The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-03-11

| Sl1neIuA WHICH
{ / day, to all of which / paid little or nj
! attention, but continued in the dis
charge of my duty. Next the crowC
began TO abuse. intimidate, and threat
en- those who took Union republican
tickets and voted or attempted to vote
them. | tried To instil confidence il
the minds of the colored men, voters
and that they need not apprehend
any danger; hat they would be pro-
tected in their rights and persons by
the officers of election and the guard
This caused some to vote, but as the
day advanced abuse, intimidation, and
threats increased. No arrests were
made to my knowledge,as il was deem
ed advisable and prudent not to weak
en- the small guard by the custody of
prisoners. 1t was evident that all that
could be done at most would be to
keep the crowd at bay for the day from
| OVerpowering the guard, and cause
| general riot and bIoodshed. Many
! colored voters, | am informed, left
| without voting, in consequence of well
grounded fears OF violence from the
| crowd of whites. One colored man.
named John Williams, was assaulted
| and struck in tie face until the blood
! flowed, amp cut through his clothes,
with knife, by a white man named
1 Charley Frank, for bringing a coIored
/ voter TO me for ticket, which he in.
| tended TO. and did, vote. The white
| man was not arrested. nor any atten-
( ton paid TO it as far as | could see
! Many intimidations and threats of va
rious kinds were made to celored yo-
Cers if they voted the republican tick
ct. | will give a few of those reported
10 me who intended to vote the re-
publican ticket, and who left without
voting in consequence of the conduct
of the crowd OF white men around the
polls. Others left, but | could obtain
but few names, and these were as
follows: Charles Powers. (colored)
who lives with Mr.. Marshal Martin.
FOUR miles from LoaXahoma; Daniel
Lee, (colOred) lives with a Mr.. Lee
George Carter, lives with a Mr.. Ben.
Walker; George Cole, lives with DIR.
Melams. An Investigation will bring
many more TO light. | offered a color
ed man a ticket within 10 feet of the
Judge of election. On the back of the
ticket was an impression of tie United
States flag. The ticket was snatched
out of my hand by white man before
the colored man could take il, and the |
individual who snatched it from nv
hand lciped his pOSterj0r with il, and |
with an oath said that that was all that !
flag was fit for, and then threw it on |
the ground. He was Justify applauded |
for this act by the crowd of whites, |
who added many other vulgar re-
marks, accompanied by curses upon |
the Union flag. As it was not my duty |
nor in my power to stop such proceed |
ings, | reported the conduct of the |
crowd to the officers of election, and |
requested that something be done, if |
possible, to stop the abuse heaped upon |
peaceable, quiet men and insults to |
ouL country's flag, but the officer did |
nothing TO put stop to it as far as my |
knowledge goes, and L do not think |
anything could have well been done |
by the officers without more assistance
and a stronger guard. l paid no at
tention to any abuse heaped upon me
all day, nor the threats of violence to
me personally. L endeavOred, howev-
CT, as far as within my power, to in
still confidence in the minds of voters,
bnt the conduct, language, and actions |
of the crowd were such that my words
were too much at variance with the |
acts OF the crowd to inStil any consid-
cradle degree of safety in the minds
of colOred voters; and | beg leave to
state, in sum and substance, that fair
expression of the registered voters at
LoaXahoma precinct polls at the cleo
ton held there June %, 1868, was not
had in consequence of a crowd of
about rs or 100 riotous white men
around the polls. and that persons who
ATTEMPTED or did vote the Union re-
publican ticket had just cause to fear
abuse and violence, and were abused |
and threatened.
| left the polls about p. m. The
iudpe of election informed me 1S6 had
voted, (out of 3l2 registered voters: 1
learn since 100 vOted.) most of whom
were white voters.
l proceeded from LoaXahoma to |
Senatobia, the next voting precinct,
and arrived there at a. ~, June 23d,
1868. | had been in the town but 4
few moments when L was again beset
and abused by some white men, some
of whom had seen at LoAXahonIa the
day previous. | replied 10 them that
[ would no longer stand and take their
abuse that they must leave me alone; |
and that | would defend myself from
any further violence or abuse. Dead
ly weapons were in sight in an instant.
L called upon the guard, who immedi-
ately took to their arms. l left the
town of Senatobia and moved to the
adjacent woods. Here one of the most
prominent and respectable citizens OF
the town Informed me that some OF
The citizens had met the night previous
and had resolved To assist III preserv-
ing the peace, but that he dreaded the
worst. and thought that riot or row
would occur. L had been advised by
respectable citizens who were friends
of mine, not TO proceed any farther, |
for my life would surely be taken. L
felt certain OF this from all / had seen
and heard, and, believing that riot
and bIoodshed would result if | re-
NAMED as commissioner, and that no
road xE-a1lH result NV remaining |
aud as a fair eXpve ssion of the voters
was utterly impossible under these cir
cumstances, L deemed it my duty to
return to my home and report to you
and YOUR honorable committee the |
state of affairs.
| have also reported in substance the
facts herein detailed ID the command
ing officer at Grenada, and requested
a stronger guard, in charge of a COM
misSioned officer, to protect us: and
that | was compelled TO flee with my
family TO place of safety, as | am
constantly watched and frequently
followed by persons who designed
taking my life either by assassination
or overpowering numbers. L would
further report that no one is accom-
panying the officers of election with
Union republican tickets through the |
following precincts Senatobia, Whit
sis, Arkabutta, and Coldwater, as all
these precincts were all in my route,
and hence there will be none or very
few republican votes cast, and hence
many voters will not vote. / would,
therefore, respectfully request, as COM
missioner of election and as a candi-
date on the Union republican ticket
for member of the Legislature, that
such steps be taken by your honorable
committee as to insure fair election;
and | hereby contest the election in
DeSoto county, on the ground that
fair expression of the qualified voters
in the county was and could not be
had at the election commenced June
22d, 1868.
/ await your further orders.
With great esteem, your most ODE
dent servant,
THEO. WISEMAN,
Commissioner of Election, DeSoto
County, Mississippi.
Hon. JAMES WIER-
Chairman Committee, DC,
Jackson, Mississippi.
DESoTo COUNTY, MIssIssIPPLl
January 3, 1869.
DEAR SIR: Since last September we
have been hODinp that Congress would