Wilmington journal., 1876-09-01
THE GREATEST OUTRAGE YET
KNOWN.


Peace Virtually Makes a. Whtt
Roy His slave
i 1t Is the province of the JoURNA
3 This morning to bring to light some O
. the facts connected with perhaps tn
deepest insult to the white race O
North Carolina that has yet been of
fered through the teachings and prac
tice of the Radical party. This ont
rage which we shall presently set fortl
ls OF no recent origin. 1t had it's com
, mencement ten years or more ago, ant
it exists in the city of Wilmington to
day.
Previous to the commencement OF
tho late war between the States a nat
urallzed citizen died in Wilmington
leaving behind him widow and two
children. He was native of Wales,
and having crossed the Atlantic sought
a home in North Carolina, and married
a wife near Shalotte in the county OF
Brunswick. In the course of time he
removed to Wilmington and settled
himself near the Southern suburb of
the city in house which he had pur-
chased. There he lived for years in
the quiet enjoyment of a comfortable
home which honest industry had pro-
vided for his happy and contented
little family.
About Ne commencement of hostil-
tiles he sickened and died. The hon
est Welshman died under the sustain
| ing hopo and belief that he had pro-
vided for his wife and children whom
he was leaving behind to fight the bat
tie of life without his aid and protec-
ton, a home which the laws of his
adopted country would protect and
defend to their use.
This Welshman's name was Charles
Ellis.
The years rolled on; the fierce bat
tie ragged from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande, and Charles Ellis lay
sleeping in his grave, whilst his be-
reaved family rested under the roof
which he had provided. Then the
rights of persons and property were
maintained in North Carolina, though
battle, bloody battle was the thought
of every heart and the theme of every
tongue. The elder son, though
scarcely old enough to bear arms, be-
came dissatisfied with his inactivity,
and he too went to the front and was
never again heard of. The widow
and her little son John, two or three
years old, were thus left still more
desolate and dependent.
The war closed, and with it's close
commenced the various steps of recon-
structing the Union. Then, too, COM
menced the perpetration of the outrage |
which it is our purpose to rnI"tn
an outrage which, if we mistake
not, the people of Wilmington
will regard as not only a lasting
and irreparable injury to an individual,
but an injury to tho whole community
and a burning shame to the white |
race.
just after the war Mrs. Ellis suffered
Joseph G. Hill, a negro, now a Justice
of the Peace, to occupy a house on her
lot. This he and his family continued
to do up to Mr.. Ellis death. At her
death Hill took possession of 1.-THE en-
tire premises and also took control
over Mrs. Ellis orphan child, John,
then about three Or four years old.
The house he has continued to occupy
70
has at no time been a possible
way by which he could have
become the owner of it, there |
having been no competent person to |
of the house and the exercise of own
ership over it sinks into utter insig. |
nifcance in comparison with his con-
duct towards the unprotected, helpless
white boy, John Ellis.
Through the decree Of q Radical
Ju1ge Of Probate he obtained the 1e~ |
gal control Of the boy. The statement
is almost incredable, but the truth of
it can lie established beyond all ques-
ton. For eight years and more this
white boy has been the servant
of a black negro, who is a
trespasser in the boys own house.
He has been compelled during the
time to perform services of the most
menial character. He has been re-
uuired to do his masters marketing.
He has been compelled to address Hill
and his wife, as Ms'. and Mrs. Hill. He
has been the nurse of their black
children. He has been bound not
Cnly to do servants work about the
house, but the kitchen work, to wash
| the pots and ovens and to cook. He
has not even been allowed to
take his seat at the same table with
his black master, but was forced to
take his food after Hill and his family
had finished rTot only has This white
boy been compelled to submit to all
this degradation and menial service,
but when he failed to como up to the
requirements made of him, his back
was striped with the lash of his black
master and mistress.
We have been informed that recent
ly, since the boy has attained to some
size, he has been inclined to assert
little independence, and that he is not
so submissive to the treatment to
which he has been accustomed.
1t may be asked why has this thing
existed so long without being made
public.
The answer is the very severest COM