The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-08-03
= 80 -. =, Z. :, ~ = : ,,II,

The Hayes organs evidently rely up
on the hope of stirring up sectional
i'm the pending campaign; and any re-
ports of race disturbances, whether
real or fabricated, are eagerly seized
upon,exaggerated,a and misrepresented
create in minds prejudiced by a long
series of atrocious misrepresentation,
feeling Of hatred against the white
population of the South. 1t is time
that these eGerts 10 prevent a thorough
reconciliation between the two sec-
tions of the country should be met as
they deserve, and that the public
should be informed of the actual con-
dition of affairs in the reconstructed
States. Ifthe whole truth were known,
these attempts to revive issues that
were settled by war more than ten
years ago would recoil upon their
authors with crushing severity. i'
1t is fact that the Republicans are
directly responsible for all of the race
disturbances that can possibly be con-
strned as of political origin which
have occurred during the past four
years. In the Africanized States the
negroes have been organized by their
leaders upon the color line in secret
leagues, many of which have been in
the habit of meeting in armed bodies
at midnight to drill, and threaten the
whites. Appeals to the cupidity and
to the worst passions of the ignorant
blacks have been made in these secret
conclaves, while the torch of the in
cendiary has been openly advocated
as an instrument for the advancement
of political ends. Every imaginable
device has been resorted to by the
carpet-baggers and their accomplices
in order to create dissensions between
the races; and the ignorant dupes of
these pestilent demaengues have been
taught to believe that in obeying the
commands of their self-constituted
leaders they were following instruc-
tions issued for their special guidance
by the President of the United States. |
1t has been common practice 10 issue
printed handbiIls, purporting TO be
signed by U. S. Grant, ordering the
negroes of certain localities to vote |
for designated politicians of the low
est order for local offices and the Leg
islature. e o lte
These pernicious teachings have had
their natural effect, and the most |
worthless class of Southern negroes, /
taking to politics and thievery for a
Livelihood, haYe robbed the white tax
payers officially when they got office,
and systematically plundered aud in
suited them in their capacity, as pri-
yatc citizens. The records Of the
courts will bear out the assertion that
of the crimes against
life aud property in the Southern
States within the past five years have
been committed by negroes, a large
of whom have escaped
on account of being tried,
by partisan magistrates before negro
jurics, who belonged to the same se-
cret political league as the prisoners.
1t is not strange that under such
the whites should some-
times retaliate, though even the ut
most provocation cannot justify the
of lynch law. Where
lynch law has been employed against
The negroes in the South, it has not in
l single instance that we can recall
during the past four years, been used
except upon notorious offenders
against the law, or in retaliation for
repeated acts of aggression. We do
not defend the "regulators" in South
Carolina or in any other Southern
State; we condemn them as we do the
acts of similar mObs in Indiana and
elsewhere in the Northern States, tho
hang horse thieves and other maran.
aers, not because they vote the Repub-
ican ticket. but because they are pests
Of society. But we protest against an
isolated act committed by an infuria-
led MOB, like that which recently oc-
Cured i'll Hamburg, S. c., being held
up as an evidence that Republican
voters are prosecuted by Democrats,
when the fact is that the whole white
of South Carolina has been
plundered, trodden upon, and abused
in every conceivable way by the worst
class OF blacks, and still meaaer and
more villaninous white politicians,
ever since the end of the war.
The negro population about Ham
burg is one of the worst in the whole
South. 1t was there that was organ
Zed a few months ago Il plot for a
general rising of the blacks against the
whites in several counties in Georgia,
" hich would have involved wholesale
and Outrages of the most
fearful kind. Fortunately correspond
pnce revealing the details of the con-
spiracy was intercepted, and by the
prompt intervention of Judge John
sou and Gov. Smith of Georgia blood
she'd was prevented. Prince Rivers,
he negro magistrate who figured in
Inc Hamburg disturbance, was one of
he cOnspirators implicated in this
plot. The so-callcd militia company
Of Dock Adams as mob OF negro
rufiians who had become notorious
Tor their outrages, and had been or
lered by the Governor to deliver up
their arms to the State year ago.
They were dcspcradoes who defied