The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-15
MISSISSIPPI.
How the Election was aOsrriad-OutraRes
On tho Freedmen,
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune at


correspondent of the Chicago Tribune at
Holly Springs, Miss. says:-
although the election Is over and the excite.
ment in measure subsidized the Rebels are still
thirsting Tor blood, only yesterday man ar
rived here On foot FROM near Water Valley, a
small town in Talabusha county, about fifty
miles distant. He was driven from his home by
the Ku-Klux Klan for having voted the radical
ticket. He is an old mau, who, having worked
all his life for his master, is driven from his
home for being Union man. Having labored
hard this summer he had a fine crop gro wing
which he will probobly lose, Surely If there is
justice in Heaven, such outrages will not go
unpunished.
"At the same place two men we're whipped,
one OF whom will probably die from injuries
ceived. Their only crime was loyalty to the
Government.
"Mr. Phillips school teacher and pastor OF
a church at Oxford, Lafayette county, vas here
yesterday. HIS life is threatened because he
wrote letter 10 the Jackson Pl0t, exposing the
outrsges committed by the Rebels in that
county. He says that when the election began,
the lr edmen were told If they could not vote
the Democratic ticket they must not vote with
the radicals, for by so doing they would make
themselves enemies of their former friends,
their masters. Succeeding in intimldating them
SO far that they were atalh to vote the radical cal
Democratic ticket or they would be considered
enemies any how. Meantimea dozen or SO were
arrested under the frivolous excuse OF their not
giving their names exactly as registered, and
the colored men were so frightened that they
voted the Democratic ticket in body. After
having thus voted, many of them complained
that they did so against their will; but the
Rebel Democracy quietly informed them that
such talk would not be allowed.
II send you the above well authenticated
facts In regard to outrages in Lafayet county,
as an indication of the conduct of the Rebels all
over the State In many places there we're not
go much violence aud intimidation used; in
many Others great deal more, Down on the
Yazoo they shot a negro, cut his throat, and
hands behind him throw
the river.
"The Commissioners of Election in every
county were insulted in every possible manner,
without being subject to open violence; and, If
they dared reply, pistols and knives were in
sight in an instant.
Truly it has been reign of terror all over
the state People of the North will scarcely
realize the extent and hendisn character OF
Rebel violence.
''The loyal people of this State charge the
Democratic Central Committee the Rebel
stump orators and editors of this State, with
deliberate aud premeditaed attempt to prevent
O fair election.
" Some time ago the Central Committee
issued q circular TO the freedmen, telling them
that, by joining the Loyal League, they rem
dered Themselves liable TO imprisonment in the
penitentiary and a fine Of a thousand dollars.
They declared (Hhst they knew was false. if
they knew anything about IT. that the object
OF the Loyal League was 10 compel men to vote
the radical ticket
'In addition to this meauness, they tried to
produce Ine impression among the Fecuueh
that the Democratic party was in favor of lm-
partial suffrage.
ITO understand more fully the aulacio Is i'm.
pudence OF the charge against the Loyal League
and their threat OF fines and imprisonment it
is necess airy to bear in mind that the Ku-kluX
Klan is organized IN every county OF the state,
and that its object is violence aud Assassination.
"They ended their address with threat that
If they (the freedmen) voted the radical ticket,
they would never in the future give them any
employment.
This document, and others of Ike character,
served both as a threat to the freedmen and a
! frebrand among the KS, inturiatlng them and
renoerlng fair election imOossbe in this State.
The result has been that the election just past
has 10 parallel for outrageous violence in the
history of our country"