New-York tribune., 1875-02-05
The ANALYSIS or SoUrHERy oUrEAGES
CONGRESSMAN BUCKNER's LETTER on TIE ALLEGED
POLITICAL MURDERS IN ALABAMA.

CONGRESSMAN DUCKNERS LETTER on TIE ALLEGED
POLITICAL MURDERS IN ALABAMA.
Senator Thurman of Ohio during his speech
Oh Louisiana in the UDted States Senate, Wednes-
day jan ~ in referring to the assertion that there had
also been outrages in Alabama said that he had
ceived letter from member Of tho House OF Repre-
sentatIyeS, who on the Committee OF the House
that went TO that State to investigate its condition Tho
Chief Clerk Of the Senate then read the letter, which
was written by Congressman Buckncr OF Missouri Be
low is the letter:
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES, UNITED STATEs,l
WASHINGTON, ID. C.. jan 2j. 1876.
SIR. 7 was mucn surprised 10 near Senator Sherman
lending the weight of his character tine slander the
puber Of murders that had taken place in that state
While it is stated by these gentlemen that these
thousand murders were political assasslnatiOns.
it TO be so understood venture the opinion that it
will be found 10 be arOciOus misrepresentation with
the smallest amount Of truth 10 support It, l
come to this conclusion from the testimony adduced
before the Alabama Committee appointed by the
diton Of affairs that State during the late political
Campaign You Will rccOect the letter OF the Hon Charles
HAYS TO the Hon. Joseph RHawey, specifying numerous
outrages that had taken place from about the l., OF
July to the 18th OF September 1914 and also telcGra-
nbic dispatches to the same effect publlahed in the
northern papers The number Of murders thus stated
as having occurred in the counties OF ChOctaw,
Marengo, Sumter. Pickens, Green and Coffee (lll OF
which are included in Mr. Hays's congressional
district except last and which within the
space of TWO months and half amounts to &c. to say
nothing of 20 or 80 wounded With the exception OF the
murder of Billings and Ivey in Sumter County
the former white and the latter colOred mani there
was not a particle OF evidence before the Com
mitee that any such killings had taken place IN either
of these Counties, and thoY were proved to DO un-
founded as far as a negative can be.
was of the subcommittee that examined witnesses
in sumter County for daysnear tho center
alleged outragesand with tne exceptions have mem
toned witness stated that any such hOmcides, or
any homcides at all, had occurred IN these cOun-
ties stated in the Hawley letter the telcgraphc
dispatch referred 10. The evidence Of
publication Will confirm my statement every jOt and
tittle.
But il by murders Is 10 be understood all homicdes OF
every description, including the killing OF negroes by
negroes and the iusthable killing OF and white
men in the perperation Of felony, such robbery,
arson burglary rape, &C. then there may be
bance OF truth this statement Of General Sheridan,
indorsed by Senator Sherman. L was informed by q
gentleman In Montgomery County, Alabama, that at
the time there the jail OF tho county contained
upward OF 100 prisoners awaiting trial. principally for
felony that all negroes except one two, and
that there not less than dozen murders that
county during the year 1874 and all OF them committed
by negroes upon negroes. This county has largo Re-
publican majority aud has been entirely under the
troll OF the negroes since recOnstrucon. Iapprehend
mat thorough investigation as to these thousand
ders In Louisiana Will show that at least fourfths OF
ali that have been committed have political signlf
cance whatever which Gen. Sheridan knows II Senator
Sherman not. have the honor 10 be- your obedI
ent servant, A. Ii. BUCKEER.
Hon. a. "a. THURMAN.