The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-12
THE NEGRO in MISSISSIPPI.
AN INTELfIGEN VTEW ny 4 ron
HER SLATbIfOLD ER.
How the People ut the North have been Mis-
led on the Qucstton Of the Knccr-W hat
the southern rCupie ASA Irut Picture.

the southern People ASA True Picture.
BOLIVAR COUNTY. Miss, Sept. G.-The
character Of the white ard colored peouie Of
! the South Ia, am afraid, but little Understood
| by our Northern fellow citizens During the
war and for some time after. the white peOple
| were re resented IN the halls of Congress, upon
tie stump, In vigorous editorials. by un- crupu-
| lous letter writer's, and IN the pictorial papers,
"a ot ING almost to a man worse than the worst
| type Of The border rufiIu, going with long. I'M
kcmi hair, and Weighted down wi'h revovers
and bowie knives as always thirstitg for blood,
and e. pecially for the blood of the poor negro.
1t is TO wonder, then, that thousands OF good
men In the North should have hesitated about
restoring us To our full rights aud privileges IN
I the Union.
| Lately the tone Of the Republican speakers
/ and press has somewhat changed. IL Is now adj
mitted that there are many good and true men
among us, hut 1t is said that these are greatly In
! the minority. and ia 1.-THE rufiian class still CON
tfol and direct the policy OF the Democratic
party and the policy OF the Southern States
toward the negro. The very reverse OF this Is
true We have in the South among the white
people In proportion to the population, as few
bad men as can be found In any country now
ruled by the Auglo-Saxon race. That these few
bad men possess no power or influence in the
Democratic party In this State Il evident from
me character Of the men sent hy that party at
the last election to Congress Prom the veteran
! Singleton to the incompatible Iamar thev are
the peers OF bnv delegation from any state.
Nhat l. true OF this state Is true OF all the other
| southern states, 80 Tar as | rave been ahle to
| judge oi the character Of their repre- entatives
/ IRON their pubic conduct and utterances. do
some OF them, guaded by tnunis thrown at
/ them an IT their people. have sometimes re
/ toiied ~ lsnguage which was at lie ST impru-
dent. But what | uaint ain "a that they will
compare tv"rsblv with n equal hunter Of
Jmeu b'is from the most refined and inteliigcnt
rorti rs 81 the North. ~ gentlemen. phtriots
| ana statesmen. II is 10y the men We ~ nd t. Con-
g'tss Hhu elect To Office la the Southern states.
/ wherever We have the power. thar the mite
/ peuplr. the democrats Of the South. wish t. ne
/ idved. snu not hV the false c-tinonv Of isno-
/ r.ni nretoes and uuprinct, led carpet ba ggcrs.
ite character of the negro population at the
} Soutu has been, believe. still less understood
~ Tue N"ilh ana Indeed u Il dim ulf. II not
4 iinnossioir, for any man. unless he haas lived for
yeas smo tn'n, to fuliy understand tneir
+ character. In the Ntr Tine Southern negro II.
depic td H~ an luuU cent, hGrfnl, So 4 eAtlt per
+ secuted, Hnd nI ch auused creature. witn al the
/ instincts and virtues of tho lanuring eli - OF
7 wuite men IA itt North aud IN Europe nut with
perhaps not quite 50 much education aud
knywiedge ~ business-in utner words, u white
/ u,an with black skin.
Nothing eau he further from the truth The
| southern negro Il not, and never VIII De- like
the while man. But he L. now. and must ever
remain, 10y tue supreme will q the Northern
states. ciiizrn of the United states. vested
Win Nil the I-Hts ard privileges Of the once IA
/ wore q class. Including the sacred privilege Of
the balio', and for 50 long we have u free
cured to rim. hetncr tins ~ a wise thing to
do even foF the negro. II - now too late to / TX
alout. u Is TACT Scconp i-hed. tuinR done
| and we q the South. II we desired a change
know toll well that negro suffrage Is now as
| hxed and permanent as the laws Of the Modes
and lcrsians. which, once promulgated could
never tie changed. But We desire no cnance;
we have now sot used 10 II. and all We now ask
| Ia that We may lie permitted to enjoy the rights
guaranteed % whites ana blacks alike under
the .ws aud Constitution Of the United states.
nave u" prejudice aDd no dislike to the
gro. was born siAvebO older, and continued
one uniii the elise OF the war, and think l
| know tn negro character well. / am far from
| desiring 80 DO the ce injustice. have most
| kindly ieeline Tor them, ana no negro wnom |
| ever owned passes meets me without n re-
| spectiul and affection lie rreetlnr. But know
| thelr fauits And their virtues. their iaults-I
| eradicaied. lbeir virtues are negative rather
| u an positive A. race. chastity Is almost I'M
| known among them. and truth II seldom re-
garded. Infamous crimes with their punish
ment rather exalt the sufferer into hero than
DEGRADE bin IN the estimation Of his peope,
ahd thtN seem to De almost destitute u that
| sentiinrnt "nicn o. c-llvd erltitude.
- ca others soitoNs ana misfortunes,
outside 81 perhaps their tumeuiute .uilirs,
| thsy seem To- Ne lo c 10 anu 10 svI pathN. 4
/ year OF Two afu a. unfortunate negro sun red
! Va tils ntt tao cNfr ne ptn4ltN Il tue law
| Tor tie c,ine u murder. thousands attended
nj tA'cuN"n. singh, tn sq4-u-. ga hor-, back.
| ana 100 Wax - utu' women. anu children froiu
! "'i p4r. ~ Tho county hurried TO tuc place AZ
| hoIhled' ; uoete-, with ter tauncrs and
| . ules' ma iu thr lnstilns music OF dtum and
| NE, marched IA To FOURTH 81 july barbecue
he present cul1red senator. the Hon. Is. +.
/ q.
] march as soon as De W. infuiiued Of it. wnica
Mas L" t. however. til II had mar' heu nca ~
| 10 We ~ e. 81 execution, ana had rICNened
with ei.rIrt every white man VITO vituessed
lhe hThhtous pataae. hcantime. the poor
| VIZ. 20 WI" "hs To- tuner, Wild with terror 81
| excited tie symraities ~ sou.e nun aus White
men ana they determined to postpoue nis exc
cuIvt lnr awhile ~ 10 SO. aud cheat tie bio IL
| tLifst{ crs~d Of tucir uronised pleasure by an
ap. cal 10 tAe supreme lurl. Solie colored jus
tees OF tne le,ce were appealed to, 10 90 and
smd"Nlt' Out IN vain, and The negro rabble had
| tneir coveted enjoyment few Qays after
| ward An Orisr came from tue scaawag Judge
| error 10 tao supreme Cunt do NOT saw lie
was uuJusily convicted and punished hut |
CIV, The iacts IS they occurred. 10 enable those
VINO Wish to Do SO 10 form just estimate OF tEe
greatly fear from what daily see that the
mkt generation VIII not be much improvements
upon tins resent hey Will nave more Iutel-
whether tneN VIII not Id to tie wees % this
eenvia.ion tue Nico u iiiencss. The present
.en'iAtnn are III tne main industrious; they
are roiiie aud on good terms usually wi n he
whites, and ready 10 take their nc vice about
eNrIStuI"E eAcept polNcs. great change,
however, Ii como over them IN this roRpcct,
ana many are now ready u 20 with their old
lf'en1s .he "hlte peotle. aud many mtrs would
DO 30 II Il were not for q sNsteIn Of tc-f,risn
wn'cl 20 held over then by tne influence Of the
ctrpe'-bagger through the lad uen Of taeir
own face.
In wat have ssid about the faults Of tho
negro character l do not wish to DO understood
a. severc,, censuung them. | have described
their chaThc,er. believe, truly: but when We
take into courideratiOn their former condition
as slaves, thelf sudden fre. dom. and Is attend
ant Hgnts and trINllapes. the persistent fort
when has been continually made since the war
ny TIE cdrret-uAs element 10 ulnd EN- to that
class hl hunuung ANA cOUn.yiu- at thtir vices
ana ~ Fostering hat9 inu dlatruat OF the white
isotIe, Tue only wonder Is thdt we have not
uors 10 coup 40 o. Nor do / wish to ue uu-
ueistcod is cha clu| upun every man and
woman 81 tue race e wees before mentioned,
Tor ~ uouut there are sO4Ie cL.~te men and
women, aud foue who aye honest and pr tCf,n:
but DO believe TINT tho picture which |
nave RlYen Of tn race - ~. pveruravn, ana
Soy tdal IL - We OF tHe hOutn wa Will have 10
WORK out tne problem OF negfO freedom md
suffrage, aud the Moth mast trust us to do ~,
fairy, kindly, aud intelligeutif, Nith IA due re-
spec. 10 the rghta u tUtn racrs. Unless tlis 10
done there never can De- rond poveTnment aud
consequent prosperity IN the SOuth.
Pho PATRIA.