The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-03-11
OLIVE BRANCH, MIsS..l
nafnhaF 1919

OLIVE BRANCH. MIss-l
October D, 1868.
Dear Sir: Your favor of the 23d
ult. Just received and contents noted.
1t would be simply impossible, in my
opinion, to get the evidence you desire
in affidavits. Parties who had knowl-
edge of facts and expected to lire in
country, would be very 10th to make
\ such affidaVits; nor do l know of any
proper person here who would proba-
! bly take one. / do not feel myself safe
| now, and it would be far otherwise if
| l were to engage in getting up these
affidayits. / have been repeatedly no.
| titled to leave this country; THAT my
/ days were mum bered," etc. and my
| best friends have earnestly advised me
| TO go to save my life; parties III whose
| families | have been the regular ply
| stefan for fourteen years, do not speak
| 10 me, or only to speak in insult, and
1 subject me to every possible annoy
ance and Inconvenience. And yet,
you will recollect that in the Conven-
| ton | was in favor of keeping strictly
To the reconstruction acts, and oppOs-
ed all acknowledgements. Here We
haYe had no meetings, public or secret;
no speeches; all this has happened
simply because ! faV ored recousJruc-
ton, and dared and still dare to call
my sell a republican,.
There was no violence at the polls
at this box. L have heard of it al
other boxes, but was not present at
any other voting place.
Threats" ''IHtimidatiOR," Gc.-It
was often publicly declared that they
would hire no negroes who voted THE
Id radical ticket; that they were
their enemies; and this was urged
with such force and Vehememce pre-
vious to the election, that it was the
main cause why the colored men did
not vote. And this is the democratic
doctrine of to-day, and Will, l appre-
bend, by the time the crops are out, be
the cause of much suffering among the
cOlOred people who voted for the con
stitution, unless something is done for
their relief.
- Fraud'-I hear of it, but know of
none practiced at this place. The polls |
were not opened so soon as the law re- |
quired by an hour, in consequence of |
the non-appearance of Capt. Rodgers, |
sheriff and retained registrar, and |
were closed an hour sooner at this |
box, though L do not suppose that it |
made much difference in the result. |
Neither at this place was there any |
notice set up publicly, that L ever
heard of, of the time the registrars |
would give registration papers to those
entitled to them. l asked the sheriff |
about it. He said he gave them to a
man who promised to set them up for
him. 1t certainly was the policy OF |
the clubs to keep this from the negroes, |
and the club at Olive Branch certainly |
had the proper notices in their posses
session but were never set up. The |
trick succeeded very well. The ne
groes were kept pretty ignorant in re-
gard to this matter.
L send you an extract from my last /
Memphis Post. Such things come to
our ears nearly every day, and have
been perpetrated within mile or two
of us.
You see | have sent you a very |
worthless letter, the reason in part has
been explained, beside | have not the |
time to gather up the facts, as you de-
sire them, at once. If do not write /
you this very hour, l may not have the
opportunity of sending it till mail
till next Friday, when it may be too
late to reach your meeting. ! might
rive YOU more information if L had |
an opportunity of conversing with
other white REPUBLICANS of the county,
but such as declare themselves fairly
and ea~araIy rnnublicans, with the
exception of Judge Vance, L do -nt
know that they are to be found III the
county.
Did you receive my letter written
about the lst ultimo, directed to Jack
son? There is no allusion to it in
yours.
You will, probably, urge some def
mite action on Congress. What are
your views? Had | time 1 would like
to communicate mine to you. | would |
for a moment like to get the hearing OF
the reconstruction committee; what
ever plan may be adopted i hope it
may be based on loyalty alone. Moth
ing else promises harmony. We have
tried enough, we have trifled enough.
and | hope we have suffered about |
enough. We have right to the protec- |
ton of that government to which we
owe our allegiance. Happily, the po-
litical skies are Frightening, and every |
day adds to the certainty of the elec-
ton of our glorious leaders, Grant and
Colfax. grander result than that at
AppomatoX. Pardon mistakes. Write
soon.
Very respectfully,
Your Obedicnt servant,
HORATIO n. BALLARD.
Hon. w. H. GIBBS,
Chairman Com. of Fire Jackson, Miss.