The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-08-22
AN EX-CONFEDERATE
SPEAKS.
How THE FALSE AND THEASON.
ABLE DEuOCRACY RUN
THINGS IN Ala
HAMA.
Republicans Everywhere Imsimida
sed-Ncgroes Sold into Virtual
slave ry. nnd fsought by
senator John n.
Gordon.

slave ry. nnd Bought by
senator John 10.
Gordon.
To the Inter-Occan.
AausBAMA, Aug. 2, 1876.
INFORMING THE PEOPLE.
The great circulation of your paper
induces me to address you, in order
that the facts communicated may bt
made known TO the people OF the great
West. The people of the North and
West. in supposing that they know
and understand the political situation,
are mistaken. No one can possibly
know the real condition of affairs here,
and the sentiments of the Democratic
party as a mass, without being resi-
dent, aud familiar with the people,
their habits and disposition. The only
Union sentiment to be found in the
South is in the Republican party, COM
posed OF freemen and few white men
who have the moral and physical cour-
age to maintain aud uphold their opin-
ions. and few old Wings, who are ig
norant men, and through prejudice TO
the negro race are Induced to act with
the Democracy,
NOT SEEING THE DANGER INTO WHICH
They Arg BEING LED.
There are many of this latter class
who are at heart Union men. aud may
yet awaken to the true condition OF af-
fairs and return 10 their natural posi-.
tion In politics.
Your best means OF information are
inefficient, and do not seem to be relied
on by the people OF the North as wor-
thy OF credit. That is the statement
OF native Southern Republicans who
have the hardihood and courage TO tell
the small portion OF the real facts that
come under their own observation
While doubtless your special reporters
sent ont South report truly what ap-
pear 10 them as the facts, their reports
bear so little resemblance to the real
picture that to us, who have known
and do know the original from which
IL was taken or intended to be taken,
there is no likeness whatever; and we
would not know except from the fact
that we know the subject, and we also
know how n bogus original has been
palmed off on the reporters. A strik-
ing instance of this is Mr.. Nordhof, of
the New York Tribune or Times.
When Mr.. Nordhoff visited Mont
gomery, Ala, in 1874, he was met by
the leaders OF the Democratic party,
"wIssD AND DINED"
rntil he believed there was no such
thing as n Southern man who would
destroy the Union il he could.
The party into whose hands he fell
were men OF ability, and fully appre-
ciated the position of Nordhoff, and
knew that his letters would be either q
source of injury to them and their
plans, or possibly they might render
him useful. No one word OF hatred
would he hear from them. All would
deplore the late war, and were now full
ly content TO abide the results thereof.
When IL Mr.. N. could have had an eye
behind the scenes he possibly might
have felt himself in anything but a
safe place, though pleasant for the
time.
To send special reportay South aud
allow the Democrats to know-t u SIM
ply n godsend for them, as they use
him as the means OF spreading "yiews"
of their own throughout the North,
through q source that to many is re-
liable. II any paper desires to know
the true condition OF the South, let
them send n man here, unknown, hail
ing from Southern State, and let him
fall into the lines OF the Democratic
party. II will be but little while I'M
til their plans and purposes are fully
known to him. III Northern reporter
is to find out the facts this is the only
means by which he can do il.
AS COMPLETE REIGN OF TERROR EXISTS
in this State (Alabama) now as ever ex-
isted anywhere. The negroes are
afraid to express themselves as q mass.
The courts being all now in the hands
OF the Democracy, are made the en-
gines of oppression, more powerful
and frightful than ever were the Ku-
klux.
/ state these to be facts, and they are
susceptible Of proof to a demonstra-
tion. Negroes are indicted for the
smallest offenses. brought before the
courts, and convicted by Democratic
iuries, aided by the judges, who pros
ecute from the bench; and without any
evidence, the heaviest penalties are inn
posed on them. They are then hired
out at from So to 80 month 10 pay the
fine and costs.
have witnessed the trials Of both
negroes and white. and the evidence
upon which negro would be convict
ed and sent TO the penitentiary for a
long term OF years. The jury would
not retire from the box to iud ver-
dict Of mot guilty" where q white man
would be the defendant.
In Lee county, this State, IL a negro
man aud his wife fall ont and quarrel
they are at once arrested, often with
out anyone complaining, tried before
the County Court, composed OF the
Probate Judge, and, without more evi-
dence than that Of quarreling on their
own places, or in their own house, they
are convicted, heavy penalty placed
on them, and then they are hired on;
to Senator John B. Gordon, OF Geor.
gia, who has plantation mp in Clay
county (many miles from their homes),
whittier they arc sent TO work out the
fino and costs at about 80 or 81 pei
month. While engaged in working
out these terms they are shackled,
whipped, and otherwise maltreated.
Some few months since, in talking Ia
a prominent Democratic merchant "a
man OF wealth and infiuence), he re
marked to me the Republican party
can never vote the negroes any more
and that only an inconsiderable portion
Of them would vote at all. / asked
the question "Why?" He says: 'Damr
them; they will be afraid TO. We hav,
the power in our own hands now, anC
we intend to hang and put enough o
them in the penitentiary to scare tn,
balance of from ever voting any more.
Since that time j am fully convince,
what the merchant said To me was thei
plans, and they are being carried ou
as rapidly as possible.
This state OF facts is every day plain
ly exhibited 20 the negro ali over th,
country, and many of them will no,
scarcely mention politics where the,
can be heard. Another noticeable fac
is, that every prominent pegro is in
dicted for some crime, and The indict
ment Is held up over him in terrorsm
Democrats will tell him: "You ha,
better be quiet now, II you don't wan
this case TO 60 hard with you."