The bee., 1883-11-24
UNPLEASANT PREDICAMENT OF
COL. GEO. w. WILLIAMS.

1t will be remembered that we
sometime ago stated our reasons
for believing that "The History of
the Negro by Col. Geo. W. Will
liams was not as authentic as it
should he. At that time, Lit.
Howard l.. Smith, of Boston, in
his paper, the Boston Leader, took
exceptions to our assertion and
challenged us to find any incon-
sistencies in the work. The chal-
lenge was promptly accepted by
us, but owing to the pressure of
more vital matters on the col
umns of both the Leader and the
BEE, the discussion temporarily
ceased. Since that time Col. Will
liams has located in Boston and
the following letter TO the historian
from Lieut.. Smith, Of which
$4,000 copies were published in the
late compaign in Massachusetts,
proves that Col. Williams has
placed himself in Il position from
which he is unable to be eXtricat-
ed:
To the Editor of the Boston DAILY GLOBE:
Colonel George w. Williams. the colored
historian, who is actively engaged i'll stump
ing, the State in the interest of Congressman
Robinson, and endeavoring to convince the
colored Republicans and Independents, that
Governor Butler is not and never has been the
friend of the negro. should remember the fol-
lowing few facts which 1 quote from the
History of the Negro of which Colonel viii
liams is the author:
Hundreds of loyal negroes, upon the orders
of general officers, were turned away from the
Union lines, while those who had gotten on
the inside were driven forth TO the cruel ven
geance of rebel masters. Who could solve
the problem? Major-Gencral Benjamin +.
Butler banished the politician and became
the loyal patriotic soldier. In the month of
May, 1861, during the time General Butler
commanded the Union forces at Fortress
Monroe, three slaves made good their escape
into his lines. They stated that they were
owned by Colonel Mallory of the confederate
forces in the front. Having heard this state
ment General Butler, viewing the matter
from purely military standpoint exclaimed,
These men are eontrabands of war; set them
10 work. Here was u solution of the whole
problem; here was blow delivered at the
back bone of the rebellion. He claimed no
right to act as politician, but acting as
loyal hearted, clear-headed soldier he coined Il
word and hurled q shaft at the enemy that
struck him in part as vulnerable rs the heel
of Achilles.
''The position taken by General Butler on
the question of receiving into the Federal
lines, the slaves OF persons who were i'll re-
bellion against the National government, and
who are liable to be used in service against
the government by their owners, had its due
influence in Washington
General Butler on the 2lth of August, 1862,
appealed to the free colored men of New Or
leans 10 ilIIilS III defence the mon.
AS in the war of 1912, they responded to the
call with enthusiasm, and in just two weeks
1000 negroes We're organized into regiment
All the men and line officers were cclored; the
staff officers were white. Another regiment
was raised and of1lcercd without regard to
nationality"
When these quotations are placed side by
side with other facts of General Buffers prac-
field and in the councils of the nation, does
not Colonel Williams conscience reprove
him when he attempts to place the present
governor of this State in a false position be-
fore the colored people? One of two things is
true. Governor Butler has been friend to
the negro as "Williams History" shows Cas
well as other cases prove) and Colonel Will
liams, as historian, speaks truthfully, or
else Governor Butler has never been the
friend of the negro, and the statements above
quoted from the colonel's work, are inten-
tionally falsely written by him. The former
is true, ard it is evident that Williams the
stump orator, has changed from Williams the
historian. Colored citizens of this state know
Governor Butler rs well as Colonel Williams
does and he will be unsuccessful in his at
tempt to mislead them. This year they will
vote for Governor Butler and scratch Oliver
Ames from principle.
Yours Respectfully,
HOWARD l.. SMITH,