Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-11-21
GETTING TH1aGs "1N SHAPE"

1t is seriously believed that an era
of bulldozing is again to be entered
upon. A negro citizen jostled a white cit
izsn at Danville, Va. He apologized; an
other man rebuked him a pistol was
drawn fight followed, and the result
was the shooting down of five negroes,
riot and the declaration of martial law on
the eve of an election, and the non appear.
ance of the negroes at the polls. OF course
there was some wrong on the negro side,
but it has not appeared that it was of
character to justify the extreme measures
taken. What the negroes subsequently
gathered together for was evidently to
counsel with each other for protection
from what they believed to be men who
intended to blot them out 1t is the most
natural thing in the world for those of an
oppressed race to secretly counsel one with
another. The whole affair grew out of
trivial matter There is no evidence what
ever to show that the negroes intended to
"rise." They are poor, ignorant, fearful,
but not such fools as to dream of "rising"
against the laws which secure to them such
rights as they have. But the matter served
the ends of the politicians, and was made
the most of. 1t is apparent that the Bour
bons are getting things into shape in the
South for the control of the negro vote
next year, and if not the control, then in.
timidation. That Virginia was carried for
them through the fears of the negro is now
no longer questioned.
Take the Copiah case. In Copiah coun-
ty, Mississippi, Mathews negro of more
than usual shrewdness-orga the
negro vote against the Democrats. as he
had right to do. He was killed at the
polls for his success. Then, on the 18th,
the whites assembled at Hazelhurst, and
resolved, among other things:
That it is necessary to the safety of society and
the welfare OF all and classes tSat the Matthews
| family shall keep out of politics in CoPiah county.
That from henc eforth no mau or set of men shall
| organize the negro race against the whites this
county, and if it shall be attempted in the future
hereby give notice that it shall be at the peril Of
the person or persons attempting SO to do.
| That we do hereby pledge ourselves each to the
other, lives and fortunes and sacred honor,
that we will all and Individually from henceforth
hold ourselves in readiness to enforce the foregoing
resolutions.
! That committee be appointed to present a copy
of these resolutions to the brothers and of the
late j. P Matthew'S and that the same be published
in the Copiah Signal and the Crystal Springs Ne
| teor.
The resolutions call for no comment
they speak for themselves.
To supplement these recitals we have by
yesterdays dispatches accounts of barbsr-
tiles in the same section that almost sur.
pass belief 1t is related that an aged man
was whipped with 600 lashes, and another,
aged 60, was shot, all for political faith. We
could wish that it was known that exag-
geration has been INDUCED in in these later
statements, but that political persecution
has commenced there is no question. We
are not at once prepared to charge upon
the national Democratic party that these
acts are the results of its deliberate policy,
but since they are invariably directed
against men who are not Democrats, the
party cannot escape the odium. 1t has
one method left it of vindicating itself
let its leaders officially pursue the men
who have entered upon bulldozing prac-
tees, and by bringing them to punishment
put their seal of condemnation upon the re.
newal of the persecution policy. Failing
to do this they will be held to have acqui-
esced. In the meantime let the negro in
the South take warning. He must not
organize against the political wishes of the
men at the South who claim to represent
the respectable" element it is crime to
do 80. He must not contest in the politi-
cal lists there it means the lash or death.
proposition t settle the railroad tax pro-
posed by Mr.. Raymond in letter recently pub
lished, approves the plan, ard says "This last
proposition is one that possibly the State might
cept. But settlement of the question whether the
st to Board Of Equalization has the right to
railroads in the prescribed by the Constitu
ton SHOULD not be lost sight CT, ard the case now
before the United States Supreme Court should be
pressed to decision as speedily possible"
S
TnE people who have been Assailing General
Crook, and declaring that he the captured party
in the late campaign into Mexico will need to hunt
up onething new against the veteran for the COM
ing in OF soyenty-ane Indians according to promise