The state journal. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1883-1885, 1884-03-01
GA Plea for Self-Defense.


1t has come to our notice that an
Elk Governor Of Virginla,now mem
Der of the Legislature Of said state,
has recently offered resolution to
have the Government set apart ter
ritory for all those colored people who
want to try the experiment OF self
government. The New York Globe
says ''the suggestion is good one,
let the government proceed to bust
ness" We heartily endorse the ut
tarances Of the Globe, providing its
constructive meaning talIies with
ours. In consequence Of the appall-
ing condition in which the colored
men of the South find their surround
ings, and the damnable and unclvil-
lied treatment to which they have
been subjected prior to and since the
rebellion, and specially on the eve Of
important elections, is such as to
make the blood OF liberty loving peo-
pie, whether white or colored, freeze
or boil at the enormity Of such hide
Gus crimes.
For conscientious political opinions,
righteously declared Or understood,
men and their wives and children have
been shot, hanged Of otherwise mur
dered. Appeal after appeal have
been made to our government and
to high heaven for cessation Of
-.-~I. 4s--.-E ---;.1~.-+ $1,000 n---
government seems powerless to
check this onward march Of terror
and to avoid and defend the shedding
Of innocent blood, there is need Of
reformation, and if in the near future
the movement is not initiated we are
loath to longer see our people thus
made a target for the chivalrous and
hot blooded southeners, who in many
instances are so brave that they 60
by night to the homes Of their vic
Tins and there display their valor?
Our appeals for years having been
unanswered, the only thing left us is
to take the law in our own hands
and thereby thoroughly establish our
liberty and independence. During
the war we were called, and gladly
did we respond, and taking up arms
went to the front, and right manfully
did we battle for the dissolution Of
that accursed system Of slavery.
That our work was effective thous-
ands Of manned and generally used
up rebels, "because Of negro bullets
speak too loudly to be denied. The
southerner knows full we'll the
power Of thorough negro organiza
ton and proper discipline, and since
during all these years the govern
ment has failed to protect its people
from all these terrible outrages Of
which Danville and Copiah are only
typicalillustrations oftheir cussedness.
The only thing left US is to ask the
northern whites to remain neutral,
and if every dark-hued man in this
country will respond voluntarily to
our notion Of righting this matter
there will be no need of the passage
Of the Elk Governors resolutions. We
will try to establish ourselves BY
force and might Gas persuasion has
failed) in the territory which we be-
lieve God in his dispensation Of
places and things intended for the
colored men-we mean the south. If
the colored men of the south and Of
the north unite and, as heretofore
suggested, the whites Of the north
remain quiet, We will either put stop
to this hcllish affair or die in the at
tempt. Time for decisive action i
ripe. We have suffered too much
and too long in silence. The mode
suggested seems the only alternative
left us or we must continue to die
like ours in pen. Therefore, if cur
much oppressed people will only Or
ganize, and unless the whites of the
north interfere, we feel competent
that we can teach the bourbons Of
the south a lesson that they will not
forget SO soon as they seem to
have forgotten the late war. which
was fully FIVE years too short to ex-