National Republican., 1881-11-22
The Alleged Negro Outrage.

Democratic contemporary achieves
an almost phenomenally successful APP
Proclamation to the truth in asserting that
the murder of white Democrats by black
Republicans should be condemned as
severely as the murder Of black Republic
cans by white Democrats. Other things
being equal the guilt would be the same
in either case. The color or political faith
OF the homicide or his victim does not
qualify the act. And if it shall appear that
colored Republicans in Mississippi made
an unprovoked assault upon white Demo-
Gratis on election day, and, as is alleged.
killed u number Of them, neither this
journal nor any other Republican paper
win have anything to offer in defense of
the criminals.
But il is well-recognized rule of evil
dence that when very unusual and
highly improbable thing is asserted,
thing altogether out of the common order
of events, the proof in support of il must
he in proportion TO its improbability We
are justified, for instance, in believing
report that a negro has been killed by
Mississippi Democrat on much less evil
dence than would be required to establish
the killing of Democrat by a negro, for
the plain, unanswerablc reason that
Democrats have been killing negroes in
that State for years, while political MUIR
der by blacks has been almost if not al
together, unknown. The best authorities
in logic and evidence support this line of
argument The word Of one man would
suffice to establish the slaughter of n
flock Of sheep by pack of hounds, but
the oaths of hundred men wonld
-----vviy convince an intelligent jury that
flock of sheep had slain pack of
hounds.
Throughout the war numberless blacks
took care of the families and worked the
farms of their masters in the absence of
all the able-bodied white men. They
knew as we'll as their masters that their
enfranchisement depended on the success
of the Union arms. But so submissive
had they been made by generations of
slavery that not a single instance was
ever reported of any failure of the blacks
in obedience and kindness toward the
helpless women and children confided to
their protection. The gentleness and
dociity of lambs and fidelity un-
paralleled in history marked the deport-
ment of the Southern blacks then, nor
has there been any radical change in
their demeanor since that time.
The history of the two races in Missis-
sippi since the blacks were enfranchised
il but long succession Of crimes against
the colored men. 1t is a story of outrage
and murder that has no counterpart III
any Christian land. "The world knows
it by heart" History and tradition will
hand it down to posterity, and successive
generations will shudder at the recital
In communities where the blacks out
number the whites two to one the latter
have reduced the former to abject political
submission. The State.was redeemed
from Republican control by murder and
other manifestations of brute force. The
entire Democratic party Of the United
States was SO far brought into sympathy
with this diabolism that neither the
Democratic press nor the statesmen O.
that faith could be induced to utter
word of condemnation or warning. Ever
in the Senate SO distinguished states
man as Judge Thurman was accustomed
To refer TO nassacres of black men by hi
Southern brethren, not as murders, no
even as crimes, but us "homicides no
justified by law"
After all these long years of peaceful
submission 10 brutal violence and per
sistent robbery of their rights, i
is asserted that the blacks hay,
suddenly changed places with th
whites that peaceful white Demo
Gratis have been set upon and sho
in cold blood at a polling-place by gan
of negro assassins. There may be re
mote possibility that the story is true
and, if so, we hope the guilty will b
promptly tried, convicted, and executed
Not even the long years of cruel oppres
sion through which they have passeC
not even the blood of their murdere
brethren crying from the ground for Ven
geance on their slayers, not all the name
less horrors of their wretched state i
years gone by should be held to justif
the deed alleged 20 have been committed
But before we can believe the charg
We shall have 10 see more cOnvincin
proof than has yet appeared, and it wi
be in order for Democrats to explain til
threats made in Democratic papersof dir
calamities thatwould fall on such negroe
az might dare TO go to the polls TO vot
on election day. Sheep may have kills
butcher. but let us have the proofs.