The most disturbing aspect of this article is the account of the burning of a convicted Negro at the stake. This is the account of the burning of the stake of Samuel Hase on Sunday April 23, 1900. People were so excited to secure a ‘souvenir’ that they were nearly fighting over the ashes of the dead man. People fled the scene with armloads of his bones. The man had been punished without trial or even evidence. The author explains how the crowd would scramble to get pieces of the man that had been cut off as he was tied to the post with the flames dancing around him. Trophies such as ears, toes and fingers were a popular prize but half-burned bones and skin were also taken from the scene and kept by the townspeople. Events such as this were so common that the burning had been announced earlier in the day and a ‘burning-special train’ loaded up with passengers to go witness the event. All in all there were over two thousand viewers.

In the article appears an account of the fickleness of the rebels when one of their own adopts an ideology that even barely resembles that of the Republicans. The article explains the story of General Longstreet. Longstreet was a fixture of the Southern army. He was popular, well respected and second only to General Lee. After the war’s end, he found himself a very comfortable, respectable living. The Republican congress wanted to Southern states to only be admitted back into the Union upon acceptance of Negro suffrage. The public sought the advice of the army Generals to guide them on which course to choose. Longstreet wrote a letter to a newspaper suggesting that perhaps the South should give the plan for reconstruction a valid try. If they were to face major problems with reconstruction he had faith that congress would make changes as needed. When the newspaper was published the editor had labeled Longstreet, in print, as a traitor to the confederation, a deserter and was accused of joining the ranks of the enemy. The newspapers would not even print the General’s letter and word was circulating among all mediums. As a result, the General lost friends, employment and his reputation. The author tells us how the rebels vilified Longstreets name and circulated rumors that he had sold out himself so he could receive a seat in the Republican government.

In the last decade of the 19th century over sixteen hundred Americans were lynched, all of who did not have a trial. None were officially proven guilty, just suspected or accused and all happened at the hands of violent mobs. In the eight months of the new century over one hundred more were slain.

The author tells us of another story somewhat linked to the last one. Dr. Sanders was a leaguer and was devout to the Democratic Party. He employed a black nurse in his household who was John Gair (who had been one of the Republicans chased out of town)’s wife’s younger sister. A scheme was setup where Dr. Sanders would pretend to suffer from an attempted poisoning and have physicians acknowledge the details of his poisoning. Dr. Sanders maintained that he knew the nurse, Babe Matthews, had poisoned him because he glared at him evilly as he drank from his cup. Babe was arrested, illegally held, and the Democrats spread the news that a plot to assassinate Dr. Sanders had been set in motion by the Radical Republicans. With Babe being held under arrest she was forced to confess through torture. She was forced to sign an affidavit saying that she acquir

Some topics in this essay:
Civil War, Hase April, Longstreet Longstreet, Carpetbaggers Northerners, Republican Party, Library Congress, Northern Republican, White League, South Capt, Dr Sanders, dr sanders, white league, john gair, charges pressed, author explains, rode town, ray gair, account burning, lost friends, article account,