Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-15

S5,000,000. When it is considered
that the negroes of Georgia have made
this start within the past seven years,
and that they had to purchase the inn
implements to work with and supplies
on credit at gamblers prices, what
may not be expected of their showing
at the end of the next ten years? They
have their churches, Masonic lodges
and any number of benevolent socie-
ties. The latter are composed of both
sexes, and when they, with their clean
white aprons and badges appear upon
the street they attract attention. They
are fond of making a display and are
extravagant in this respect. We also
have in the State several colored mill
tary and fire companies in Atlanta,
four of the former are splendidly
uniformed, the gift mostly of the white
citizens. Their fine guns were fur
nished by the State.
Before entering upon matters in the
everyday life of this race as seen by
me, | will try, in part, to correct what
| grant may have appeared strange as
to their political rights and the large
dropping off of the colored vote since
the five years succeeding the war.
This seeming dark cloud has caused
vast amount of food for a certain class
of Northern political speakers and
writers.
Ii has been assumed that all this
people would have voted a Republi-
can ticket if they could and dared.
AS well might it be said of all white
men in the North. For a time, |
grant, they believed nothing of a po-
litical nature save it was told them by
white Republicans f; but it is not SO
now. They learned these practical
lessons-that the pomp and display
inside and outside of loyal leagues
meant Office and power to worthless
men and no good to them.
Our elective franchise laws rs / see
their operation are made to fall equal
ly upon both races. Three years ago
all male citizens in Georgia were re-
quired TO pay their poll and other
taxes before they could use this priv
ilege. Its justice has been questioned,
but Il glance will show that the deln-
quent white taxpayer is at least as FIVE
to one of the blacks. People South
see the advantage they now hold in
this colored citizenship, and they will
not lose the large increased Congres-
sional representation it gives them.
They also believe in an intelligent use
of the ballot, and thus favor the edu-
eating of the colored children. The
intimidation of colored men ut the
polls is only in the imagination and
the preaching of interested politicians.
We have read of how they have been
shot, deliberately murdered and other
wise outrageously maltreated.
Yes, | know you have. admit
there are some barbarians in the
South, some drunkards and some
thoughtless, reckless men, as well as
in your State, the world over. | late
ly picked up a newspaper and counted
five murders, three burglaries and 9TH
er Grimes committed in this good State
of New York, and a few days after
wards called and examined the ex-
changes of n certain newspaper. /
found no savage comments as TO the
barbarous, terrible condition of your
society, but nearly all of the papers
examined ragged and waxed wild over
the condition of things in the South,
of the poor blacks, thus magnifying
and turning the unfortunate private
fights, murders and acts of desperadoes
here and there in that section into n
general lawlessness, propensity to
bloodshed, and insisting that there is a
lack of proper administration of the
laws. | pronounce unqualifedly such
a general arraignment of the Southern
people as undeserved and ungenerous.
Tt evinces to me want of magnanim.
ity not in accordance with my notions
of the intelligence and candor of
! Northern men and women.
This altered relationship between
the whites and negroes has resulted
in material advancement to both, as is
conclusively shown by the fact that in
the great Southern staple of cotton
there has been raised during the last
ten years largely more bales than dur
ing the ten years just preceding the
war. / think I am right in giving the
number in excess to be IL ,342, 900
bales, which at the present prices
would be worth 1867 100000. The
increase of grains, the grasses and
fruits has been equally as great. At
the same time both races are more in
dependent, while in business point OF
view both feel dependent, and stand
ready as a whole to do right, to work
for the interests of each other.
grant that when this people large
ly forsook their old masters for time
after the closing Of the war the unex-