The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-11-07
Public Meeting of the Citizens of
Georgetown, Miss.

The chairman, the Hon. P S. Catching
proceeded to explain, in few brief and ap-
propriaIe remarks, the object of the meet
ing.
Late events, he said, had revealed the as
founding and alarming fact, that there is
man in our midst who is engaged in tamper-
ing and using incendiary language with slaves.
The citizens were now called together to hear
and judge of these facts-to say whether they
were conclusive as to the guilt Of the man
implicated, and to decide on the proper steps
to be taken in the premises. He invoked for
the meeting calmness in considering the evil
dence that might be brought before it, and
manly firmness in deciding on and prosecu-
ting such steps as it might see proper to pur-
sue, and suggested that the gentlemen, at
whose instance the assembly bad met should
state the circumstances that had caused and
confirmed their suspicious.
On motion of A. Steele, a committee OF
thirteen was appointed by the chair to report
resolutions expressive Of the sense of the
meeting, as to its action upon the case after
the testimony should be considered.
Messrs. John Middleton, Slay and Myers,
and others came forward, and made state
ments to the meeting, establishing, beyond a
doubt in the minds Of every one present, that
Hilery J. Lanier had been guilty Of tamper-
ing and using incendiary language with slaves.
The witnesses having been heard and ques-
toned, the meeting adjourned until o'clock,
p. m, to allow the committee time to re-
port.
At the call the people re-asSembled, and
the committee reported the following pream-
bic and resolutions
WHEREAS, From the evidence produced
before this meeting, the conclusion is forced
upon our minds, that HiIery j Lanier, citi-
zen of this county, has been tampering and
using incendiary language with slaves.
And whereas, the evidence is not such as
to convict him in court Of justice, yet is so
corroborated by circumstances that we can
have no reasonable doubt of his guilt
And whereas, it is incumbent on US as ci-
tizens to take such action in the premises as
shall protect our rights and give confidence to
the community. Therefore, be it resolved.
1st That the said Hilery J. Lanier be and
he is hereby requested to remove from this
county within thirty days after he shall have
notice of this preamble and resolutions, and
that he shall not, under any circumstances,
return to this county, under the penalty
hereinafter prescribed for not leaving the
county.
I'd. That if the said Hilary J. Lanier shall
not remove from this county within the said
period of thirty days, he shall receive on his
bare back one hundred lashes, well laid on,
and the same be repeated every day that he
shall be found in the county.
On motion of N. G. Norman, the report
was received and agreed to and the resolu-
tions unanimously adopted as the act Of this
meeting. 1t was decided by the committee
that description CT him accompany the pub
lcation of the acts Of the meeting.
On motion it was resolved that the procee-
dings of this meeting be published in the
Mississippi Mirror, and that all newspapers in
the South be requested to notice and pass him
around.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
P S. CATCHING, Pres.
w. B. BRENT, Sec'y.
HiIery j. Lanier is about sixty years of age /;
has gray hair, blue eyes, is about 5 feet 10
inches high, and is very corpulcnt speaks
rather slowly.