National Republican., 1882-08-24
THE cHooTAw HANGING.
An Alabama CoIorcd Man on the Tn"
namors Outrage.

To the Editor OF THE REPuDLIcAN;
Seeing in the papers of the 22d instant tele-
gram from Mobile, Ala, dated August 81, In which
II is stated that in Choctaw County In that State
bundle Of papers was found on Tuesday the
18th, disclosing n well organized plot by the
negroes to kill the entire white population OF the
county, naming as ringlcaders Jack Turner, +. d.
Barney, Jesse Wilson, Peter Hill willis Lyman,
Aaron Scott, and Range West, all of whom were
arrested and imprisoned, and that IL was decided
by nn almost unanimous vote OF 700, l5O OF whom
were negroes present on the occasion, that Jack
Turner wus turbulent fellow and firebrand OF
the community, and that the public demanded
his death, upon which decision the said Jack
Turner wus hung, please allow me sufficient
srace in the columns of your paper to express my
opinion OF the transaction and the cause which
induced It, In the first place do not believe that
the
NEGROES IN THE COUNTY OF cHoCTAw,
or any other county in the State OF Alabama, or
any other State. SO yindIctive or foolish as TO
enter into any such plot as the one named in the
dispatch, TO Kill off the white people. Ont con-
trary, believe the story to have been put in cir
culation by the mob as an extenuation in the eyes
OF the public Of the crime of the deep damna-
lion OF the taking off" of Jack Turner VINO doubt
less was All active Republican at the recent elec-
lion i'll that State, aud rs such was looked upon
rs g n dangerous character, turbulent fellow,
and hrebrund in the community for when lie
Fus ndjudgcd deserving of DEATH, The public
manner In which he was murdered had FOR It's
object the intimidation of other dangerous CHAR
Nclers i'll the community, who might nave the
COURAGE TO OPPOSE THE BouRBoSs
In the congressional elections to take place this
iall IN the Statetf Alabama. and TO disgust the
Independent whites i'll that State with their col
Ored allies, aud to force them 10 abandon the ln-
dependent party and to act. as heretofore, with
the regular Democracy. The time has passed
when negroes had sufficient INCENTIVE to XIII on
communities of white people There was a time
when they could have destroyed nearly the entire
white, population of the South with impunity had
they desired TO have done 80. That time was dur.
ing the rebellion, when all of the able. bodied
white men were away IRON their homes fighting
to rtvet the chains of slavery more firmly upon
their bondmen, having left behind them, in the
care of these "dangerou' fellows" their aged
fathers, moihers, wives, and little ones.
DID THESE DANGEROUS FELLOWS"
in a single instance betray the trust reposed in
them during those trying days TO the South? No,
a thousand times no! On tue contrary, these
" dangerous fellows" labored faithfully ON the
farms for the support of their masters at the front
aud the maintenance of their helpless families at
home, caring for the latter with all afieciionate
fidelity unparalleled in the history Of any people
freedom before them. ask, now that we are free,
what is our reward for our fidelity TO our former
masters during the darkest period of their history.
The answer to this question is not very creulaple
to the white people OF the South.
FREED BY THE rowER OF THE UNITED STATES,
the best efforts of our late masters have been
brought into requisition to prevent our enjoyment
of the fruits of freedom. Laws enacted granting
us the ballot for protection are nullihed Tor the
purpose of keeping us by local enactments in a
condition as a6Ject slavery itself In proof of
this, look at the penal laws of most OF the
Southern states enacted by the Democratic legis-
latures since their usurpalion of power in those
States. These laws are disgrace to the age and
country in which we live.
AS cAPsToNE TO THIS suPERsTRUcrURE
of infamy they now upon trumped up pretexts
hang us up without meicy, and proclaim to the
word that we ure dangerous, turbulent fellows,
tirebrands in the Community" and therefore
nothing but our removal by death can calm the
fears OF the public. Against all such outrageous
proceedings as stated 10 have occurred in Choctaw
County, as a colored man | most emphatcaliy
protest, aud will continue to do so as often as
they may happen, and rs long as / can use my
tongue or am able to put pen to paper.
WM. V. TURNER
Since writing the above learn that there will
be a meeting Of the leading Colored Republicans
of Alabama residing in this city at 1910 l. street
northwest, on Saturday evening next at o'clock,
for the purpose Of taking action upon the Choctaw
outrage w. v. II.