Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-09-10
The " Nigger Risin'" in Georgia.

The Georgia "nigger risin'" is ex-
planned In Georgia they levy poll-tax
of one dollar nominally for the support OF
schools. They also decree that no man
shall vote unless he pays his poll-tax.
They also punish illegal voting by i'm
prisonment at hard labor for term OF
years. In 1870 Republican Legislature
abolished the polLtax for the very good
reason that while il was nominally levied
for the support of schools, there were IN
reality no schools to support. But when
the Democrats came into power in 1871
they revived the tax, and decreed that 1t
should be collected for three previous
years with accrued interest. Thus was
instituted poll-taX of four dollars which
people were required to pay before voting.
As many of the negroes were unable or
unwilling to pay this, they were practical
ly disfranchised. Taxes and interest have
accrued against many of these people to
the amount Of $13S1-an amount which
they are unable TO pay. 1t is not denied
that this tax is levied for the sole purpose
of disfranchising the blacks, and il is ad-
mitted that the whites take good care
TO put the full rigor Of the law in operation
which Furnishes Illegal voting by impris-
onment at hard labor for from one To four
years"
The blacks don't like this sort Of thing,
and are anxious to find out why it is so,
and whether there is no help for it. Ac-
cordingly one of their number, who signs
himself "Joseph Morris, General Messen-
GER" issued a call for a convention on the
10th inst, stating its objects to be the
designation OF proper person for Major
General of militia, and inquire why they
should "have TO pay more than one dollar
! poll-tax and no public schools established
| for the elevation of our race aud our chill
dren." This last certainly would seem to
! be proper subject of inquiry. But the
whites chose to regard the calling of a
convention for such purposes as rank
sedition, and they at once got out their
\ shotguns and revolvers and prepared for
! the worst.
Presently there was discovered what
purported to be a savage letter written by
one Harris, "by order Gen. Morris and
from Gen. Rivers commanding the
blacks TO commence killing the whites on
the Goth of August, with axes and pitch
forks and firearms. The genuineness of
this epistle was denied. "Gen Rivers" q
South Carolina General of militia, denied
all knowledge of it, and his denial ap-
pears 10 be accepted by the whites as
l. truthful. But they pretend to believe that
so far as Harris and Morris are concerned
the document is genuine, and that general
massacre Of the whites was really planned
and intended. a4 E. 81 &
Rumors that the woods were full OF
"niggers" on murder bent began TO fill
the air, the white military companies were
ordered under arms, the Governor was ap-
piled to for troops, and arms and ammu-
milton were freely distributed, and every
preparation was made for war. Then be
gan the arrestOf negroes. Acorresponden
of the Times states that the iails in ths
various counties are full TO everfowinl
with negroes arrested upon warrants charg
ing riot and instruction" Ii IS a mos
significant fact that in no case have thes
bloodthirsty rioters and dinsurgents resistet
the execution of legal process All hav
! quietly submitted 10 arrest and are await
ing trial. The inference from this fact |
, plain. The whites of Georgia have bee
indulging in good, old fashioned scare
or else they have been trying to proyid
/. themselves with convenient pretext 10
shooting a few score OF negroes and &c
4 ting rid of the pestilent fellow;
I. who are too inquisitive about their rights
h There appears to be some ground for thi
(. last supposition in the statement {
4 the TINES correspondent that the all Dl
nj understandable high temper and impetuo
a ity of the younger men of the State, almO
all Of whom are embodied in mlitar
companies. are portentous facto
a OF an ever-present danger" This lool
!, as though the sedition'' was on the sic
= = of the whites. The strong probability
\ that the blacks have not thought OF an
: such thing as a massacre, and that. IL the
a have organized at all, it has been for sci
= defense. This suppositionis in accord wit
Il what we all know of the character of Il
q - blacks, and of their conduct before, durir
!, and since Tie war.
Il OF one thing we may feel pretty sur
u If the whites Of Georgia will respect Il
4 rights of the negro, and give him an o
q portunity 70 20 TO school and be cured
=, his dense and pitiable ignorance" tn,
= will be in no great dangerOf violentdea
at his hands. But if they persist In di
franchising him, and taxing HIM for II
n support of schools that do not exist, Il
= possible that they may have trouble, wi
x him some day-Ohicdg0 1inleS, dug, 49,
Is A MAN falls into AN error whsn he fal
out with his wife.