Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-06-04

was no public demand for it, The in
| lqultE ana injustice of the prevailing sys-
tenn are intolerable. and provoke fric-
t'on oaily, more or less serious, which is
seldom reported in the public prints, as
there Is a vast deal of rascality carried
on IN the southern states under the forms
anu sanction of law and while public
oplnioh' which Is smothered with silence.
eanlis the evaporation of it to make it
sell 1eit ana heard in the future, ior in
justice and wrong breeu their own anti
dote.
The separate car laws of the Southern
states make more traitorous than patri-
otic sentiment. and degrade black and
whlte ailke, as all unjust laws do OPP
pressed ana oppresSor. The patriotism of
lhe Dllck soldiers of the TWcnty-fifth In
iahtry could not but be dampcned when
they were made the victims of the unjust
and degrading laws of Tennessee made
ana enforced by men whose lives and
property these soldiers have defended and
are now under arms to defend
But 1t was the detachment of the
Twenty-hfth Infantry sent straight
through to Key West that had the hard
est tlin" OF 1t with race and color preju
ttou tn ,hS thneS were no sooner on the island
thah tne press dispatches related that
the Whlte citizens We're indignant and in
ccnSed because the black troops were or
dcred among them. The matter culmi-
mated IN an encounter between Il police
man and two black solders-a sergeant
ana priVate-in which the sergeant was
worstcd and locked up whereupon a de-
tachment of his comrades appeared on
the scene and demanded his release with
IN IA specified time, and he was released
me men were all disciplined, of course
but with what punishment has not been
reported This incident cannot be prop
eriy understood by any one unfamiliar
with. the strained relations existing he
tween the races at Key West brought
about some time ago by one Col pendlc-
Ton VINO arose in court of justice and
calieu lor volunteers to lynch a black boy
undergoing trial This act provoked n
riot IN which some of the best Afro
American citizens participated and for
when many were apprehended and tried
by clvli process and punished. Some of
them escaped from the city. and are still
eNiies from home. while others have been
ruined in reputation and fortune But
Pendieton, the white man who provoked
contempt of court by the judge in whose
presence he melted to lynch law No
He was made the hero of the hour and is
today regarded as one of the best cit
iXens' OF whose pestiferous and lawless
ilk the Southern states are fun to reple-
tion. II was into such community that
the brave black soldiers We're forced by
the orders of the government. OF course
their presence would be resented OF
course. the policemen of Key West would
be disposed to make it warm" for the
black boys In blue, and this is what hap
pencd.
lut tIle wave OF patflotlSm IN the
Southern states is Widespread and genu-
inc, and comprchcnds all the races of the
population. The war will undoubtedly
draw all the people closer together The
old flag will float over the black troops
and the white troops, and if Gen FitZ-
huSh Lee gets command and goes to
cuba he will have no hraver soldiers than
the black ones in his brigade. ana he will
recognize and appreciate the fact. And
the time will come when the stars ana
stripes will tloat everywhere over n ppo-
pie the. least among whom will enjoy
without let or hindrance all the rights
privileges, and immunitcs enjoyed by the
highest.-Ncw York Sun.