Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-01

statehouse to Colonel Brook. During
Henn's governoTship, the city was per
fecuy quiet. Politics are pretty much
divided on the colOr-line. We made eff
forts to gain over s"me Of the cOloTed
vote, but used no intimidation. If the
Federal government mad not inteTfereG,
we would have had perfect quiet here.
During the few days OF the Penn gov
ernment, l don't believe it would have
been prudent for man to express SYM
pathy with the Kellogg government on
account of the excitement. General
Ogden was asked, on the conclusion Of
his evidence, by Mr.. Potter, to furnish
the names Of the negro men who called
on him for protection, which he did!
Jane, Lewis, cOlOred, late city adj
ministrator, testified that he was ac-
quainted with the condition Of the col
ored people; politically they are Repub-
licans; don't think you can find ten out
OF one hundred who are Democrats;
more voted the Democratic ticket this
election tIan ever before; several rea-
sons are assigned for the cause OF a
change in their vote, but I bslieve the
principal one is that they were afraid Of
losing their situations; there was no sc.
cret organization among the cSlOred
people; knew Of no reason why the
whites should have feared negro viO-
leHeS; never saw colOred men drilling
who did not belong to the militia: there
are only about half dozen Democratic
negroes in the third ward; there were
about fifteen in the procession from the
seventh ward; the Colored Democratic
clubs existed on paper, not in reality
do not think there was Democratic
cub consisting of fifteen men in the
city at any time; thiLS aDOut eighteen
hundred voted the Conservative ticket;
some of them told me they voted the
Republican ticket wrapped up in Con-
seTvRtive ticket for fear of being de-
tected; believe some few of them were
rewarded by appointments; it is said
that many whites who, if they had been
allowed to exercise their political views,
would have voted the Republican ticket;
there were squads OF citizens st every
poll, which intimidated them,
Captain Jeffries, of Rspides parish,
testified that the election in Alexandria
passed off quietly; there was a comps-
ny OF United States infantry encamped
in the square, and squads of soldiers
were sent to four polling places in the
parish; the day preceding the election
Major Ballinger told me he had instruc-
tions to furnish troops whenever lequired
by the Republican party; six boxes
were thrown out by the returning board;
Mr.. Roy entered u protest against five
boxes in the parish; no secret organi-
zatlon in Rapides; l addressed the col
Ored people by invitation; twenty-seven
cOlored meu on my plantation voted the
Conservative ticket; there was no in
limitation; Federal officer told me il
was the quietest election he ever saw;
the cOlored people voted Conservative
because of the inetficiency Of the present
officials; We prOffered them protection
in ali their rights If we were success -ful
in the campaign; there is a strong at
tacnmept between the colored man and
his old master: about one hundred and
fifty white persons and four hundred col
Ored in the parish aGStaiued from voting;
the supervisor Of registration told me
several times that the election was fair
one.
G. w. Stafford and John Prescott, of
Ranides parish, were examined. Their
testimony substantially cOrrobOrated the
statements of Captain Jeffries. G. Y
Kelso, of Rspides parish, was also be-
tore the committee. He is cOlOred
state senator. He said there was intim-
idation by threats to discharge. They
did not have any Republican meeting in
The parish on account of the bad feeling
against them, and the fear that it would
be broken up by violence.
After hearing General Ogden's state
ment, the committee called B r. For
man, member of the returning board of
1872, who replied to the iEterrOgatOries
as follows: Am prseticin5
law here in New Orleans; have resided
here since January, 1866; was a memOer
of the White League organization; the
object Of the organization was protection
and self-defense exclusively, its OBJ
ject was not TO overthrow the
Kellogg government; the ne
grOes were organized a long time
before in black leagues and drilled IS
military companies at night. All Of
Kellogg's militia were negroes, armed
with the most improved guns, drilled
nightly and paraded the public streets,
taking possession of the pub
lie squares and driving the ladies and
out of them, On one occasion
the negro militia took possession Of the
Coliseum place, drove his and the
children away, and occupied
it for the afternoon, drunk aud disorder
Iy. They then broke into drug store
in the vicinity where ladies and children
for soda water, drove them out,
took possession Of the establishment and
brOkes thing up generally, the owner
vainly endeavoTing to get them out.
This was but sample case of what
was frequently occurring. The
Metropolitan police were used almost
solely as political engine,
armed with Winchester rifles, drilled as
and instead of beng prOtec-
ton to the citizens and their property,
were used for the purpose of Intm,da-
ton, and were guilty Of frequent acts of
violence for political Objects; the force
was composed largely Of negroes, and
this, with the Black League aud negro
militia, made the condition OF affairs
dangerous to the white people; negroes
are fond of whisky and will drink to ex-
cess, and when in this condition they
are easily excited and their imagiDatiODs
wrought upon by white Republicans who
control them; this condition of affairs
caused great apprehension and uneasi-
ness, and led to the formation of the
White League, who proceeded to arm
themselves as best they could; KellOgg's
police undertook to disarm the white
men by force; the guns so taken were
private property; one lot Of eighty guns
was taken out of wagon on the public
street, and some Others out of gunstOres;
when our people found that the right
guaranteed them by the constitution of
the United States to keep and bear arms
was violated by the Kellogg usuTpation,
they were greatly exasperated. A con-
signment Of arms on the steamer Mis-
sissippi, belonging to the White League,
was guarded by the police to prevent
the owners getting possession of them;
this increased the excitement, and the
people determined to have those arms at
every hazard. So far as the majority of
the League were concerned they had no
purpose to take the property Of which
they were robbed; many hoped an Op-
would occur to overthrow ne
Kellogg usurpatiOn, but the subject had
never been discussed or resolved upon
by the League. On the fourteenth of
Der, while the League, assem- bled
in pursuance of orders, were moving TO-
ward the place where the arms were
they were met and fired upOn by the
police with Winchester rifles Gstling
guns, and artillery. The fire was re-
turned, the police routed, and their ar
tIllery captured. Next morning the
public buildings surrendered; the whole
body of Kellogg officials refuged in the
Mr. Forman then mar
rates subsequent events, the installation
Of Governor Penn, etc. He asserts that
tre White League never attempted in
of the negroes: the League