Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-05-18

To one not afforded an insight of the
forces at work in some parts of the South
= source Of surprise was recently foun,l in
the apparent inclination on the part of the
whites in control to defend the rights Of the
negroes. 1t was only few days ago that
the Judge of the court in Brookhaven Miss.
where men were being tried for killing and
maltrea,iug negroes, armed with his NJ Ugh
bors and drove away the msrsuders, who
surrounded the court house to carry
Cd their friends, who had been indicted.
Those prisoners are still strictly guarded.
hut, some one asks isn't this unusual, TO
enforce the law against those whose only
crime has been killing negroes? IL did
seem a little unusual At first, especially as
this was down in Mississippi where the state
laws have been framed with view to prac-
tically disfranehise the colored voter.
The secret i. out. however, in these re-
marks of the judge
1.-The white caps inaugurated an organi-
zstion to control the wages of labor and
maintain high standard. They soon found
that they could not control the negro.
He Was q factor out of their reach
and would not submit 10 the dis
cipliue and maintain the schedule demanded
by the regulators who came TO the eonclu-
sion that it was necessary to eliminate the
negro and drive him out of the field. They
then commenced series of outrages to
terrorixe the negroes. A grea; many were
Ill a.,l
these killings were most wicked aud cruel.
Their houses were burned. their homes
fred into by night, and terror reigned su-
preme among them. Daring the
last election for President and members of
Congress these dissatisfied spirits frater-
nixed under the leadership ST vicious men
and formed vile schemes and egregious
ideas agsins, capital. They engaged in
cruel whippings and killings, many of
which have never become known to the
court"
Much has been said of late of the manner
by which it is alleged the colored utan is
prevented from entering employment in
some Of the Northern cities; that the trades
unions will not admit him and that white
help IL preferred even 10 some of the ave-
cations formerly supposed to be especially
adapted to the coiored man. These de-
scriptions afforded a very dubious outlook
for those of the colored people, who are
willing TO work. or for the elevation of those
who have not ss yet experienced any incen-
tive to thrift. The argamsn, deduced from
this alleged condition of affairs is that the
colofed man being the weaker must in CON-
petition with the white man be crushed to
the wall. This condition has beer said to
apply in the South. But this recent occur
ence in Mississippi would seem to prove
that in that state at least it would not hold
true. The poor white trash as they are
called in that land are less thrifty than the
colored population. The New Orleans
Picayune describes them ~ desperate.
worthless characters, who have no homes.
believe in no God nor religion. burn all
schools and churches and have parsicula,
hatred against the negroes because they
are honest, industrious and pros.
perous. The Picayune goes on to show
that when the pine lands along the Pear
river we're thrown open to settlement man,
nesroes took homesteads there which be
came valuable xhen the northern lumber
men took saw-aills into thsf country AMI
s<g.s 10 get out lumber for the Nossher.
market. he negroes sold the timber