The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-05-31
SOUTHERN CIVILIZATION"

We regret to see the slanderous article
in the June number Of Scribner'S Monthly
reproduced in that most excellent Grange
journal, the Pennsylvania Farmers
Friend. The following article from the
Democrat of this city, one of the ahlest
and most pectable journals in the South,
will, we think, convince our contemporary
of the talsity of the ,Scribner allegations.
If affairs are in such bad condition down
here and the negroes treated so cruelty,
why is it that hundreds of these who went
to ''the happy land of Kansas" are return
ing to their old homes in this State? A
; number that went from this county have
returned, and have gone back to work in
the cotton fields more contentedly than
ever. Their accounts of the ''happy land''
have pretty effectually cooled the emigra-
| ton fever in this section, and this we re-
gret. We would be glad to see at least
| two thirds of the negroes in this State go
| to Kansas or some other Northern State,
and their places filled by white farmers
and mechanics to help build up our sec
| ton and develop its resources.
The truth is, Bro. Thomas, all these re-
ports about murders, and murderers walk
ing our streets unmolested, and of cruel
| treatment ofthe negroes,are put out by such
corrupt politicians as old Zach. Chandler
and by the Money Power to keep the pas
sions of the people of the North infamed,
so that they may be blinded to their true
interests The farmers and toiling masses
of all sections ought to be united for finan-
cial reforms, and would be if they were
not kept apart by the politicians and the
Money Power. Against such corrupt and
dangerous elements, the members of our
Order ought to be united as one man.
The Democrat says:
We make some extracts from an article
with the above caption in the June number
of ,Scri6uer's Monthly, from the pen of the
Editor. 1t is written apparently in a spi-
rit of fairness and kindness, it Stimulates
the tone of compassionate and friendly re-
bul1e but this only adds to the force of
| the poison its falsehoods instil. One feels,
on reading it second time, as if he were
| listening to the soft purring of the velvet
! footed tiger, or gazing on a bright ht-colored
! serpent coiled in a bed of roses; he thinks
| of Joab, who asked his rival, cart thou in
! health, my brother? ?"-took him by the
| beard to kiss him, and stabbed him to the
| heart.
Here are the extracts:
"NIurder after murder is perpetrated in high
life with the coolest blood and nobody is arrested
| for it and nothing is done about it,
| Murder is committed, and the murderer shakes
| his bloody hands at the law everywhere, and
walks the streets with entire freedom and ippu-
| nty. Human life is accounted of no sacredness
| whatever, and law and the executors of law
held in perfect contempt"
The bitterest, most outspoken, and most
vindictive enemy of the South never made
an accusation against her people more
| false and slanderous. When and where
has murder been committed, the perpe-
! traitor of which was not arrested and tried,
| if he was known and had not fled? When
and where did Southern grand jury fail
to find an indictment against party guilty
of manslaughter? 1t is true, that juries
| too often acquit where they should con-
vict, or convict of manslaughter when
they should convict of murder, and that
the pardoning power has been greatly
abused But the charge that man, be
he high or low, can commit a murder in
the South without arrest and prosecution,
is false. The great ma jority of the South
ern people grieve that homicides are so
prevalent in their midst, just as large
majority of the Northern people grieve
that they are SO frequent in their section.
Society in both sections is at fault, and
all true men should labor for a reforma-
ton; but it can serve no good purpose to
bring false accusations like those above
against the people of either section
We pass by what Scribuer says of the
emigration of the negroes to Kansas in
which the Editor finds additional evidence
of our lawlessness, cruelty, and rapacity
Had we found this article in a rabid
political Journal l we should not IL have been
,Scri6ner.