The Fairfield Herald

A Disgraceful Outrage in Florida.

The press of the country will soon find enough to chronicle in the way of lawless and proscriptive violence, without going to Tennessee, if the infamous outrage perpetrated upon our citizens on the border of this county, on last Friday, shall remain unpunished.

On that day, a quiet country school house near the road of the Suwannee and Leon county, filled with men and women from the neighborhood, who had gone thither to witness the examination of the children at the close of the school, was suddenly surrounded by an armed mob of negroes, and guards stationed around with orders to shoot any one who should attempt to pass the lines, while others rushed into the house itself, demanding the surrender of a negro named Ryal.

The sudden irruption of this armed and yelling mob upon a scene so quiet, created a panic among the women and children, who ignorant of the precise danger without, rushed frantically from the building through the doors and windows, while the white men, unarmed and surprised, could only vainly try to ascertain the cause of this indignity, and to persuade the maddened throng to cease from violence. Fortunately the men who had been stationed with orders to fire upon all who should attempt to escape, moved either by pity or some ray of common sense, disregarded the order, and women and children were soon hurrying away from the unknown danger.

In the meantime these sable warriors, having put to flight the peaceful occupants of the house, discovered Ryal, a colored man, the object of their search seated on a table outside of the house, and although he was known to be a helpless cripple, unable to walk a step, a few of the more resolute advanced upon him with their arms at a charge and caused him to surrender.

It may be a matter of some interest to know what crime against the laws of the country, this poor cripple had committed, which could in any way palliate so flagrant a breach of the peace. It was this: Ryal, for some time past, we understand, has been traveling through different neighborhoods, endeavoring to collect funds for the building of a school house for the children of freedmen, and while thus engaged he has, both in public and private, urged his fellow freedmen not to trust the protestations of Northern emissaries, but to vote with the Southern people.

This arch conspirator having been captured, a council of war was held, and it was determined to bring him before Capt. Grunwell, of the Bureau in Monticello, and accordingly having placed Ryal upon a horse they took up their line of march to this place; camped out about a mile from town, and the next morning having left their arms, we believe at the camp, with a rabble route they presented themselves with their prisoner before this functionary.

The Captain after hearing the case, startled these sable patriots with the announcement that this was a free country, and Ryal had the right of free speech, however heterodox his political opinions might be, and advised his captors to depart at once to their several fields of industry.—Monticello (Fla.) Gazette.