Emancipation and Emigration / A Plan to Transfer the Freedmen of the South to the Government Lands of the West by The Principia Club

by Anonymous

RECENT BULL-DOZING IN LOUISIANA.

The Pointe Coupee, La., "Record," a Democratic paper, on the 17th inst., said:—

"It is rumored that several men from Bayou Fordoche came to the court house this morning to make affidavits against certain parties from that section of the parish. The complaint is shooting and whipping."

Commenting on this, the New Orleans "Observer" of the 24th said:—

"From sources absolutely reliable, affecting affairs in Pointe Coupee parish, we learn that since the hanging of four black men in the Racourcee settlement by the bull-dozers of that section, the colored people thereabouts have sought to leave the locality, going to Fordoche, a bayou neighborhood where is a large colored settlement of small farmers.

"Determined to stop this migration of colored people, and at the same time terrorize the Fordoche farmers, on the night of the 14th inst., Wednesday, a crowd of bull-dozers, some sixty odd men from Racourcee, came to this colored settlement, and for no known cause, save that which we have expressed, outraged several inoffensive and hard-working colored people. Lucy Allain, a colored woman, was stripped and whipped unmercifully, and the same treatment was given William Abraham. Levi Sherman was shot three times. All three of these victims are now confined, by reason of this outrage, to their beds. Others of the colored people would have received like treatment, but they got out of the way. A prisoner in the jail there was hung for sport. Fortunately, he was cut down in time to save his life. Some colored people were outraged, and atrocities and indignities practised generally befitting the lawless character of the Democratic party-workers and bull-dozers. The good citizens (white) of the locality have called a mass meeting to express their indignation and to attempt to redress these wrongs, or at least put a stop to further outrages. The meeting was to have had place on Wednesday, the 21st inst. A similar meeting was also called for the same day at New Roads. The information furnished us of these horrible crimes is from purely Democratic sources, gentlemen and decent citizens who abhor the partisan atrocities of their party-workers. So far as we can learn, Republicans of Pointe Coupee are so terrorized that even prominent gentlemen there will say nothing of this act of atrocity, the information in fact reaching this city and our office from responsible Democratic citizens. We are informed that the plantation visited was one of the New York Warehouse and Security Company's places, and of which Mr. Bradish Johnson is the agent.

The Macon, Ga., "Telegraph" is only a little in advance of the ex-Confederate "conservatives" when it demands the repeal of the fourteenth amendment, that the Southern people may extort payment for their liberated slaves. That will soon be one of the regular planks in the Southern Democratic platform.

In Jasper County, Georgia, since the war (reports a local paper), there have been sixty-nine men killed, and not a single hanging.

The Augusta (Ga.) "Chronicle" suggests that the proper place for Congressman Rainey (the man whose sobriety enabled Congress to adjourn on the day appointed) is the chain-gang. Perhaps his consignment to a slave-gang would suit the "Chronicle" better.

The Democrats claim that white and colored school children have equal school privileges in Georgia, but this is far from being true. In Atlanta, there are fine houses for the white scholars; the colored scholars are sent to cellars and other unfit places, and are limited in accommodation at that.

The Charleston "News and Courier" is Wade Hampton's organ, and it is leading his campaign in South Carolina. Alarmed because the Republicans threatened to exercise their right to talk politics and vote, the organ says: "Seceders and malcontents will be treated as public enemies, and made political outcasts. The Democratic party will not lay down the sceptre of authority in South Carolina, nor shall the sceptre be wrested from the strong hands by which it is grasped." That is, Wade Hampton says, in substance, "I am for conciliating those who vote for me, but death to all who oppose!" Truly, as Gov. Boutwell said in his Maine speech, the Southern question is given the greater importance in this campaign by the action of the ex-rebels.

In North Carolina, the Republican leaders are trying to induce the negroes to vote by telling them that the coming election will be a fair and free one. The deception is not justifiable, and will cost the men who resort to it the confidence of the colored voters.

The vote for the Democratic State ticket last week was about eighty thousand. There was no opposition. The legislature will be almost entirely Democratic.—Despatch from Alabama.

And where, pray, is that new Independent party; where are the old Whigs, the administration Democrats, not to say anything about the resuscitated Republicans, who were to arise from the policy of conciliation? Alabama is pretty solid.

To deprive man of the fruit of his labors is to cut the sinews of industry. Who will care to labor if another is to appropriate the results of his toil? He is deprived of an inalienable right, the enjoyment of which alone can induce him to exercise the self-denial implied in labor and economy. To distribute the products of his industry to the community, as some social theorists would teach us, is to destroy individual enterprise, and to reduce society to a great almshouse.—Zion's Herald.

[Despatch to the Traveller.]

FREEDOM OF SPEECH NOT TOLERATED IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

"New York, Oct. 15.—A Washington despatch says that Congressmen Smalls and Rainey have been obliged to flee from South Carolina on account of their activity in organizing Republican meetings, and they were yesterday promised protection by the President."

Protection where? in Washington or South Carolina? It cannot be in the latter, for the President has put his "Federal bayonets" into the hands of Gov. (?) Hampton, and voluntarily shut himself out of that State. Nay, more, he has driven the bolts through his military power as commander-in-chief of the nation, and the last Congress screwed on the nut, which leaves the President powerless, and the Governor all-powerful. Let us see how he is using that power. The Democratic paper of Sumter County, edited by one of the aids of Wade Hampton, calls upon the Democrats to turn out and break up the Republican meetings in such appeals as the following:—

"Men with mothers and wives; men with sisters dear; men who expect to raise families in Sumter County,—let your sons and daughters turn out on Saturday and meet the thieves whom Sam Lee is gathering together and attempting to fasten on us as our rulers and masters in this county. Let everything be conducted on Saturday with military order, promptness, and decision. In 1861 our Southern braves left their homes and firesides and encountered every conceivable bodily privation, every danger, for a cause that dwarfs into perfect insignificance in comparison with the Democratic cause in this county to-day, and yet are there men who are so ease-loving and unpatriotic that they will not turn out on Saturday to meet the Republican thieves? If such there be, go mark them well.

"Let Northern speakers come; we intend to carry Sumter County Democratic, at the next election, in spite of the world, flesh, and the devil.

"Democrats should rally as one, on Saturday. He who dallies is dastard. He who doubts is damned.

"Surely, no one, who is worthy of the name of man, can hesitate, under such conditions, to take a hand on Saturday."

The following, to the rifle clubs, is given as the programme for the Democrats, on Saturday, Oct. 19, the day the Republican meetings are called for nominations:—

"Presidents of clubs are requested to report to county chairman, who can be found at the rooms of the executive committee, in the rear of the town hall, up stairs. The clubs will be earnestly enjoined, by those in authority, to remain in line and under command of their respective presidents until they are turned over to some higher officer, from whom they will receive orders during the day."

Ex-Senator Swails, of Williamsburg County, and also deputy United States marshal, has committed the unpardonable sin against the Wade-Hampton, Hamburg-Butler, shot-gun Democracy, by speaking at Republican meetings, for which offence he has been twice shot at, and finally driven from the county, having been visited by the Democratic Executive Committee, accompanied by a band of Red Shirts or Rifle Clubs, and presented with these good Democratic resolutions:—

Resolved, That S. A. Swails be required to leave Williamsburg in ten days.

Resolved, That he is a high-handed robber.

Resolved, That he and his rioters be held responsible for all incendiarism which may happen.

Resolved, That unless the above be complied with, he must forfeit his life.

These facts were yesterday brought to the attention of the President by Congressman Rainey and Mr. Swails, and it is reported that he thinks something ought to be done about it, and says just what the man whom he made Governor of South Carolina said: "Tell the people they shall have all the protection the law can give." Wade Hampton has the power to fulfil his promise, and it is apparent he never intended to give the Republicans the protection they asked, and we fear that President Hayes is putting them off with a promise of the protection he is well aware he cannot give.

These South Carolinians come to Washington and claim government protection to their persons and property while in the exercise of their constitutional political rights. The President "thinks something ought to be done about it"! Wonderful! So does an old hen when the hawks are after her chickens. But the difference between the two is this: the hen blusters about and immediately calls her subjects under her wings, thus giving them all the protection in her power. But the President thinks something ought to be done, but does nothing worthy of the occasion.

Wade Hampton promises "all the protection the law can give," and that was none at all while in his hands to administer, for the reason that the theory of the shot-gun Democracy is, that the negro has no rights that the white man is bound to protect.

While the South is entitled to the palm of victory for shot-gun Democracy, the North is a fair competitor for doughface flunkyism. Ex-Senator Swails, by the testimony of his personal friends in Boston, bears a character the direct opposite of that given him in the following paragraph from the Philadelphia "Times." While despotism is the rule in the South, owing to the natural soil in which it is nurtured, we are happy to believe that flunkyism in the superlative degree at the North is the exception.

"If State Senator Swails of South Carolina, had lived in any Northern State and prostituted his senatorial office as openly and recklessly as is clearly proven he did in that State, he would be in the penitentiary; but having resigned his seat to escape dismissal and fled to escape punishment, he has settled down in Washington, where a few carpet-bag thieves yet linger, and is telegraphing over the country how the Hampton rifle clubs have driven him from the State. As the South Carolina penitentiary evidently haunts his dreams, he should hie himself to the Massachusetts Botany Bay of public thieves, and put himself under the protecting wing of Governor Rice. He will find Kimpton there, and a fellow feeling will make Kimpton wondrous kind to Swails."—Philadelphia Times.

[Special Despatch to the Boston Traveller.]

Washington, D. C., Oct. 21.—The statement made to the President, last week, by State Senator Swails, that he was forced to leave South Carolina in consequence of receiving a notice that his life would pay the penalty if he remained, is fully confirmed by the Charleston "News and Courier" received here to-day.

That paper admits that such a notice was served on Swails, and says it was done because he was a dangerous man, and disturbing the peace of the country where he resided. Instead of lynching him the Democrats gave him the opportunity of leaving the State.

The "News and Courier" contains an account of the capture of a Republican meeting at Lawtonville on Friday last, showing that the Democrats are determined to carry out their policy regardless of the instructions sent out by Attorney-General Devens to the U. S. officials.

The meeting was called by the Republicans in the interest of Smalls, the Republican candidate for re-election to Congress. The despatch to the "News and Courier," from Lawtonville, says:

"This morning the negroes began pouring in, attired in the recently-adopted radical uniform of blue shirts, several mounted clubs and other clubs on foot, embracing large numbers, being included. Fully 2,000 men, women and children gathered, when some eight red shirts galloped in and captured the meeting and proceeded to run it on a division of time schedule. Rousing Democratic speeches were made. Mr. Smalls failed to appear. Some of Hampton's men rode forty miles to hear Smalls. The effect of the day's work was exceedingly good."

Scott.

As goes South Carolina so go the other rebel States, as in the first rebellion. Georgia next falls into line after this fashion:

The "Augusta (Georgia) Constitutionalist" insists that the Democrats of South Carolina shall defy the lawful direction of the Attorney-General of the United States in regard to conspiracies against the political rights of the citizens, and shall continue to disturb, and, if need be, break up Republican meetings. The advice is equally plain and peremptory. Republicans are not to be allowed to hold meetings without the presence and participation of Democrats. What that participation is, is well understood. It is the attendance of armed men who will not allow a word said which does not meet with their approbation; it is the warning of citizens not to join in the meetings; it is the threatening of life if they do; it is the savage assaulting of those who are conspicuous in proclaiming their intention to vote the Republican ticket; it is armed and violent defiance of the law, and, in the last resort, assassination. The issue is clearly defined. It is, pure and simple, whether the government of the United States can and will protect its citizens in their constitutional rights, when those are rights which it is authorized and required to conserve and defend. Evidently the rebellion was not ended at Appomattox.—Providence Journal.

We have contemplated deferring the publication of this pamphlet until we could ascertain from the Secretary of the Interior the number of acres of unpre-empted land in each State, together with their location &c., &c., but we are informed by the commissioner of the land office in Washington that there are no data or statistics in his office that will give us that information.

As we may have to wait for Congress to assemble before we can obtain the necessary statistics, we shall send out our pamphlet at once, and set the ball in motion.

The question that has recently come up between the Secretary of the Interior and the Pacific railroads must be settled, so far as we can see, in favor of the Secretary, who has just issued a pamphlet with the grounds of his decision, and which has been sent us.

The railroads, however, may delay matters by their dilatoriness in making their returns to government of the lands sold by them, their location, &c., and it may be necessary for Congress to hurry up that matter a little, so that the land commissioner can give the desired information.

But there is no time to be lost. The "conciliated" Wade Hampton, and the Hamburg-massacre-Butler crowd have already organized the second rebellion in South Carolina, and armed their militia with "federal bayonets," over which waves the "bloody shirt," inscribed with Hampton's declaration in a speech in Sumter County, "that the Democrats must carry that county at all hazards," supplemented by Senator!! Butler, who "said it was unnecessary to tell them how to do it." "Webb," a correspondent of the Boston "Journal," tells us in the following paragraph, how they are doing it:—

SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF THE MILITARY.

"Armed men have been stationed as pickets on roads leading to county conventions. These men were supplied with State arms, furnished through the United States, were evidently under good military discipline, had recognized officers, and were known as members of the State volunteer militia. At first they appeared without uniforms; of late they have attempted in uniform to break up Republican meetings. They have not hesitated to announce publicly that the white people of South Carolina had decided that Republican meetings should not be held, and that any attempt to hold such meetings might result in personal injury. At one of the meetings at Sumter County, one of the aids of Governor Hampton knocked the Republican chairman from the stand. Another seized the chairman by the throat and severely injured him. The speaker was Probate Judge Lee, who acted as chairman of the meeting, and who at that time was threatened both with shooting and hanging. So many authorized details of those acts of violence have been brought to the knowledge of the Administration here that the President and his Cabinet are convinced that there is an organized movement in South Carolina to put down by violence any attempt at Republican organization, and that Wade Hampton is giving this revolutionary and cowardly movement his active personal support. It is, perhaps, needless to say that the President is very much surprised at Hampton's conduct."

If "the President and his Cabinet" had consulted the Principia Club papers more, and Southern rebels less, it would not have taken them half of their Presidential term to learn that rebel promises are of no account whatever, for they would have discovered abundant evidence of their utter worthlessness. As "federal bayonets" are now so popular in rebel hands, and getting to be so useful to put down Republicanism in South Carolina, perhaps our verdant President, in his "surprise," may break the shackles with which he was voluntarily bound, and use "federal bayonets" to put down rebellion. At all events, he ought to obey the United States Constitution he has sworn to support, which tells him he "shall guarantee to every State in the Union a republican form of government." If he hasn't given away all his "federal bayonets" to the rebels, is it not about time for our commander-in-chief to use them in South Carolina? (See Principia Club Papers No. 7, pp. 152-5: The Southern Policy.)

[Special Despatch to the Boston Traveller.]

Washington, D. C., Oct. 18.—The President has taken steps, through the proper officers, to have the outrage perpetrated at Sumter, South Carolina, investigated, with a view of ascertaining who is responsible, and whether or not there has not been an open violation of the United States laws.

District-Attorney Northrup has the case in charge, and will, said a member of the Cabinet to your correspondent to-day, make an energetic investigation of the outrage and report the facts promptly. There is no reason to doubt that he will do his whole duty and make a fearless investigation of the affair, which, according to the Democratic account, was brutal in the extreme. The Administration, said the Cabinet Minister further, will see that the rights of the colored people in South Carolina are maintained, and to this end will, if necessary, go to the full extent of the United States laws.

We may be too faithless in this matter, we hope we are, but when "investigations" shall result in the punishment of criminals, instead of their protection from further molestation, we may have more confidence that justice will triumph in rebeldom.

VIRGINIA COMES NEXT.

"President Hayes, who is attending an agricultural fair at Winchester, Virginia, made a hard money speech yesterday, and quoted Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and other distinguished Virginians in favor of sound money."—Traveller, Oct. 17.

While the President was making stump speeches in Winchester, in the direct line of civil service reform, as he understands it we suppose, the shot-gun brigade were at Hicksford demonstrating the fruits of his Southern policy. The "Traveller" states this case in the following strain of sarcasm.

A "saucy" negro was shot at Hicksford, Virginia, yesterday. It was a political meeting, of course. A Republican was speaking, and the negro had the audacity to applaud his sentiments. This was in the Court House. A leader of the Democracy named Reese, not wishing to soil the temple of justice with blood, called the negro out of the building and promptly shot him dead. There were four hundred colored men present and this shooting will be a lesson for them. They will now know better than to applaud Republican speakers, or vote a Republican ticket.