The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-12-14
NEWTON COUNTY.
A Fall Expose of the Radical Ras-
caIity Attempt 10 Curry
the County.
UIsdeard Of Iriling agith the Rights of the
People.
Splendid Subjects for Ihe I'm.
forcenent Act 10 work zpon.
DECATUR, MISS. Dec. 1st. 1871.

sketch OF the ways and means " by
which the Williams attempted to carry our
county at the late election.
Z. ). Swan began to plot to carry the
electioO in July, when he had some citizens
OF the county arrested so that he - could
control tie county better" (by intinlida-
ton 1t is supposedly In the appointment of
the Registrars, he appointed drunken
negro knave. named w. j. Brown, ana had
him under complete control. The first
week of registration, Brown was at Deca-
tur teaching school, although he knew
when and where to go to be with the other
Registrars, and Swan knew that he was not
at his d0ty. The second week he was no.
tilted to be with the Registrars by one of the
Board of Commissioners, and was reported
five other times by the other Registrars for
not being in attendance. He was not at
the registration at Lawrence or Centreville,
and only part of the time at New Ireland.
and therefore could not have qualified
either white or black, aud at Union signed
the following confirmation of the above
charge:
Il hereby certify that 1 approve Of the
:" registration of the legal voters by J. A
=" Giles and K. d. Beattie at LAWRENCE. Cen
" treville and New Ireland, in Newton
" county while was not with them, and |
= fully endorse the said registration as be-
sing correct, the same as if | had been
with them" w. j. BROWN"
Union, Sept. Nth, ISL
Notwithstanding this they concluded to
register at those places aad did so, though
those who had been registered were not re-
sworn, but new certificates were given
them, all hGring been stoorH by Giles or
Beattie, yet none of the whites were per-
mitted to vote and the negroes were, though
all having registered in the same way and
under the same circumstances. At New
Ireland it was agreed that Brown. the ne
gro, should qualify the blacks and Giles the
white, Brown being incompetent and not
6 apt" in administering the oath.
At Hickory Brown was absent two days.
during which time most of the whites and
blacks registered, and of course were not
sworn by Brown; yet the votes of the
whites were thrown out, and those Of the
negroes counted. He was absent a great
part of the time at other places, preaching,
etc.
Both Giles and Beattie swore shat Brown
was never molested, nor did any disturbance
occur at any place of registration, nor did
the whites refuse to be sworn by the negro
Except in single instance, and that not
directly.) Every thing went on smoothly
until the Registrars were through their
round, and the registration was completed,
except the three days before the election
Swan and Howard then called the board of
Commissioners together, and in a secret
meeting removed Giles and Beattie, and APP
pointed Dick Bounds ard II. w. Doolittle
Or. w. ID. refused to serve) in their stead.
Howard then appointed Wash Bounds as
the Democratic member (though known
TO be a radically Did you ever hear of a
Radical beng appointed TO personate a Dem
ocrat before?
Light began now to break upon the minds
of the people what that incest trick in the
tcorld'' meant. After the Democratic NOM
nations were made the radicals and their
adherents tried to get some Independents
out and told them that they had "Gice
trick" fixed up, and it turned out that it was
to be the throwing out Of the white or
Democratic vose. They failed in the indie
pendent line.
The old Board of Registrars had made an
appointment for registration, ETC., for three
days prior to the election, beginning Thurs
day before the election, and the citizens
having heard of the contemplated villaAny,
some OF them went before the Board to
know If it was true, and on Friday they
gave their opinion that the whole of the
registration Of the old Board was illegal,
except as to those the negro Brown had
sworn. While the old Board had the regis
tration books, no marks or remarks were
entered in the column headed Remarks"
except a few to have their districts changed,
yet when the new Board opened at the ap-
pointed time, w. j, Brown was found in
the column of Remarks, opposite the names
said to be sworn by him. Taking his affi-
davit or word as to those they wished to
retain or throw out, but not letting any one
know where the satisfactory proof was
being taken,a so without notice or chance
to prevent it. orer one thousand uotes were
DISTINGUISHED on the word of one corrupt
tool. Several citizens offered to register but
were refused on the plea, you had a chance
They are all nice subjects of the enforce
ment act.
Swan and one of the Registrars made out
the Poll Books leaving off the names OF
the white voters Tor nearly all of them and
the instructions to the Inspectors in Evans
writing. Here are some of them: "If any
imam says he has lost his registration GER
stificaue look in this book for his name, If
.syou find his name here give him dupll-
"cate and let him vote according TO his
sname and number on this book" What
he means by according to his name and
number is not known. This lis for the
"Inspectors at the outer districts"
THE ballots and poll books must be In
Decatur by 30 O'Clock on Wednesday. No
person but the officers appointed by the
Registrars be allowed to come in except the
voters.'' He verbally instructed Charles
Sandee (who refused TO serve under the Ii
structions), at Hickory, to receive the Dem
ocratic votes, box (tear them up). To Jor-
dan Nelson, at Lawrence, be gave the same
| or about the same, instructions. He refused
to carry them out. So also to tie Inspee'
tors at Willis box. At Moore's mill hs
rave instructions not to receive them unless
..they made a FUSS about it. and then e
throw them away. There they refused t6
receive them, (the only place in the county
that did SOY. AT Decatur they were sub
| stantially the same.
The Board of Registrars, sitting at Deca-
tur, refused to have any clerks. Nor dif
they ever have any from beginning to end
ing, though their manner of CONDUCTING
the election was protested against at every
/ point.
Barnum must have these Registrars Il
show people in other States how 70 hold al
election, his collections viii never be com
plete without them.
They began by having the Sheriff put tn
4 raar,nrratir cl,aflas,ger cant ar the room. Ther