The Red Cloud chief., 1884-04-04
The Southern OutrageS,

The Danvllle and Coplah County In
vestigating Committees. appointed BY
tke United States Senate, continue from
day to day to draw out more and morf
OF the Sickenirg deta;l Is of white men
brUtalities towards the freedmen of Vir.
ginia and Mississippi. The >taicments,
so far received, make upa record dam.
ming to American civilization. 1t IS true.
there is a shade of difference between
the revelations in the two different To-
calities. Concerning the Danville out
break it is possible to say that it was
unprecedented, the result of an acct
dental collision at a time when passions
were infiamed by a heated political
campaign. So it is claimed, at least. by
those who can not deny the terrible
truths of the evidence. but still look
arours for excuses for the perpetrators.
Those who have studied the evidence so
far elir1ted carefully. will perhaps have
come 70 another conclusion. They will
without prejudice. looking merely a.
the facts, say that the Danviile riot
was undoubtedly devised and carried
through after thorough deliberation.
The witnesses who took part in it
aggressively. talk about their fears
for their own lives and the safety OF
their families. but this is talk that
might have been expected. The evil
dence of the SUperinten lent of the Dan
vile cemetery, i white man. bears the
marks of truth. and it shows that the
massacre vas med:tated and that the
negroes were unarmed and not expect
frr - Sla%- w. ,ir,l ,a,~ ,I..~ ,.I-
when they we're running away. One
hundred and fifty shots were fired IN ell
and mot a shot was returned" Nor
did he see q single armed cOlored man.
There can not have been, cOnSel uently,
very much fear on the part of these
white gentlemen. either for themselves
or their families. still there is some
room for doubt and they. like other
criminals. may have the benefit of it.
But no such apology can be made con-
eerning the outrages in Copiah County.
Mississippi. No attempt has eve been
made by the Democrats OF Mississippi
10 deny the truth Of the stories. In fact
the resolutions OF the Copiah Comfy
Democrats. Immediately after the cleo
ton. instead of expressing regret al the
cold-blooded murder Of ex-Sharitf
Matthews, threatened the family and
relatives Of the murdered man with
vengeance, unless they kept OF poll
ties and remained quietly At home.
The testimony before the inveS-
;iyating committee proves that
the stories told after the election
gave a faint idea only of the actual
e..- L. L. .I--l l --
time since brutal outrages were perpe-
rated with such fiendish deliberation
Dv the Democrats of Mississippi on I'M
offending and defenSelesS men. merely
10 keep them away from the polls. The
testimony A. given by the independent
white men and by colored Republicans
can not be ridiculed or lied out of exist
nee. Murder, houSe-burning and whip
ping were the methods deliberately
adopted by the Democrats to keep their
political opponent away from the polls
and no offender has ever been pun
iShed.
The worst feature about all this is the
fact that the white Bourbon OF the
South has not, or seems not to have the
fainte>t Sensibility of the cruel wrongs
which he and his associates are commit
ting.
They look upon these murderous
practices as matters which arise quite
naturally. They are so full of hatred
Republicanism that TO them all
means and weapons, and all measures
are alike welcome. if their Use will still
their thirst for revenge. The following
extract will show the general character
OF the testimony given before the Com
Only one Democratic witness appeared 70
advantage. That was Oliver. agent 10 the
mills AT Wcsson. All he could say WAS that
TIE =" ople OF Copiah were real nice folks. and
As for himself he had never discharged them
FOR voting tie Republican ticke.. Well. We
are not down here investigating how you treat
operatives" suggested Mr.. Cameron,
bu! the witness insisted on adding that be be-
.Ieved that the Democrats are the hest people
IN the South, and the worst in the Moth:
Mr.. salisbury WINGED and Olf.cr
his way. Tue County Clerk. u busting
iunctionary. was put on TO prove that Mat
fhews defaultei when he was Sheriff. the
exact figures. he said were Sl.2O1. He was
10 admit that the county owed Ma
tfewS Nl5O. and when the Court ordered that
paid. Matthews settled his Indebtedness. He
then asked what ne thought of the mob
rule. oh. yes. / knew of the mob and lis
proceedings; il was made up Of some OF the
most worthy citizens. The Democrats of Co
piae are the most patient and conservative
Democrats ! have ever seen i'll Mississippi, or
nywherc else Hare yoI ever seen any
Dthers?" queriej Mr.. Hoar. and The witness
said he had seen them in California and Mas
DO you consiie- the murderer
patient and conServativey' Per
APPS not patient. but a wo-iny man." he an |
wered. II vote,l to make him City Marshal
after he killed Matthews"
1t is this fact that worthy men, kill
innocent people and are then elected to
office by men who certainly think them
selves respectable that the Republican
press calls att "ntion to. when it speaks
IF the troubles in the South. Our DEM
opponents. when these facts are
mentioned. are ready to state that muir
iers and outrages are reported in the
North every day. But where. in the
North or West, are such methods re-
sorted to for political purposes? There
5 no need for argument. The facts
are sufficient. -Burlinqton
.aWkeye.
A COrean is SO nolite that If yOu in