The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-07-20
THE BLOODY SHIRT.
NOW IT ORIGINATED AND HOW TIE
PLAN WAS CARRIED ON
lt Has Been Run Into the Ground ana
Lost Its Prestige.
fCinclnnati Commercial.l

/.
[Cincinnati Commercial.j
Every soldier sent into the South about
election time in November will gain one
or more votes for the Democratic party
The Radical party North evidently does
not think. but the respectable white
Republicans South do. In 1870 there
was State election in North Carolina.
VIM. w. Holden, who had been chosen
Governor on the Grant ticket by the
negroes and carpet-baggers. and small
minority OF Union men, by 10000 major
ity In 1868, knowing full well that his
election was due to the fact that a large
portion OF the Democracy were. dis
franchised, and thousands would not
vote, saw that the chances were against
Radical success In the State; so, failing
to get all the blue-coats he desired,
called out the militia organized
under his Jurisdiction, and placed
an outlaw and noted guerrilla, named
appointed as his Major an escaped con-
vict from New Jersey named Bergen,
and. furnished with free transportation,
these two officials, with their band OF
cut-throat militia-for the army they
commanded was composed chiefly or
men without character and almost with
out a name-went into the western part
OF North Carolina with the avowed pur-
pose OF intimidating, by arrest or other
wise, the Democratic voters OF that sec
ton. There had teen outrages commit
ted by the Union Leagues-co
J Of the negroes-and few hot-headed
young men had organized for self-pro-
lection, and had at times retaliated by
driving some scoundrel from the State,
and by lashing some person who was
obnoxious to the people. few muir
ders had been committed, but to this
day the murderers have never been
found, notwithstanding the whole ma
chinery Of the United States Govern
ment has been used to detect them, A
belief now exists that these murders
were not at all to be attributed to the
kuklux--as the organization was called
but might as justly be laid at the
doors Of the Republicans in the South
ern States, many Of whom, especially
among the blacks, think 1t would make
political capital for them to put out of
the way occasionally, or tlog, a fellow
member At any rate-because OF
the sending Of Holden's militia and
United States troops to different coun-
ties In the State-the white people be-
came indignant, and justly rebelled
against the despotism OF their Governor
and voted the Democratic ticket; the
result being that the North Carolina
Democracy overcame the Radical ma
jority Of 10000 Of 1868 by Democratic
majority Of 1000 in 1870.
Holden, finding himself outwitted
and his party defeated, was turned out
Of Office In disgrace by impeachment
and went to Washington, where, aided
by few Northern carpet-bag and scala
wag Republican Senators led by Sena-
tor Morton, organized what was known
"a the Outrage Committee Several
hundred thousand dollars, probably,
were spent in paying witnesses and for
the printing and binding OF many vol
umes Of testimony. Only one side OF
the story was told, and many Of the
witnesses summoned were WITHOUT char
acter at home, but their stories were
spread broadcast through the land, and
used In the canvass Of 1872 in the North
with great effect.
vice of the peaceably disposed white
citizens OF the South, the kuklux dis
banded SO soon as the negro Union
Leagues dissolved, and though Mr..
Morton has tried to make political cap
ital out Of every little occurrenc that
has disturbed the peace or harmony Of
any village or county in the South, he
has failed most signally. Many Of the
"outrages" that have occurred in the
Southern States, had they occurred in
Ohio, New York, or elsewhere in the
Union States: would have been scarcely
noticed. Had the white populace of the
South hung q negro for committing a
crime as revolving as the one which
shocked the quiet town Of Now Rich
mond only ten days ago we would have
heard Morton laundering in the Senate,
and calling upon the President to at
once send troops down to protect the
negroes. Many o person in the South,
white or black, who has died a mysteri-
GUS death, was either slain by his own
people or by a quiet, determined Vigil
ance COMMITTEES. as punishment for
some atrocious crime. The Southern
people have fiery tempers, but as rule
they are peaceable. law-abiding citizens.
They have far more respect and venera
ton for the Constitution and the laws
than the Radical majority in Congress.
They are honest people and brave peo-
pie and a slandered people. They loved
the Union once, and they love it to-day,
and would take up arms for its preser-
walton to. morrow as soon as would any
Northern or Eastern man. But their
former slaves have, in many instances
since the war, been made their masters
Ia one sense Of the word-and the
Southerners will not be trampled upon.
Mr.. Senator Morton is trying his best
to exaggerate some occurrences that
have occurred in the South OF late, and
to utilize their political effect. Had
these same occurrences taken place in |
New York or in Cincinnati they would |
have been reported as matters Of news |
and then forgotten. Twichell, of Lou
isiana, was shot bya desperate. His |
assassin was white man and stran-
ger to the people in the neighborhood.
Morton wants the country to believe
that politics was at the bottom Of it. 1t
|is sheer nonsense. Had Morton been
nominated for the Presidency every dis
kurbance or occurrence in the South,
ho matter how trifiing, would be dished
6p for the campaign, and made to ap-
|pear as il it had something to do with
! second rebellion. Charles Sumner
had his hobby. 1t was the negro. But
IA was honest. Morton has his hobby.
Il is the bloody shirt. But he is dem
{rorue. a slanderer, and even worse.