non-slaveholding whites, who, even previous to the war, seemed to be more
ardent in their pro-slavery feelings than the planters themselves, are
possessed by a singularly bitter and vindictive feeling against the
colored race since the negro has ceased to be property. The pecuniary
value which the individual negro formerly represented having disappeared,
the maiming and killing of colored men seems to be looked upon by many as
one of those venial offences which must be forgiven to the outraged
feelings of a wronged and robbed people. Besides, the services rendered by
the negro to the national cause during the war, which make him an object
of special interest to the loyal people, make him an object of particular
vindictiveness to those whose hearts were set upon the success of the
rebellion. The number of murders and assaults perpetrated upon negroes is
very great; we can form only an approximative estimate of what is going on
in those parts of the south which are not closely garrisoned, and from
which no regular reports are received, by what occurs under the very eyes
of our military authorities. As to my personal experience, I will only
mention that during my two days sojourn at Atlanta, one negro was stabbed
with fatal effect on the street, and three were poisoned, one of whom
died. While I was at Montgomery, one negro was cut across the throat
evidently with intent to kill, and another was shot, but both escaped with
their lives. Several papers attached to this report give an account of the
number of capital cases that occurred at certain places during a certain
period of time. It is a sad fact that the perpetration of those acts is
not confined to that class of people which might be called the rabble.
Several "gentlemen of standing" have been tried before military
commissions for such offences.

These statements are naturally not intended to apply to all the
individuals composing the southern people. There are certainly many
planters who, before the rebellion, treated their slaves with kindness,