Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-10-18


ulation, should have ruled their fellow
citizens with despotic severity. They
controlled the fashions of their neigh
bors, dictated to the counties or parishes
and States, and were even arrogant to
the United States of America in Con-
gress assembled.
Looking back on the condition OF
facts in 1861 we are simply amazed that
such things could be. well remember
when the merit of an army officer was
measured in the inverse ratio Ofthe dis
tance of his birthplace from Fairfax
Courthouse, and when Lieutenant Brax-
ton Bragg, In 1910, at Governors Island,
New York Harbor, under orders for the
Florida War, asked leave to go by land,
instead of by sailing vessel, to visit en-
route and at his own expense his old,
sick father, promised his written appli-
cation thus: 81 was not lucky enough
to be born In Virginia, but l was born
In county of North Carolina bordering
on Virginia therefore l ask leave
to proceed by land to Florida" &c. OF
course, he got prompt orders to embark
at once with the first batch OF recruits
by sea to st. Augustine. Again, on
another occasion at Fort Moultrie, 5. c..
in 1845, the officers gave Fourth-of-
July banquet to the citizens, among them
one Stewart, of the Charleston Mercury,
the impersonation of the fire-eating Sc
cession class. With him the United
States of America was the sovereign
State of South Carolina, into which con-
federation he grudgingly admitted Vir-
ginia, with qualifications. Responding
to his toast, he spoke most disreSpectfully
of North Carolina, and described it as a
"strip of land lying between two States"
viz, Carolina and Virginia. Bragg,who
was present, was bound to resent this
indignity to his native State-high words
and a challenge passed-pistols for two,
coffee for one the next morning
John F. Reynolds and I, from remote
and obscure regions like Pennsylvania
and Ohio, were chosen peacemakers, ,and
succeeded in getting Stewart to admit
that North Carolina was State in the
Union, claiming to be Carolina, though
not comparable with South Carolina. At
all events we postponed the battle, In
truth, at that period Q845) old Black
burn Madeira and Scotch whisky were
more plentiful at Charleston than now,
and will account for the silly quarrels
and pretensions of that day. l think l
knew Bragg as well as any living man,
appreciated his good qualities, and had
charity for his weaknesses. His heart
was never In the rebel cause. He was
of Scotch descent, was austere, severe,
stern, of great integrity, and had he fol-
lowed the example Of his best friend,
George b. Thomas, might have trans
mitted an honorable name to posterity.
But must return to the negro race.
They still form one-tenth of our aggre-
gate population. They were once slaves,
but are now free; not only free, but en-
titled by the constitution and law to all
the privileges of American citizenship.
They are kindly domestic and inoffen-
sive, and since the world began, no high
er virtue was ever exercised than by
these lowly people, who toiled in the
fields to raise corn and food for the rebel
armies in Virginia and Georgia, whom
they knew to be employed to perpetuate
their own bondage. Every Southern gen
tleman who has spark of knighthood
left In his nature should take off his hat
to the old bondsman who staid at home
to care for his mistress and the young
ladies while he was himself away fight
ing to destroy his own Government, and
to strengthen the fetters which bound
his slave to the master. That bondsman
is now free, and by the constitution and
laws of his land is entitled to vote as
though he were born a free white man;
but we all knew then, as we know now,
that constitutions and laws are idle
winds. People are governed by usages,
customs, and not by laws.
The negro is not permitted to vote if
the vote disturbs the Judgment of the
white majority; and if it changes the
verdict of their former masters, it is not
counted.
What Is the use of shutting our eyes
to a well-known-fact? We did so from
1850 to 1860, and have paid the penalty.
The next war may be avoided by reason
and common sense, and if can help to
avert it l will feel more honored than in
past victories or triumphs. l say to the
South, Let the negro vote, and count his
vote honestly. 1t will not disturb, but,
on the contrary, will hasten, your pros
perity and stability as people. There
is no use of talking to me about" bloody
shirts have seen enough of them;
yea, coats and overcoats ensanguined by
the hearts blood of the best men who
ever lived. begged and implored my
friends In Louisiana, in 1861, not to
arouse the enmity of the sleeping lion of
the North. Ever since the beginning of
time Southern people have been quick to
anger but not enduring. The Northern
people, per contra, are slow to anger, but,
once aroused, are not easy to allay. The
Northern people will not long permit the
negro vote to be suppressed, and yet be
counted In the political game against
them. Better meet the question honest
ly. Ask the abrogation of Article IA of
the amendments to the constitution of
the United States, or allow the negro to
vote, and count his vote. Otherwise, so
sure as there is God in heaven, you will
have another war, more cruel than the
last, when the torch and dagger will
take the place of the muskets of we'll
ordered battalions. The negro is gain
ing In experience and intelligence every
day, and he has read Byron; Hereditary
bondsmen, know We not, who would be
free, themselves must strike the blow9"
Should the negro strike that blow, in
seeming justice, there will be millions to
assist them. Were to-day a citizen of
Louisiana, as WINS in 1861, 1 would far
prefer "Old Shady" as voter than any
of the Bohemians who reach Castle Gar
den by thousands every day of the year.
l know my Southern friends will answer
Why not leave us alone? "We are now
all agreed-we are solid" So they were
in 1861, when tithe of their number,
united by self-interest, made the whole
mass to sacrifice their lives and wealth
for the alleged protection of the slave
property of the few.