The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-07-24
SOUTHERN MISRULE.

The letters of Charles NordhoiI from the
south, now being published in the New York
Herdld, are attracting wide attention, and are
really the best ever written on the subject
We give a few extracts from his letter of July
9TH, dated at Montgomery, Ala. 1t is to be
understood that Mr.. NOrdhoff is an ardent
Republican and has hitherto been a firm sup
porter of the administration
am anxious to make clear two things -
| That the color line is a constant peril in the
states in which it is maintained, and that II
| is kept up now only by the intervention of
federal power under the enforcement act
| While the black vote is massed against the
white, there is a continual irritation between
the races; and this mainly because the white
man, who Is the property owner, sees the black,
who seldom owns real estate, used by few
designing whites, to levy taxes, to make laws,
to carry On the government, regardless OF the
wishes and rights of the great body of intel.
| ligent and substantial citizens. | know many
counties IN which the colored men pay in all
less than one thousand dollars of the annual
taxes and yet are in so great majority that
their notes, qmassed by INSCRIPTIONS dema-
gogues of both colors, constantly waste and
misapply the taxes of the county. | have
! given several cases of this kind in previous
letters. inevitably in such cases there must
arise Il feeling of hostility by the whites to-
ward the blacks, and It is an evidence of the
good nature of the mass of whites that in the
man they conduct themselves towards the
blacks kindly and justly. They concentrate
their dislike upon the men who have misled
and now misuse the black vote, and this
cannot call unjust. 1t is commonly said,
The negroes are not 10 blame; they do not
know any better On the other hand, as the
feeling is intense il is often Understanding,
and includes the just with the unjust among
The Republicans. Hence what is called "os-
! lracism,' which will last Just as long as the
color line Is maintained and as long rs Re.
! publiCans maintain themselves in power by
the help OF the black vote. That this feeling
/ OF dislike and suspicion toward Northern
men often goes 10 an unjust and unreasonable
extent Is very true, and it is not easy for q
Northern man To hear with patience stories
l showing lis manifestations. There are scat.
/ tered over the states | have visited "A large
nunber OF highly honorable and cultivated
| Northern families who have lived there for
years. Where, as is oftenest the case, these
are republicans they are 10 a Ian &c extent iso-
lated bOcialy, and this is not pleasant for them.
But they very seldom complain, and not a
/ rev nave loIu NE mat they die not wonder
that republicans should be held in dIsfayor
IN these states, considering how badly corrupt
Republican leaders have acted in the South.
My belief is that wherever that color line is
broken and parties have time to reform this
will disappear, at least among the cultivated
people
!. Considering the system Of intimidation
by republican leaders under which the blacks
have suffered, and their belief tina; the demo.
Gratis would injure them, believe il 20 be
absolutely necessary TO the final political set.
tlemeRt of any southern state have seen that
IL shall have for at least one term a Demo.
cratic state government In this way alone
can the colorcd people be relieved Of the fears
which have been impressed upon them. In
Arkansas this condition has been reached,
and when l was In that state, In March. the
lcolor line was substantially broken. The ne.
groes seeing that the Democratic victory
brought them neither wrong por outrage, had
J settled down TO wosk, aud many Of their lead