New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-17
Letter from Mississippi.

Letter from Mississippi.
FLOREYvILLE, BOLIVAR Co., MISS,
October 4, 1872.
To the Editor of the Ne,c National Era:
While resting in the Office of my friend,
Col. Bruce-the sheriff of this county,
thought line or SO concerning what we have
seen thus far--on our tour with the Governor
in canvassing the State-would not be amiss.
At the request of the Governor, agreed
accompany him as fa- as my previous en-
sagement with my friends, Hon. John H.
Lynch and Col. S. J. Ireland would per-
me.
OUR TRIP.
We left Vicksburg ON Saturday, 2sth ult.,
on the steamer Pargoud, for Mcyersville,
and arrived there early on Sunday morning
we were met and kindly taken care Of by
Sheriff Scott, (or sherills, you know, in this
State, arc among our monied officers, and
they always show strangers that the rough
duties of their offices do not wear off the fine
edges of their hospitality Representatives
Griggs and Houston, Captain Presley, and
others. After enjoying such breakfast as
only sherifls' wives can prepare, bugges and
wagons were brought up and placed at our
disposal. We Immediately awaited ourselves
Of the pleasure of riding through the sur
rounding country. And the agreeable feel
ing and gladness with which we beheld the
vast, vast cotton-fclds, covered with the
finest cotton We ever saw, and cultivated
(and in great many cases Owned) by the col
ored people; and the contentment exhibited
by the owners Of the fields were as good a
sermon to us on that Sabbath morn as could
be heard from the pulpit. To see God man
ifssted in nature is sometimes as impressive
as to see God manifested in the flesh.
On Monday, according to appointment, the
people from the country commenced coming
into town early in the morning, and by IL
O'Clock we had as large a crowd as we could
expect on the first day of the week in picking
season. Representative Grigggs called the
meeting to order, and, amidst the cheers of
the assembled crowd, introduced
GOVERNOR POWER.
The Governor gave them a good, whole
some, and effective speech of about an hours
length. His remarks against Greeley were
effective, Iut lis laudations of Grant were
still more effective. He was repeatedly
cheered, and closed amid the hurrahs of the
vast audience.
The next speaker was our friend
G. w. DAVENPORT.
He followed in the strain of the Governor,
and being known to many persons in the
audience from infancy, they took peculiar
pleasure in listening to a speech from him.
He gave them very substantial reasons for
preferring Grant to Greeley; and, judging
from their frequent expressions of approval,
they will heed his advice and express them
selves at the polls next November.
And the task of closing was allotted to
your humble
We tried to take up what the Governor and
Mr.. Davenport left out, and told them what
we thought about letting our erring brother
Greeley go from the Republican party in the
same manner he was willing to let our erring
sister States go in 1861.
The people were enthusiastic for Grant
and Wilson, and do not know but that We
made some converts from the white ranks of
Greeley and Brown. The county is in fine
condition under the leadership of Messrs.
Scott, Griggs, Houston, Jones, Goodman,
and others. There being no boat coming
up just about the time we were ready to start,
we took a wagon ride of about fifty-five miles
through beautiful country, to our next
destination,
GREENVILLE.
And here, sir, if you wish to see one of
the most beautiful little Yankee towns in the
sunny South, squattng like a lovely swan on
the banks of the noble Mississippi, just come
to Greenville. A committee, headed by
Professor ]. z. Ball, formerly of Cincinnati,
met us and escorted us to apartments pro-
vided for us. Being somewhat weary, we re-
tired without any extraordinary fomalities.
The next day the town was well filled with
people from the surrounding country, and
in answer to music they formed cavalry
procession and paraded the streets.
For hours before the time appointed for
the speaking, the citizens, without distinc-
ton of color or politics, called to pay their
respects to the Governor. And all parties
INDUCED in drinking fine, sparkling cham.
payne, and smoking pure Habanas-allow
us, however, to say that our drinking ended
in putting Habana for every drink our
friends took. After the usual courtesies the
vast crowd assembled on an open square
beautifully shaded with trees, and after a
short opening speech by Chancellor Stafford
we gave the crowd our reasons for asking the
support Of Grant instead of Greeley. A.
stated above, Greenville is a beautiful little
town, of about twenty-five hundred inhabi
tants. 1t has been but recently built up
and everything about it looks fresh and neat
Prof. j. Ball, the famous artist, formerly O
Cincinnati, is located there with his family
and is doing fine business at his profession
there being no opposition to him. He
also president of the Board of Supervisors o
the county. His son is deputy clerk in tn
circuit clerks office, and is rendering salts
faction. Among the leading politicians ar