The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-08-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Aug. IA, 1879.

w ASHlNOION, aug Ii, IOi0.
Mr.. EDITOR AS a part answer to
the letter of G. M E. lately published
in the Kenosha Union, desire to state
few facts as to the justice OF the
Confederate Democracy to the cOlored
citizens who work their plantations.
A friend of mine went to one of the
Southern States with q view of engag
ING in business with a southern mer-
chant. After arriving at his destina-
ton he concluded that he would serve
a term as clerk in the store and learn
the manner of doing business before
making any investments. He said it
was the uniform practice to charge q
colored man, working plantation, one
hundred per cent. more for what he
bought than they pretended to ask
white people. They urged all the liq-
uor upon him that it was thought safe
to trust him for; and when under the
influence of liquor, it was not an unu-..
sual thing to pass a one dollar bill to
him for ten dollar bill. The treat
ment of the freedman was such that his
conscience would not allow him to en-
gage in the business, and he gave up
his clerkship and returned to the
North. This is true statement Of
the manner business is conducted by
one of the largest merchants in one of
the principal cities of the South.
In another State in the South a law
yer who WAS present at the trial gave
me the following facts: A planter
who had leased his plantation to a
freedman entered complaint against
the freedman for stealing corn. The
proof showed that the negro plucked
some of the growing corn for food, be-
inc corn which he had planted. AS
soon as the fact was shown that the
corn was on the leased land the Dis
trict Attorney at once said that there
was no cause for action and the judge
instructed the jury to return verdict
Of not guilty, but the prejudices Of the
Confederate Democracy are so great
against the poor negro that the jury
brought in q verdict Of guilty, and UNI
der the abominable system Of Southern
Justice the negro had to remain in jail
several months, for picking his own
corn, before an appeal could be heard
at higher court. In this case facts
are stronger than fiction
Hon. Joseph Il. Rainey, ex-Congress-
man from South Carolina, said to a
New York Tribune Reporter o short
time since:
81 have in my hand letters which
indicate that the whites are now be-
ginning to whip cOlOred children in
their service as they did in the days of
slavery, and my correspondents say
they have no redress in the courts.
The trial justices being Democrats
take no c0gniZance of these things.
| am fearful that forbearance will
cease. l feel as though the colored
people cannot stand this much longer
without being goaded on to some des-
/ perate deed, for their manhood will
one day assert itself. See, here is one
of their intimidating circulars. | re-
ceiyed it from Marlborough County"
The circular is a small slip of coarse,
yellow paper, on which is printed:
Are you Republican? Yes.
Whom do you get your meat from :?
A Democrat.
Who furnishes you home? A
Democrat.
| Do you know how to keep these?
No.
Vote the Democratic ticket and it
will be all right with you.
What IS the remedy for these ills
you speak of, Mr.. Rainey?" was asked.
| I'm my Judgment" was the reply,
the remedy for the ills which now
hang so heavily ever this oppressed
people is to be found in emigration. I
have no fear Of failure in new coun-
try where they will be permitted to
enjoy their rights and other advanta-
ges appertaining to citizenship. I
have heard establishment expressed at
the colored peoples leaving the mild
climate Of the South to go to the rigid
climate of Kansas or elsewhere in the
Northwest. 1t was not thought to be
so injurious when the shareholders