The Eutaw Negro Invasion

Title

Source Type

Newspaper

Publisher

The Clarke County Democrat

Publication Place

Grove Hill, AL

Publication Date

9/15/1874

Transcript

The simple history of the emeute at Eutaw is a fair example of the foundation of the stories carried in person to the Washington “department of justice” by an organized band of congressional liars to show how cruelty in danger are the “poor helpless and innocent negroes.” Capping the climax of these doleful tales of mendacity we find suddenly appearing before a peaceful town 700 negroes, armed with Springfield rifles and muskets and led by an unknown white stripling. When confronted and a parley ensues, it appears that they came to demand why, as had been represented to them, they had been refused leave to have a republican meeting in the courthouse. And as they come in armed array, it follows they come with a purpose to fight on the issue of the the question. Two hundred white people armed with such weapons as are at hand in all private houses meet them. They do not at once pour a volley into the lavenders as there was the strongest provocation to do, and as any northern man who believed the lies poured into the ears of Gen. Williams would have expected, but they simply hold a partly with them, and in a short time this army, like that of the king of France who, with “ten thousand men, marched up the hill and then down again.” They retire to their homes. Does this look like every negro was trembling for his life? Does this look like the fears for his own safety that the infamous hayes represented to the department of justice? Do trembling negroes march 700 strong on a peaceful village, and menace war on a party question? This armed negro band is a speciman of the state of things all over the south. Who armed them? And what for? The white people, we are sorry to say, are not so armed. Then from this arming where are we to look for the spirit of aggression that betokens a “war of races?” The truth is that this whole batch of calumnies. That runs with the volume and velocity of a mill-race to Washington, is a cry of “stop thief!” The reverse of the charge is true, and the threatened war, if war there is to be, will come from, and not be carried into arion. These demonstrations prove that it is high time the people of the south were arming themselves. They afford strong ground to prove that the carpet bag and renegade leaders of the negroes will expose the county to the “race war” they profess to fear, if necessary to keep fast hold upon the taxes and the property of this people, men who will lie with such uncompromising malice as they have proved themselves capable of, are not too good to drench a land in blood in order to have the opportunity to plunder it.

Sources for

063-18740909-001