d upon the City Hall steps in Wilmington to state
their grievances and have them adjusted. Teck Pervis, the chairman of
White Supremacy League of Dry Pond and leader of the raiders on the 10th
of November, pushed his way through the crowd and faced the Mayor, who,
seeing them approaching, had sent forward a platoon of police to
intercept them, but without effect. "I say, Mr. Mare," said the leader,
fumbling with his hat, "we uns heard that you sont orders fer us ter
turn in our guns." "I did give such orders," returned the Mayor calmly.
"Le' me tell yer, Mr. Mare, you uns ain't filled yer contract wid we po'
uns, an' ther hain't er goin' ter be eny turnin' in guns tell yer do."
"State your grievance," commanded the Mayor, in a tone that betrayed the
ugliness of his temper. "You hain't carried out yer promus by a jug
full," said Teck. "We uns have ter have ther pintin' er half er ther new
officers in ther city. We uns war ter be giv'n these big-bug niggers'
houses, churches an' so on. Niggers places in ther sto'es an' every whar
was ter be giv' ter we uns. Now, drot my hides, ef these things air
takin' shape zactly ter suit we uns. Now, we want satisfaction." "Well,"
said the Mayor, "we thank you gentlemen for your zeal in helping us to
rid Wilmington of radical rule, but we are sorry that you misunderstood
us in regard to spoils and so forth. We can't take from the Negro his
property and give it to you, but in cases where he has been timid enough
to give it up (and we have had instances of the kind) we have sustained
the white man. As many of the merchants as could consistently do so have
discharged their black help and put on whites. But complaints are
coming in to me that you can't do their work; that it often takes two
white men to perform one Negro's task. Good and reliable colored help
are leaving the city in alarming numbers, and we must call a halt. Mr.
Skidmore tells me that he tried a few whites at his mill a few days ago
and the result was most unsatisfactory. They couldn't count and pile the
lumber and run the saws, and the scheme is a dead loss. What are we to
do? We have given you the street work, and the police force is full. You
men are not sufficiently educated to fill clerical positions, and even
if you were, we must reserve them for the first families," concluded the
Mayor, with a haughty lift of his head. "Now, Mr. Mare, yo' speech is
all right 'nough, but it don't suit we uns ernough ter give up ther
g