New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-01
THE GEORGIA CHANGING.
HORRORS UNDER THE NEW LEASE.

IrRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNEl
ATLANTA Ga, June 2S.-It has been predicted IN
former letters to The TRIBUNE that the chan-gang
system of Georgia under a twenty-years lease,
would he more destructive 10 life and lhery OF the
colored race than il was under any of the various
leases of tho last ten years. Three months OF the
new lease have not elapsed, yet unmistakable
indications are numerous that that prediction Will
be fulfilled. Ii will be- the purpose Of this letter.
in pointing ont these indications, to show thai IN
general there is drawn between the treatment OF
the white and black races. in the judicial and penal
institutions Of Georgia. line Of distinction which
shows even a visible result by giving to the chalh-
gangs their striking semblance TO droyes OF negro
slaves; then 20 show why the people of Georgia
tolerate such an institution and why there Is al
present little prospect of its adjustment
1t is Of TIE highest Importance to keep in nina
that the negroes are the sufferers by this system OF
oppression; four-ffths of the chain-gaug are COM
posed of that race and negroes arc almost eX-
clusivcly the objects Of the extraordinary ouiIages
About month ago there was sentenced to the
chain-gauQ BY the Hancock County Court white
mantle first since the chain-gang was instituted
One of the county papers eagerly seized TINS oppor-
tunity TO proclaim 10 "chrOnic grunbicIs that
white men do not always escape punishment IN TINS
county, II now becomes significant tact thaJ
even within the last year forty-three criminal
cases not to mention the MANY civil ones, were dis
posed of in this same County Court. If justice
TO both races rcigns in this county tribunal, the
superior morality of the white overthe black race
would seem to be fully demonstrated. But such is
not the complete solution of the enigma; 1t is
absolutely impossible for the ColOred people
10 obtain Justice AT the hands of white jurcs whose
instincts are that the negro is righttuliy their
slave. Pertinent to this subject OF the oppression
of the negro Is mysterious affair that recently Oc-
IL; ga, two his "A
TODD negro was arrested and thrown into jail.
Before trial he was taken out and put
TO work in the county chain-gang; there
he died HIS father reported that. upon dsln-
terring his sons body Immediately after burial he
found his head broken and his body lacerated'
In refutatOn Of this charge of murder, the CHAM
gang overseer published certificate OF the coroner
that he did not hold an INQUEST, ana statement
from the physician Of county couyicts that IN his
opinion the negro died a natural death Before
court the oyerseer was acquitted Of the charge Of
causing this mans death by ltTeatment. LetnO m
inst rprciudced construction be placed upon these
facts: il is always to be presumed that the laws
disposition Of case is just. The only significance
that wish to attribute to this affair is embodied IN
the fact that this negro who before trial was taken
from jail and Illegally put to work IN the county
chaiu-gang and there died, has been proven to nave
been an innocent man. Christian people ought TO
since TINS man was a negro, no notice has been
taken Of this affair, and few people are aware OF ITS
occurrence.
new system Of oppression, which has begun
since thetweuty-yeaTs lease, is the twelye-month
sentence of ne groes the chan-cauc for the viola
ton of contracts 1t is the custom for planters, at
the beginning of the season, TO contract with negro
labOrers to remain with them until after the cotton
pickinc. The man who understands neither reading,
-. L.. ..,ff. s4r. rr,f l4
expected TO realize fully the force Of contract; and
the negroes often, however, on sproyocation,
break their engagements. The precedent Of throw
ing Them into the Chaiu-gang for this offence has
been established, and has met with the support OF
the Georgia press. This punishment is perhaps,
preferable TO beating the offender almost to death,
an instance of which occurred near Atlanta few
DAYS ago; but either mode Of procedure is an out
raceous punishment for the offence. ! will admit
that the planter needs some protection against the
responsibility of some negro labOIcrs but no such
protection as twelve months Imprisonment in the
barbarous institution the chain gang affords.
Though this is called o legal proceeding, no one can
claim that for the negro there is redress against
the planter who breaks the contract and drives
him from the plantation. In this, as in
80 many cases Of his oppression, the negro
seeks in vain for impartial justice before jury Of
men deeply seated in prejudice against his race.
great part Of the negro race must inevitably be
driven back into a state Of slavery.
Such abuses as ! have cited are invited and en-
couraged by the very nature of the tweuty-years
lease 1t provides that the conycts shall be turned
over to three companies of these, only Company
No. is supplied with specified number, 300 long
term ahle-boiicd men. The other two companies
are mere spectators who are supplied with such
conyics be the number great or small as tie courts
turn ont. The fact that the financial success OF
these companies depends upon having their chain
gangs as large in numbers possible, would be an
announcement to an inhumaue lessee 10 supply
himself with convictS by the most dishonorabe
means. Ii the impression of many negroes be true
one, that the lessees and judicial officers are IN
league for the unjust conviction of negro aborers,
q painful responsibility rests upon the Government
that framed this lease. ,
H. now. il is clear from the Instances above that
in the sOcalcd legal processes OF feeding tht cha
gangs the negro j. the object OF ali abuse, IL
can bc also shown that upon the Chain-gaugs the
negroes suffer the most horrible OF the PUNISH
ments. Many of the white cOuvlctS, particularly
the moe respectable ones, are favored WIN com
Portable positions. Nate southern me famous
muTdcTeSs, is to-day servant IN the camp OF one
of the lessees. An Atlanta bank delauier occup!fu
the eminent pOsiiiO OF bOOhkeepeT OF one OF the
IeueteutIary companies Another noted white con-
Vict acted as engineer on railway Tor years a no
torious white murderer on the gang engaged III
constructing the Northeastern Railway. His brother
publicly offered the OYcT>eer SZOOO To Icy nm es-
cape The offer was Indignantly refused. lew
days later the majority of the gang accompanied
by all the blOOdhOunds, was moved mp the
road a few miles, leaving the murderer
and small gang IN charge o. one, guaiu,
That day the murderer escaped. The guard, whose
uueTriug aim had Killed three negroes IN elr at
tempts TO escape, fired but missed INN. Inc con
Wet mounted ms brothers horse and ere The blood
houpd. couId be brought 10 the spot, was twenty
miles away. His attempt at escape was successful.
The chan-gangI Is not only eIolne buI u now ~