Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-09-09
The Niger 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 ne 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 a Republican Legislature
abolished the polltax for the very good
reason that, while it 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 it
should be collected for three previous
years with accrued interest. Thus was
instituted a polltax 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 DISTINGUISHED. Taxes and interest have
accrued against many of these people to
the amount of $13.S1--an amount which
they are unable to pay. 1t is not denied
that this tax is levied for the sole purpose
of DISTINGUISHING the blacks, and il is adj
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-
cordin = one Of their number, who signs
himself Joseph Morris, General Messen-
ger,' issued call for convention on the
10th inst, stating its objects 10 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 and our chill.
dren.' This last certainly would seem to
be a proper subject of inquiry. But tho
convention for such purposes as rank
sedition, and they at once got out their
shotgun 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 tho
blacks to commence killing the whites on
the Goth OF August, with axes and pitch
forks and firearms The genuineness of
this epistlc was denied. "Gen Rivers a
South Carolina General of militia, denied
all knowledge of it, and his denial ap-
pears to be accepted by the whites as
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.
Rumors that the woods were full of
ringers" 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 arrest of negroes. A correspondent
of the Times states that I" the jails in the
various counties are full to overlooking
with negroes arrested upon warrants charg-
ing riot and instruction tlsa most
significant fact that in no case have these
hloodthirsty rioters and insurgents resisted
the execution of legal process. All have
quietly submitted to arrest and are await
ing trial. The inference from this fact is
plain. The whites of Georgia have been
indulging in a good, old fashioned scare,
or else they have been trying to provide
themselves with convenient prctext for
shooting few score Of negroes and get
ting rid of the pestilent fellows,
who are too inquisitive about their rights
There appears to be some ground for this
last supposition in the statement of
the Times correspondent that "the all but
understandable high temper and impetuos-
ity of the younger men of the State, almost
ali of whom are embodied in military
companies, are portentous factors
of an ever present danger" This looks
as though the scdition" was on the side
of the whites The strong probability is
that the blacks have not thought of any
such thing as a massacre, and that, if they
have organized at all, it has been for self
defense. This supposition is in accord with
what we all know Of the character of the
blacks, and of their conduct before, during
and since the war.
Of one thing we may feel pretty sure:
If the whites Of Georgia will respect the
rights Of the negro, and give him an OPP
portunity to go TO school and be cured of
his dense and ptiable ignorance" they
will be in no great danger Of violent death
at his hands. But if they persist in dis
franchising him, and taxing hun for the
support of schools that do not exist, it is
possible that they may have trouble with
him some day.-Chicago Times, dug. 26.
,Nttyxlao IN