The Lexington standard. [volume] (Lexington, Ky.) 1892-1912, 1911-11-04
ZEKE'S EXPERIENCE IN
GETTING HIS FREEDOM
fBY C. 4. MERRILL

OCtW CCIl Vic e"O S%S~o 49, S~~>
South for the three years (1865-
|69) Immediately succeeding the
surrender, a brief recital of the
story of "Zeke Kennedy" vii
prove of interest. Though i
had but a narrow local applica.
ton at the time, it points ths
moral of general conditions.
''Zeke had served during the
war out in "ole Virginny," as
chief servant in the 18th Missis.
sippi Infantry, of which "Marse
Tom" was a member ant
picked up a few politics" Soor
after peace, he returned home
"wi' Marse Tom" to find himself
voter" He could scarcely
conceive what it all meant, but
in the summer of 1868 few OF
Zeke's younger brothers in white
enlisted him TO stump the coun-
ty. which was Carroll.
The main issue was this: That
every white man who had ever
voted before the war, or taker
an ante-bellum oath to support
the United States Constitution
and afterwards gone into the re-
bellion, or shown even the least
sympathy for his son or neigh
Dor who had, should be forever
#disfranchised, and thus leave al
political power in the hands OF
The new ISSUE" This in sub.
stance was the iron rule sub
mitted by the Federal Congress
With such restrictions, the ne.
groes having an overwhelming
numerical strength, it was nat
suraIly supposed that the white
nan would be literally wiped off
the map as a political factor.
The State Contention IN 1S68-6e
1t was our first State election
under the new order of things
The negro voters in the virgin
purity of clean politics, were as
yet untainted by Republican car
pet-bag scoundrelism. The
white electors appealed to the
reason and sense of justice of
the colored people, and the re-
suit showed that they did not ap-
peal in vain. 1t was the first
and only successful venture of
the kind. The new Constitution
was voted down by 5000 or TO-
900 majority. Carroll county,
the only county where "Zeke''
ruled the roost, alone giving
1,553 majority against it, which
vas of itself nearly a third of
the entire majority. Seeing that
Mississippi had upset the whole
plan of the carpet-baggers TIC
make that section a school for
tariff protection" those ennis
saries of rule or ruin were sent
down in force to capture and CO.
cree. They make their protest
against a "solid South" only
while brains and character rule.
What they fought for was to es.
ablish a ..solid South" which
the Negroes could hold down
sor foreign thieves to plumber.
Oar Colored Demosthemes.
1t was during this reign of
peace, civil and militant, that
'Zeke" delivered his first spell
binder" in the Carrollton court
rouse to large audience of all
;olor. Cotton had been selling
or forty, fifty, seventy-five and
IN hundred cents a pound, and
everything looked good" to all
# us. The Negro was still free.
lie had been released from the
'onds of domestic slavery and
lad not yet taken on the senile
hackles of political bondage.
sZeke" was a young man
bout Marse Toms" age (25) i
vas stockiiy built on broad foun-
ations, dish-faced and-as hel
aid of himself jess as black
s the devil. He didn't know
letter in the alphabet, but car.
led a solid brain in narrow
an, most of which jutted out
yer his eyebrows, shaggy |
nough to swear by. He was
lodest almost to timidity as he
as escorted to the Judges desk
J make his first political deliv-
~.
Aunderbolts from "Zeke," Not
Yeas. y
After discussing the "pints"
protection" and other politi-
Il puzzles as 'Zeke" understood