The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-19
MISGOVERNMENT.
The New Order of Things Ac-
copied in the South.
THE COLOR LINE DANGEROUS
Maintained by Continual Fed
eral Interference.
MoNrooMERY. May 81, 1875.

BIebS Wl5heu 10 SUBJECT 10 WuAb was Coiou suo
Force and Habeas Corpus bill, and before making
further investigations desire TO lay before you
summary OF my observations which wil hope,
help you form just idea OF the actual cond-
ton OF these Statea-Arkansas, Louisiana, Missis-
sippi ana Alabama.
THE NEW ORDER OF THINGS.
l. There was, in all these States for some years
after the war and up TO the year 1868. or In some
cases 1870, much disorder and condition OF law
lessness toward the blacks-a disposition. great
est in the more distant and obscure regions-to
trample them under foot to deny their equal
rights, and TO injure and kill them on slight or no
provocations. The tremendous change In the
social arrangements or the Southern States re-
CURED time well as laws and force TO be ac-
cepted. The Southern whites had suffered de-
feat which was sore to bear, and on top OF this
they saw their slaves-their most valuable and
cherished property-taken away and made Tree
and their political equals One needs TO go into
the far south TO know what this really meant, and
what deep resentment and irritation 1t inevitably
bred.
At the same time came the attempt OF President
Johnson to rearrange the Southern States In q
manner which the wisest and pest democrats l
have met in the South have declared to me was
rnwise and productive OF disorder. believe Mr.
Johnson meant well and patrlotcally, but my OBJ
error, at least in the time and manner OF assert
ing his policy. He aroused the hopes and desires
OF tae worst class In the Southern States, and
disabled the large number OF moderate and con-
servative citizens who ought to have ruled dur
Ing the reconstruction OF society there, and who,
unfortunately, were pushed aside. The result
was violence and disorder, not general, as
has been charged so Often but still very serious.
ana not to oe endured; ana this lasted until time
and the punishment OF criminals by federal power
under the Enforcement acts brought people 10
their senses. / believe that there war, during
years, necessity for the interference OF the
federal power 10 repress disorders and crimes
which would otherwise have spread and indicted
perhaps rretrievable blows on society ITSELF But,
ter all. am persuaded time was the great and
real healer OF disorders as well as differences. We
OF the North DO not always rememser that even
In the farthest south there were large property
interests important industries, many elements or
civilization winch cannot Dear long continued
disorders; and, moreover, that the men OF the
South are Americans. like ourselves, having,
by nature or long training love OF order
and permanence, ana certain, therefore, TO
reconstitute society upon the new basis pre-
scrloed to them. and TO DO IL by their own efforts,
80 soon as they were made to feel that the new
order OF Things was inevitable. That there were.
in the states have visited no man can deny; but
o grave wrong il done when those days are now
brought up aud those deeds recied TO describe the
South OF to-day.
THE MIsRULK IN THE SOUTH.
2. There has been In all the fo1r states have
seen. since 1858, great misgovernmeut mostly oy
men who called themselves republicans, but who
we're for the greater part adventurers, camp FOL.
lowers, soldiers OF fortune-soms Northern men,
but also many native southerners. This misgov.
eminent has been various. Its most marked or
prominent feature was the unscrupulous greed
and pecuniary corruption OF the rulers ana
their subordinates. who, In q multitude
or cases, notably IN Arkansas and louisiana,
were no better than common robbers. But pub
lie robbery was, after ALL not the worst crime OF
the men who arose In the name or the republican
parry 20 govern these Southern States. The
gravest offence or the State governments was
their total neglect OF the nrst duty OF rulers. TO
MAINTAIN tae peace and execute Justice Tney
did not enforce the laws; they corrupted the Judi.
ciary; they played unscrupulously upon the 10.
noranf fears OF the blacks and upon their new
born cupidity; they used remorselessly the vilest
tools for the vlest purposes; they encouraged dis
or1er, so that they might the more enectually ap.
peal to the federal power and TO the Northern
people for help TO maintaln them In the places
must. however, except here Arksnsas The
reconstructors or that state we're certainly set
or ruthless robbers But they mad among them
few men-notaDly Governor Clayton, tnink-who
held society IN an iron grip, and by main force
produced peace. They put down with stern and
unninchng, and almost cruel, hand, the dtsor.
dcrs when they found; they made laws which are
terrible TO read ana they executed these laws
with vigor which saved society and gave peace
TO the state BY encouraging the orderly people OF
all parties to take public afalrs Into their own
hands, ana by dlScouraging and terrifying tue
Iawless class. Tue result IL that Arkansas Is to-
day the most peaceful state OF the iour have
visited; ana as It has an excellent Governor. who
knows the extreme Importance or preserving
peace and order. the state fairly on the way to
prosperity.
UNHAPPY LOUISIANA
The injury done to a community by the total
failure OF its rulers to maintain order, repress
crime and execute justice IL more seriously felt
in Louisiana than In any other OF the -four States
OF which am speaking. IL IL wonder 10 me
that society has not entirely gone 10 pieces In
thst state; and am persuaded that Its white
population possesses uncommonlT nigh qualities
when see that, In spite OF an incredible mlsgov-
ernment. which encouraged every vice and crime,
which snamelessIy corrupted the vely fountains
ano sources Of justice, anu maue sue Auiehs ~
ror to the peaceaply inclined; In spite OF
this order and peace have been grad.
uAlly restored and are now maintained,
and this by the efforts OF the people alone,
and In spite OF their rulers No thoughtful man
eau see louisiana as 1t Ia to-day without gaming
a nigh respect for its waite people. The state 10
to-day as 1t for seli-governmeut AS Ohio or New
YORK. The atttudo OF the races there toward
eacn other Is essentially kindly, and only the
continuous efforts Of black and white demagogues
or tue basest kind keep them apart politically.
The majority OF tue white people OF the state are
well disposed, anxious for al upright goyern-
mont ready 70 help honest and wise rulers u
they could only get tnem. to maintain peace and
order. l sincerely believe that whenever taeY
are relieved from ederal oppression--and In their
case u IL the worst KlEd Of oppression-they will
set up government essentially honest aud Just,
and will deal fairly ana justly with the oolored