New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-18
THE CAUSES OF SOUTHERN RIOTS.

THE CAUSES OF SUI lliEhN hlDlS'
[rRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TnE fRibUSE'l
WASHINGTON, July 1.-THE Hamburg, = G.,
riot which has gwen in the House to one OF the most
excited political debates Of the session one OF those
unfortunate occurrences which too frequent IN the
South, and which Jesuit from causes which no military
interference To undo stand Just what These
causes and judge Of such events, when they occur
intcscutly and imparay requires not only that they
be studied IN an bipartisan spirit, which is rarely dis
played on the floors OF Congress but also with an mil
mate knowledge Of all the circumstances surrounding
each occurrence and thorough understanding Z" tho
Southern people the preiudiccs from which the present
generation. least VIII never be able To free ii-ef ana
the actual relations which exist between tie white pco
pie and the negroes.
The difficulty Of obtaining authentic reports OF any
thing which occurs the South especially at distance
from the principal cities can hardly be Appreciated IN
the North Tho country, even IN the Cotton Bcii, Is
sparsely populated when compared with the rich agi
cultural districts Of the North and West News OF what
occurs the rural sections instead ~ being collected rl
professional reporters whose business j. 10 follow W
rumOrs aud Ind the truth which they sometimes hide
and almost always disOt or eNagsc.ate, passes orally
from one 20 another gathering goes until, when
at last finds It's way into print Is as little Ike the truth
the famous report about she three black crows. In
the present instance, assume that tie facts rs they
have been reported substantially correct Hamburg
is on the opposite side OF the river from Augusta, aud
more accessible that city than Brooklyn Is To Now
York because the two places connected by bridge
and the reports in The augusta Chronic'e and Sentinel
which have read very carefully, and nom which the
press accounts generally been made up scem 10 INC
70 bear the impress OF truth.
But If 1t difficult obtain correct reports Of any
trouble that mag occur IN the South between the white
people the negroes il is impossible for one who has
not carefully studied the Southern character and the
feelings Of tyo toward each other to do either
Justice on occasions Ike the present without claiming
a.. ed of "A
long residence in the south give II possible that
may contribute something 10 assist those who are
bewdered By the accusations and rccrminaton OF the
politicians 10 understand why nots occur and negroes
are murdered when no political excitement prevails
CONSTANT DREAD OF a RISING.
In the first place society the Cotton Belt, where the
negroes outnumber the white population, is permcated
by constant dread Of negro instruction. This Is
chiefly relic o. slavery, but il has been kept alive
during all these years since emancipation by many
causes some Of which viii one Of the principal
Of these is the knowledge 1t tie negroes have been PO
lticay under the control Of most desperate set OF
carpet-bag adycnurcTs who have, for the accomplish
ment Of their ends, filed the heads Of the negroes
with all sorts of dangerous nonsense about their rights
They have 9gaZcd the freedmen into secret societies
have told them that all the property held by the white
people by right belongs 10 the whose labor ere
ated it, and that II his "rghts" accorded
him every man would have his 40 acres Of
dcnsely ignorant and superstitOus, and the white
people knowing that they have been taught such
lutOnary ideas these and knowing too that on many
plantations the negroes Outnumber the abebOdcd white
people fifty 10 one have constant underlined dread that
outbreak occur and that they may be murdered
before help arrive For these every secret
meeting Of the IS looked upon with suspicion.
The sound Of drum at OF them sufficient to start
runor that the negroes drilling at night" and
the organization OF negro military company makes the
feeling OF insecurity still greater The fact that
negroes have risen" does seem to dspel this
dread. As long they cannot have complete control
over them and know just where they are at night and
what they DONG the feeling Of insecurity VIII
tuue.
The truth Of what have said forcibly illustrated
by the excitement caused IN Middle Georgia, last sum
Iner by the reported "lnsurroctiou" there An anony
letter picked up in the road threw the whole State
into conmoton and alarm, and for time, caused the
people o the North suppose that the "war Of races"
had actually begun. The militia was called out town
converted into cgmp; one hundred negroes were
arrested special term OF the court was held and the
supposed rngleadcrs tried II turned out that no
insuuection was contemplated; that the mysterious
companies Of negroes had arms, and that the white
people had been ia no danger whatever Yet the citizens
Of Middle Georgia greatly frightened, and doubt
would be again under similar circumstances.
The natural CutcfoWth Of this dread OF instruction
Of which have spoken is strong feeling OF hostility to
all negro organizations, especially those of
military character Southern men in whose honesty aud
ruthuIness have great confidence have told that the
rise of the KuKlUX due TO the organization OF the
negroes into secret Union Leagues Whether this
not know OF many where trouble arising between
the whites aud the blacks be traced directly to the
existence OF Union Leagues and companies VI the Cons
tutonal Union Guard, the organization which Post
master Ednunds Of this city attempted to introduce in
all OF the Southern States after was found necessary to
break up the Leagues
TIE RACE FEELING.
second of such unfortunate occurrences as that
at Hamburg week ago the feeling which believe to
be universal in the South that negro IN spite OF laws
and constitutions 1. not quite good white man.