The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-03-11
CoLDwATER, DESoTo Co. MIss..l
SeDtembpr 26. 1868. {

September 20, 1865.
DEAR SIR: Yours of the DIST inst.
is at hand. / was glad that you wrote
me, for | must confess that | was in
perfect ignorance of everything coa-
nrcted with the intentions of the party
in this State. L take but one paper
the Memphis Post-and it contains
very little news from this State. In
regard to procuring attidavits. YOU
know the difficulty. No one, black or
white, in this county, will venture t.
make an oath i'll favor OF his princi
pies and remain here. All the officer,
competent TO administer an oath in
this county were elected to their offi-
ces for their devotion to the lost
cause" and they all belong to secret
societies which pledge them TO infiiet
an injury upon their political opposers
in their power. Let me give YOU al
illustration of this. There are some
Twenty-Five families of Union people
living near this place. About the time
of the State election, the magistrates
at Senatoba (the next depot south OF
this) employed a straggler to go among
these people for month, and at the
end of that time the straggler rushed
into Senatobia and reported that these
Union people were trying to murder
IL.
The magistrates issued warrants for
twentv-one Unionists, and they were
arrested, and all the neigh boring mag
istrates sent tor, and large concourse
of the devoted" assembled. Two
DAYS were spent in examining these
criminals before a court that was
pledged to do them all the iniury in
their power, but it was evident that
they wished that injury to extend no
further than to run the Union senti-
ments out of the country. The ITnion-
lists stuck out and defended the suits.
were bound in bond for their appear
ance at the next term of the Circuit
Court. They appeared at court with
sixty witnesses, to prove an abb in
every Instance in which the straggler
accused them. The ku- klux court
hacked down, and put the trial off I'M
til the next term OF the court, when
meets next February; hoping, by this
means of annoying and vexino. to in
duee those men to quit the country-
We had no hope of receiving anv as
sistance from the military, because il
has been currently circulated through
this section that General GilIem is in
disposed to act in such cases. l wrote
to Mr.. Frederick Speed. Vicksburg,
for some advice on the subject. but,
owing TO his absence from the city. |
did not get an answer until few DAYS
ago. Now, an investigation of this
matter by military commission will
give all the information that you will
want in regard to election matters in
this county. If you can secure a COM
mission; whether democrat or republi-
can. it will disclose facts sufficient to
the mind of any honest man to show
how Union men are prosecuted here.
Other affidavits may be taken at the
same time to show you what means
were resorted to to defeat the consti-
tuition.
am willing to unite with my Union
friends on any policy in regard to State
matters that will place the country
under a loyal government. / could
not hope for success under the late ar
rangement in this State. In the first
place every Office was filled by the
most uncompromising rebels in this
portion of the State.
The board of registrars were de-
moraIiZed by them, and one of the
registrars was heard to denounce the
Constitution in the severest terms
whenever he opened the polls. If
Union men had been placed in all the
offices, and the election held but one
day, and not been held in the busiest
season. without the assistance of reg
istrars, the State would have given 3d.
600 Union majority. Therefore, you
may see that my idea would be TO ill
the offices with Uni0a men and then
hold the election again, and let IL take
place in December or January next ]
Will guarantees that this county win