New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
ELECTIONS IN GEORGIA.
A TALK WITH A RECENT CANDIDATE.
AN ADVENTURE OF THE HAYES CANVASS -BEI'
TER CONDITIONS NOW, BUT STILL
xxrncu RACp PREJUDICE.

| MUCH RACE PREj UDlCb'
The Rev. Edward 4. Fleming, the Republican cana-
date for Congress In the Eighth District OF oe"rNa
has been In the city recently visiting friends. Mr.
planning is pastor of the First Congregational Church
In Athens Georgia lie is native Of that state ana
has held puIpfts in Augusta Athens and Atlanta our
| ing fifteen years and Is widely known thfoum
| Northern Georgia OF the most capable All"
| energetic ministers Of the South. Mr. flcmng ID
well pleased with the result OF his canvass In tno TO
cent election. His opponent, tho present Democra'c
representative to Congress from that District was
r. H. Carleton. Mr. Carleton received 1,Ol2 votes
while 1850 are returned for Mr. Fleming.
The Congress District includes half dozen counties
I'm the part OF the State. in which Athens
is the most considerable city. The population OF inc
district is placed at about 100000 which would give
It vote Of about 10000, but not more than 80 pc
cent of the population is Of whites, and the vote on
a Congressman has never before reached total OF
10000 Two years ago Congressman Carleton was
elected by vltc Of 2027 In the district with no OPP
position and that he has obtained more than half
the number cast for his opponent Mr. Fleming re-
CARDS as a satisfactory showing for his canvass.
The Athens minister is a of forty i've, Slender
and rugged, of a typical Southern appearance with
smooth face and black hair brushed directly back from
the forehead a quiet firm but pleasing manner.
His forehead above the eyes is Scared by charge OF
shot which also destroyed the right eye. The story
OF this incident. which c repeated by request Is Oh
Itself picture indicating inc cnangc
developing I'm Georgia. MI Fleming was one OF tho
Republican electors Of Georgia In the Hayes Presi
Dental campaign, and in this capacity he made
tour through the State addressing tho coored people
at their gatherings, usually I'm churches. He had
been threatened frequently but he continued In his
course and met with demonstration OF violence untl
one night at meeting in church in Lincoln County
Just after the service began half dozen white men
stepped into the building. Their faces were partly
concealed by pieces Of dark calico tied them for
masks. The negroes looked around in alarm, and
then after another got up and slipped out of the
meeting.
A PERILOUS JOURNEY TO THE STATION.
Mr. Fleming that in q few moments he would
DO left alone with tho masked men and the result
would then be certain He stepped TO the pulpit as
the prayers finished, and began to read chapter
Of the Bible. following 1t with brief sermon The
panic stopped and before he had finished the
white men had gone. But the minister was leav-
ing the church to return by the road to the railway
station few rifles away. old negro stopped him:
Don't go dat way boss he said; dey's watn'
TO- TO shoot you, shO'."
Tho old negro led him by another route through
the country toward the station. but they had not
walked long before distant cry startled them and
the old man, greatly frightened, said that he could
go further, the whites had put the bloodhounds
on them. The only chance of escape, he said. was
for the minister to for half mile to creek,
turn TO the right and keep in the water until he
reached bridge on the road to tho statos. Mr..
Fleming followed these directions and left the old
man, who afraid of being eaten up by the blood
hounds. He reached the bridge and left the cane
brake to make a short cut across the fields. There
he was by those who were stationed to cut him
of and pursued. Their cries brought men
from cabin, who fired on him and turned him back
into the canebrake, where he remained until morn
ing and then secured the train. After he reached
40 he nj ba hadh trnc
by the shots and before morning both eyes were so
swollen that he could only with great difficulty.
" There was never any one punished for this at
tack7 Dir. Fleming said 1t would have been impos-
sble 30 discover the perpetrators. No, met with
violence I'm my recent campaign received many letters
threatening but endeavored TO avoid any action
that would afford an excuse for collision. l am not
politician and not candidate because was
anxious for the office expected to be elected, but
from sense Of principle in the pur- |
suance Of my duties as minister among |
the colored people. The time is coming /
when they must have recognition The colored people
of Georgia pay taxes property worth &c..
100000. They demanding an equal recognition |
in the State and the demand is growing stronger |
each year,
FULL VOTE WOULD CHANGE MATTERS.
"What chances of election would you have had in |
full vote?' asked.
L" | should have been elected without any doubt. |
where colorcd men voted the Democratic ticket With
a full vote say Of 10000, should have received |
some Of the white vote and the Democrats could not !
have polled 200 against me-"
How is 1t that colorcd voted for you in some !
places and not In others ~
" That Is simply an indication of the difference be-
tween what you Northern people fond of speaking
of as the Old and the New South. In the counties
around the larger cities, like Athens the coored man
may vote II he is determined and with perfect safety
In Franklin, Hart, Ogethorpe and Putnam counties
received more than half as many votes Mr. Garlic
ton. In some of these counties did not expect any
had organized the party in those counties In Wilkes
and other counties where I could organize 1 re-
ceIved no votes. Either the colored voters wore kept
away by threats, or there We're no tickets of mine
In Washington, Wilkes County. had attempted an
organization. Colored people in Washington made an
application for the Of the Court House meet
Ing, and It was granted. ! was to 60 there TO ad
tho meeting warning me not o e" fs hens
Banner in al article on the meeting, said that the
young men Of Washington had organized and they
would control the ballotbox of their county wrote
to several Democrats on the subject and they replied
not
BRIGHT HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.
The influx OF Eastern and Western capital and the
growth Of manufactures is certainly doing great
deal to neuraize the old state of affairs in the South.
The budozing portion Of the white community IS held
In check when 1t sees that some harm is likely to
come to itself If its outrages persisted in
have several instances OF this. Once last year
"a young white man killed I'm a frac Athens
by young colorod man. Tho assault provoked
by the dominant white feeling But the friends OF the
white man gathered to take the law into their own
hands and TO lynch the slayer. There fifty
more OF them. but when they approached the Jail
they found II protected by fully thousand negroes
armed with guns and clubs. The whites made no at
tack; they dispersed and the law took its course
Are your views shared by any number Of the
ntellg gent white population
Very few are so pronounced as l am. Others, and
many Of them Democrats endeavor to take a broad
view Of the situation in the tone of The Atlanta Con-
stiution' There Is continual alarm about the ANAL
gamation of races a fear In which do not share.
But the large portion of the white population is not
by The Atlanta Constitution Their
race prejudces reflected by the county papers OF
The State. The change Of sentiment has not been |
very great in the back counties Even in Atlanta last
winter when Moody held his meetings there, colorrd
people not admitted with the whites