New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-05
PERSECUTION oFBLAcx REPUBLIcANs


A TALK WITH PROFESSOR RICHARD 7. GREENER or
HOWARD UNIVERSITY ON HE CONDITION or
THE SOUTH.
Professor Richard T. Greener, a colored
graduate Oh Harvard, professor III the South Caro-
lima University at Columbia until that institution was
closed by the Hampton Legislature III 1877 He Is now
Dean Of the Law Department III Howard University at
Washington. ana has Decn addressing New-fork ana
PennsJ lyauia Republican meetings recently. lie has
given TRIBUNE reporter some account of the persecu
ton of bis people at the South.
MATTERS apparently quiet now,' he said, " be-
cause Acknowledgement OF the blacks has been
already accom- pshed wei their complete sulJec
ton TO the Eighty Thousand coored voters have
only representatives in the Legislature and do
not dare 20 to polls when there any opposition.
All the electoral machinery In Democratic hands, aud
as there Is absolutely check on them, they return
whatever msjofics may be necessary. They diminish
the below the necessary number. and give
the white line the first chance to VOTE most of the
cOorcd getting tteir votes in before the polls
are closed The blacks are cheated In regstratin IN.
man who knows himself Jack Jones is told that
John is the proper name TO register and wDen he pre-
SCENTS himself TO vote as Jack he is turned away
without opportunity TO explain
THE negroes constantly being sent to prison for
trivial Offences and his disfranchlses them BY the
thousands Ia Mississippi contracts made In every
county for the labor OF convicts and those in prison
charged with baable offences. II OF the latter
fuses work he kept In Jail with allowance Of six
OF bacon and pound OF bread per day Ii lie
ia convicted he has not only to work ont
his hut also the time consumed I'm awaiting
trial Should he be sick in this period, he has 10 make
up The time lost at the rate of two days for one 1t
thus made very simple matter To secure mis- labor III
definitely AT % cents IA day. paid to tue county"
How is II with those who furnish not even a slight
excuse for imprisonment ~
"They are persecuted about badly. II they hire
land to cultivate they compelled 10 pay say 80
An acre rent or more than the selling value. ana To
sgn contracts wholly the interest of the lessor whO
upon claim of dissatisfaction with the lessee ls EN-
onwerei 10 take forcb nossesson of the land retain
ing ali the crops stock and improvements. They must
buy all their supplies at the plantation store aud are
the original bills Corn meal - per BUSH bheon
20 cents per pound. worth eents tobacco 20 cents
Cents -four. 5is cents per pound, worth less than
cents and other things IN proportion. Tney are EN-,
crops il taken 10 secure the bill One man who had
raised profitable crop found IL all offset and large
balance for standing against him at the
store and left the place IN disgust for 81 Louis Five
who had agreed To work on shares with their
landlord found their supplies suddenly wlndrawh
the crop well ADVANCED and they had to sur
render everything. When they began TO ask about 90
West, talking seditiOn
and stirring NJ trouble And while tue Southern Demo
Gratis enjoy the ruis of Tie coored labor implicitly
scripts OF their former slave property In the expectation
their hands"
= How do the colored feel about ths-do they
No; ney would prefer to stay II they could be as
surcd Of justice IN bus relations. Ihey
might forego political rights; hat after en-
joy citizenship Tor ten years. they will not remain
where they can hsvc protection for life aud no as
surance OF liberty They begin 10 feel ~ II The Norm
mad lost interest them, sentiment which the Demo-
crats scdulousy foster saving the North neither wishes
nor dares To protect them VT Notwithstanding t0ls,
have received within week letters IRON Inherent
parts OF south Carolina, saying that the Dacks are So
cre preparing heir political rights. and VIII
d. 50 II proper protection can he afforded them De
ieye II such Blaine, Evarts, ConklinR. Mat
| thews, Logan, Hawley, aud Others who nave been
speaking In the North. would boldly go down South ana
IeclprOcate the efforts southern Keuhcanr nave mhue
III the North, that least ten Ia nitrcn tOpgrcsSon1l
Districts could De carried In 1850. south CAROLYN,
would Republican State ticket In the Held aud
appreciablc support To offer the RcpuDlcah caLu-
| date for President. whoever ne might De-.
| who DO yOu think will bc the candidate T. .
lie might be Grant. II Southern preferences should
prevail. would prefer civilian candidate, nut " your
Northern Independents going Ia develop any such
influence 10 impair the strength ~ the Repu"can
vote they Will force them 10 take Grant, ana put the
strength INTO the head Of the ticket
But do not the Democrats control the eOlorcd voters
now a.
"Not in politics. when they free to choose. They
I'll work for ma-sa, but can't trust YOU WI
Iny rlcts4 cN-PTesldenf Muulsey, OF la", thnhs
the Southern Republicans might make an independent
stand ana succeed without protection But u must be
remembered that the whites all organ zcd, armed
and accustomed shoot and prevail while the blacks
uuaImcd. not allowed 10 organize, anu habituty
submissive. and the white Republicans are IN very
small numbers I'm Omparisun with TIE black In 1870
however. the blacks were ready TO oppose violence
with violence and would have done 70 except Tor the
kilograms from prominent men at the North advising
against IL, and promising protection"
"Can these Instances Of persecution you mention be
verified g.
AS secretary OF The Emigration Aid Society. formed
10 open new fields Of labor To the blacks. have the
original affidavit IN every case and can prove them an