Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-03-31
Letter from Georgia.
Townsville, Ga, March II, Is;

Letter from Georgia.
TOWNSVILLE, Ga, March H. 1877.
Mr.. EDITOR 1t was my pur
pose in my third letter to speak o
the country and people, in Il Genei
al way, but recent development.
have caused " desire to speak 0
current topics. | have been almost
silent, and to say the least, reserv
ed in my political views, but in &C
cordancc with a score of letters from
the Green Mountain and Granite
States, ask space to reply.
Firstly. l rejoice with thousands
of my fellow countrymen, Nortl
and South in the late achievements
of the Republican party. Those o.
my Democratic friends have beer
so sanguine as to state that the un
dersigned "would return a good
Democrat" will like "Sam.'s Bogus
Reform Elector No. 1885," find out
when it is too late, that disappOint
ment is theirs to cherish. The con.
stitutionality of the recent cam.
paign, we will leave to be agitated
by professional politicians. 1t is
evident, to one who has made but a
short stop in the South, that a large
per cent. of the bulldozing and in
timidating literature palmed off on
the North, is ground out by party
organs for strictly partisan pur-
pose. What was true sixteen years
ago asregards the whites and blacks,
is essentially true today. That the
colored people here have made no adj
vancement since emancipation, is
false; still their condition is not en-
viohs. If they are lazy and ildo.
lent, without public spirit, they do
the whites great credit, as their
teachers. 1t was my good fortune
to be at the Court House and wit.
ness two elections, one county the
other city. The negro enjoyed every
privilege extended to the white man.
No firearms, no blood shed; the
negro walked up to the ballot.box
and deposited his vote with an ease
and grace which might be envied
by an average dry goods clerk.
Whether this same state of peace
and freedom holds true in Louisiana
and other Southern States, is a
question, which has its doubts.
When the news reached us that
Tilden was surely elected, and that
by the Oregon vote, II grand cele-
bration was in order. The Mitchell
House was beautifully illuminated,
the streets all ablaze with bon-tires.
hundreds of citizens listened with
up turned faces. to speech making,
by X-CongresSman Seward aud 9th
ers, from the Mitchell House veran-
da, the booming of anvil could be
heard till the night was far spent.
When the tables began to turn faces
assumed a serious aspect. AT last
it was announced that a fraudulent
President would perambnlate thro'
the White House for the next four
years, then came the negroes turn
for a hurrah. No Mitchell House
illumination, or eX.Congressmen
speech making for them. Yet they
made the night hideous and sent up
shout after shout; they had their
bon-tires and anvilading. Had they
been aware of the fact they might
have sent North and got large
quantity of powder, at reduced
rate. No white man interfered with
their grand melee. Several tele
grams were received during the day,
stating that the oath of Office had
been administered to Sammy. These
dispatches proved without founda-
ton; what they were manufactured
for. we leave the public to draw their
own Inference. A few negroes are
Democrats for policy's sake, but the
majority are bold in sustaining the
party that gave them their freedom.
The condition of the colored man,
as compared with ante bellum times,
in many cases is not favorable. The
condition in which freedom found
them was by no means tiattering.
Physically they were up to the stand
ard morally and mentally far be.
low, with no idea of self government,
withIa limited knowledge of any.
thing except what would be requir.
ed of them as slaves and servants.
No person can look upon their deg
relation without rejecting discred-
it upon themselves. The negroes
have their schools and churches
throughout the South, and are strug-
Cling through the darkest and thick
est clouds of opposition to elevate
and educate themselves. The chain
gangs are composed almost entirely
of negroes for minor offences they
are sentenced to the public works
instead of confinement in the coun-
ty Jail; they are we'll fed, and as
far as our observation will allow an
opinion, are kindly treated. The
law is dealt impartially, without dis
tinction to color or politics. We
have well grounded doubts about
other Southern States being equal
to Georgia in all these respects.
The notion, that a Republican can
not express his views in the South
without danger to himself, is false.
One can enjoy the same freedom of
speech in Georgia as in Vermont,
but a Republican is not highly es-
teemed for being such.
Before peace and prosperity can
reign triumphant, the North and
South must cultivate feeling of
Praying for the well
being of our country during this
present administration, l am yours
IN deep dyed Black Republication,
DIR. PHILO.