Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-29
NEGROES OF ATLANTA.

goes to the contesting heirs.
 NEGROES OF ATLANTA. How They Celebrated she Republican VIctorY-A Big Parade of ColOred HumanitY-SignIfean of the Jubi- lee.
 ATLANTA, Ga., Nov. 12. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: Undaunted by the diseouragements of the days immediately following the election, to which I referred in my last letter, the Repub- licans of Atlanta indulged last evening in a celebration after their own heart of the late Republican victory. They rose up en masse, with determination which the "chivalry" Of Atlanta did not dare to oppose, and as- serted their right to public publication as boldly as if they had been in a northern city instead of in the capital of the new South.
 Shortly after six o'clock the streets, partic- ularly in the vicinity of the new court house, began to fill with an eager throng of negroes. As might be expected, the only white ele- ment in the throng was the element of tran sient corners and goers that may always be seen upon the streets. By seven o'clock the streets were almost impossible. Such an | been witnessed here since the days when the negroes refuged in Atlanta. The number of colored women and children (or darkey wo- men and pickaninies, as the Constitution called them the next morning), was particu' larly large. Tin horns of every size and shape were seen on every hand. and their terrific blare mingled with hundred other uuearthly noises. The vicinity of the court house was surging, seething, squirming mass of African humanity. Fire crackers of all sizes were popping everywhere in the crowd, often exploding ander foot. wo- mans dress caught fire at one time about rod from me, but the flames were quickly extinguished. Tin pans rattled, bells rang and brass band vainly sought to drown the general uproar with it's rather discordant melody.
 Yet more orderly and law-abiding crowd never came together in any country for any cause Even the Constitution was compelled the following morning reluctantly to say of it:
 s'In all that crowd of ten thousand people there were not exceeding half dozen drunk. Police were scattered through the crowd, but there was nothing for them to do." The largest crowd of all was in and imme- diately around the court house. Speaking began in the court house at 8 quarter past | seven o'clock. Among the speakers were: t Colonel Bill Pledger (coloredl, R; T. Dow | (white), Richard R. Wright (eoloredl. 0. o. | Wimbush (co1ored), Colored A. E. Buck | (White) Rev. J. S.. Flipper (eolored), and Rev. w. H. Tillman (colored.) Richard | Wright is the man who, as ceh yes- oic boy, was immortalized by Whittier in his poem, 'Howard at Atlanta"
 | The speeches were enthusiastic, spontane~ | ous and characteristically witty, but many ! of he hest Ointa vera losk m the audience on account of the terrific din which was Ro-
 ing on.
 pensiye one. There were no illuminations, no costly fireworks no decorations to amount to anything in the hall. There was pro- cession, but it was without transpsrencies or l banners, or uniformed political clubs, and there were only about two hundred torches. The flare of the torches captivated the pick l aninies, and soon the parade was reinforced l by scores of eager boys bearing aloft slaves | and broom handles to the upper extremities of which were attached bundles of burning ! waste. Cheap visored caps, with Harrison | and Morton" in gilt letters on the band, were | to be seen everywhere-even great many | women wearing them. Showers of burning | cotton waste and savage looking fire crackers l filled tie air. One negro boy secured cal l cum light somewhere and at once became l the center of attraction for about five hun 1 dred other small boys of the same dusky l complexion.
 The procession paraded the principal 1 streets of the city. There was no rank or | file, but solid mass of struggling, yelling | humanity reaching from curb to curb, and | slowly elbowing it's way along the street. Will some nasty northern reader infer the ! political freedom of the negro in the South | from the fact that such a demonstration has been held by the negroes in Atlantas The 'fchiyalry" of Atlanta tolerated this demon l stration, it is true; but what else could they do! There was no stemming the tide of such l a movement as the one in question. Yet it might be shown that there was in many quarters sullen resentment of the ''po- litical arrogance" which prompted this cele- bration. 1 know 8 cultivated young mulat- | to, resident of this city, who was "rocked'' | by the scions of influential houses op his way home that night. Indeed, one effort was made by 8 too hot headed member of the l local police force to interfere with the pro- gresss of the celebration.
 As on similar occasions everywhere, good many things were done without any special motive, merely as a means of working off an excess of animal spirits. Among these things was the rolling about of some empty | barrels and beer kegs which adorned the | sidewalk near the corner of Broad and Pop | lar streets. Three officers plunged into the midst of the crowd and demanded that this | harmless proceeding be suspended. l "Why haven't we just as good right to | celebrate to night as you had four years agoP' yelled some one.
 'tWe aren't doing any harm," added an- l other. ''There is no danger to anybody" 1 "You weren't content with rolling empty
 barrels and kegs about four years ago" l shouted third. "You drained all the sa-
 looms in town dry"
 "And two of the biggest newspaper men
 in Atlanta were perceptibly the worse for
 drinking that night" added fourth. | Than a RhOut went
 ''This is our jubileel We're in free coun- try, and so long as we don't do any harm
 nobody can stop us from having our fun.
 The police have no right to interfere" | At this Officer Green lost his self com
 mand and grabbed a negro by the throat.
 The jolli6ers were SO outraged at this treat ment of one of their number that they
 seized the officer and freed the man thus
 violently assaulted At the same time one of the more impetuous struck the officer
 with a club; breaking three or four fingers of the hand that was raised to parry the
 blow. The other officers and 8 few whites
 who had now rushed up to the scene of the
 melee at once drew their pistols and the
 blacks fell back, cowed and abashed. Ther
 four negroes who happened to be nearest al
 hand, and who looked as though they migh
 be easily managed, were seized and borne
 away in triumph to the calaboose. The old old story of quick trials, foregone convic,
 tions and excessive punishments then fol 1 lowed. But even at it's worst the jubilee o.
 Monday evening marks a new polisieal epocl
 for the negroes in Atlanta.
 
 THA INKS.