks to journals which had re-
corded their untimely taking oil. It
is not worth Willie for any one to per-
nit his feelings to be narrowed by
stories Of either white or back MARTYR
dom in the South till the authority Of
the narrative has been thoroughly ex.
amined, and sufficient time has elapsed
to be sure that the dead will not come
to life again. Baltimore Srn.