The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-26

gent should be entrusted with this dan
gerous weapon. Let virtue and int 4 gence
and integrity be the sole test The man
who viii directly or indirectly sell his vote
Is unworthy of a vote, and il should be
taken away from him. The man who is vir-
tuous ana intelligent however poor or
humble. or of whatever race or color, may
be safely entrusted with it.
/ therefore recommend that an amend
ment of the constitution be submitted to
the people for ratification or rejection. res
trlctlng the elective franchise to those who
recognize the sanctily of the ballot. and
realize the responsibilities of citizenship.
The Military.
Our experience during the year has veri-
fed the W SOON of the trainers of the con-
suIution who said "a we regulated mi itia
is essential to the peace and secur. ty Of the
state" Situated as We are with two races
nearly equal in number. differing so widely
not only in or but in tastes habits, at
tainments, capabilities and asprat ons the
one the strongest race in the world. school
ed for seven hundred years in the science
and art of self-goVernment; the other, the
weakest of the five races, removed only
few generations from ancestors who for
ages mad been stepped in the lowest depths
OF barbarism and only one generation re-
moved from a conditions of slavery in
winch they. learned nothing of the duties
and responsibilities of citizenship. ana
knew no law but the law of force, there
will necessarily be more or less lawless-
ness. When the inferior race is incited
ana encouraged TO deeds of lawlessness
and crime by the enemies of the superior
race, as has been the case during the last
year there will be, in spite of the united
efforts of the best element Of both races
occasions in which the civil power can
not cope with the rioters or the mob. and
must necessarily have the support of the
military n ma he Of
the law, and in protecting life. liberty and
property. Unfortunately in the organiza-
ton of the Georgia regiments for the
Spanish-A American war our state military
organizations were almost destroyed by
the withdrawal from the companies and
regiments of many of the best officers and
men in them Hence it was that at the
beginning of the present administra ion
there was scarcely an efficient company or
regiment in the state, and this, too, a
time when a reliable military was more
needed for local protection than ever be-
fore in our history. Realizing this situa-
ton at once went to work as best / could
with the scanty means available, through
he inspector. general, Col. William G.
Obear TO reorganize and perfect the va
rious companies in the state most of them
mere skeletons only half armed, and
am glad to be able to report that while II
was necessary to disband some companies
W
cruited up to an efficient standard, new
officers have been commissioned to hil
vacancies and while some of them are
not, for want of means equipped
as they should, be, the esprit
de corps is much improved.
New companies are being rendered to take
| the place of those mustered out, and be-
| Heve with reasonable encouragement from
the general assembly all of them will soon
| be a bulwark and an ornament to the
state.
Too much praise cannot be awarded TO
| the gallant men who nave responded 10 my
call in the serevaI emergencies which have
arisen requiring their services to sustain
| the civil officers in protecting life and
| property and maintaining the supremacy
| of the laW. While, as stated above, L
| have in many instances declined to re-
| spond to the caIl of civil officers for mill
| tary aid because 1 did not see the neces-
! sity for it, there have been disturbances
| in eight counties, to wit: Campbell, Cow
! eta. Butts, Lee Richmond Spalding De-
| catur and Mcintosh, which, for the protec-
! ton Of life or property, or both, required
| the aid of the military. In all these
| cases sent troops, usually small detach-
| ments to the support of the civil authori-
| ties. in every instance requiring the COM
manding officer to report to the sheriff,
| and to act strictly in subordination TO
| him The most serious uprisings were in
| Decatur and Mcintosh counties. That In
| Decatur was put down by Capts. Myddle-
| ton and Smith Of Col. Wooten's regiment,
! the Fourth Infantry, with but little rou-
! Bile and without bloodshed. The insured
! ton in Mcintosh county Qor 1t really as
sumed the proportions of an insurrection)
was much more formidable. When the
mob of several hundred armed negroes
first took possession of the town of Oar
len the sheriff, the Mayor and other prom
! ineut citizens reported the facts 20 me and
| urgently asked that l send a. once 500
! armed men to their relief This did not
! do. because 1 deemed so many men un-
| necessary, and the expense would be great.
| But l did send by special train from SaVan-
nah, ia officers and men of the First In
| fantry commanded by Cart Gleason, and
! twenty-five officers and men of Troop A,
! First Cavalry (dismounted), under COM
nand of Lieut.. Cunningham, Capt Glea-
| son commanding the whole. This com
mand was on the train and in motion for
| Darien in less than an hour from the time
their commander received my Geographic
| order and while a part OF them remained
in Darien under command of Capt. Gray
son 90 preserve order, the remainder, I'M
der command of Capt. Gleason, returned
Immediately to Savannah as an escort to
| the sheriff of Mcintosh county, who had
| In charge Henry Delegal, the negro whose
crime gave rise to the trouble. The prompt
| ness and fidelity with which capt Glea-
son and his command executed my order
in this emergency merits the highest COM
mendation. On the next day, the negroes
| having armed themselves to the number of
! about a thousand to resist the arrest OF
me leaders of the mob of the day before,
and one deputy sheriff having been killed
and another wounded in the discharge of
officiaI duty. Col A. R. Lawton was or
| dered to take command at Darien with
plenary power to do whatever i'm his judg-
ment was necessary to restore order and
sustain the civil authorities in upholdins
the law. To this end most of his own
regiment, the First Infantry, returned to
| Darien. where also reported to him Troop
G OF the First Cavalry, Capt. Sinclair
whose station is Darien Later on the
men Of the First Infantry and Troop A
If the First Cavalry. worn out by constant
duty day and night f several days. were
relieved by attachments OF one officer and
twenty men each, from Troops B, e and
I. Of the + rst Cavalry, and one officer and
forty men from Troop of same regiment
This force Of a hundred men was deemed
- onard AGAINST the DOSSi blllty