The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-15
FACTS ABOUT MISSISSIPPI.
rBE POLTTTCLfNs VINO ARE TNSTI-
g1TIN0 A VAR or RACES.

s.w Abiding citizens at the Mercy Of Crime
tunI. in Once Frghtfui Results Of Mis-
government Governor Amcs Encouraging |
striie aud Disorder between the Factions. |
Tn THE EDITOR OF TIE SrN-Sir: As the |
aovernor " Mississippi has proclaimed o0cially |
,at military organizations have overthrow |
,ivu government in Yazoo county, several |
prominent citizens Of the county request me to |
vritc YOU letter giving the true state of affairs.
Immunity from punishment, resulting from
,he corruption or incapacity OF those upon
vbom the administration Of the law devolves,
hes caused the frequent commission Of crimes
and msdomeanors; but there IL no such law
,essness As to require or excuse the introduction
OF troors, whether State or Federal. Twenty
nix men would be amply sufficient t0 give as
much security to life, limb, aud property as can
b. enjoyed in any place so long as wicked men
exist The twenty six men would consist OF
Twelve honest grand jurors aud twelve honest
petit Jurors, together with one Judge and one
District Attorney, possessing such moral, intel
actual and professional qual1cat ions as to
make them NJ to be members OF the har. An
honest sheriff would assist their efforts, but he
nieht bee dispensed with " we could get prop
rly au hncd Judge, District Attorney, aud
hrcs Permit me TO enforce these remarks by
FEW ILLUSTRATIONS.
\
negro. Tic recognized his assaiiant, hut held
ht. peace In order ~ ret addition eviCence.
Al length the would ne assassin, inspired hy
whi.key and the belief that he would not be
puui-N cd. huHst d OF the deed. and declared
that he would repeat II VIZ, u. re 'atai result
The injured party went ref re- th' Hraud ~,
aud found among them two negroes whom %"
had detected IN the eci OF thcf' ana another
against whom he had abundant evidence ~ the
same tncncc. lie felt mat he had come on
fruitlcss errand, but told his story, aud intro
duced his witnesses. who proved the negro's
confession and threats; vet no ! ! was found.
Another citz arr, sted negro m the act NJ
tlllirg and stcalitr hog The owner w'ut
with his witness before the same Grand luiv,
aud the ,a.e was fuzzy investigated; but no bill
was found.
committee Of the CIR nrcrs in this county
eUlluNcd counsel to look g. the inter ste ~ the
taxravrrs. In the discharge Of hi- duties be-
examined the accounts Of the Shelf. IN which
h. detected numerous peculaiions. These were
report Il 20 one Of the committees himself re-
Tired lawyer, who made a person ! eNamin 'tion,
and finding the charges well sustained by the
as NJ records Of the Board u super,isor.
ard 'ucuit Court went before the same tirand
JuIb with all the proof. No bill WIS found
MocKERY OF JUSTICE.
These cases came to my knowledge through
ne iuiormcrs. The Grand Jurors are hourd
not To reveal their deitt crations during twelve
months VI many ether equally hagrant cnses
n.lnt te cit, d: Yet ibis was an unusually good
Grand Jury There we're eight white citizens Il
uueXcei ionahle character and capacity; men
Win were above the Ir' JUDGES Of race or rty.
necessary To- secure an indictment; aud these
eirntoxcellcnt jurors we're ovcrbalanced bv nine
one has -irca been implicated M a toul Hssls-
sna'inn. vi iic an were ignorant AMI obstinate
parts f-. d'trrn med to sct.cu tlrir race aud
toe ad cal : lcriG, no matter how manifest the
.ilt Obj soc ole ur tho other. ~ tuH-c Jurors
The Shcfiii WIS duly Informed ~ II the dcli err
AtiouS u the ~. nj iupnlsitinn, ana MS VIII ana
pie sure was asctrtaiu,d VITA reference to al
matters Va wh,ch he was irphcatcd or In
II vii be seen how nearly impossihle ~ wa- to
inuict. Hat II n Indictment was secured. q
packed petit iurv. pariis Judge i'uoriit #
law, oud an equally ignotant Di- rcf Al orney.
ring for nutulng but re pDtqui-.c- e his
office, would render conviction Almost impos-i
AN UNHAPPY STATE or AFFAIRS.
The primery result of tins state of Affairs Is
that r'rnN, homicide. and other ciitut- and
nj d, mean r. are frequently comm ted. A
ferondaiv result -, tuat when crime II I'M
tpnfii : justice nv due course ~ law, take tnC
law INT tn'ir own hands. aud ng the cuprlt
1nrce instances have occurred within siX
months. hrs negro man who had violated
H. 81 p'a tlhier. chili f ten or twelve YEAR,.
W. lo ilcd 900 jan; hut a nuint er of negroes. IA
orrn DaV. overr"wered the Deputy sheriff and
Iiof. ANA langel the monster. secondly, a me-
gro, f.uiuing " th Others, among whom Was
Oh % o." grand rors, att miied 70 assassin
al cd a. %, ami committed -cveI.l htiupu-
Offence. lie " subsequently, found q ln.lne
the neck. and the ooruu r. jurN f14nd tnAl
he wi. rauE q by parties unknown.
iut bird case ia Of very recent occurrence
AMI n'rullar interest. seri,l -"rt rs OF ue
Riur- WAS iDfned few miles FROM AdIOu tity
called lhe Friendly Br1tneis." It WAS o-ten
sibn benevolent is.ociation, but when fulil
orr tuiItd sSuWed the form Of military orsin
" ton. ihe captain ~ this Org MA ION wa
one all1r Augustus. the same sr nl juror WAt
bad cou-ttrrd to afsnssinate "A ci'izen. But th'
ptmctral worker was Albert Augustus, Mho Wa
Gurc.t h,r and q brother of the captain. They re-
solved 90 march on the town by night and XII al
tie whites. A few pc sons IN this neighhor oo'
refused t. Join N tins scheme, and their live
wee thre tened. The attempt 1 assas.inau
one Of tnese bN night resulted IA the klilihg %
rs II Inquest developed Il e plan of marchn
on Yuzbo city, pun ed to Albert Augustus "a
tie assassin, and cast suspicion on Toylor Angus
- a.. ppH
WIS caught aud hanged by men Of both color
and notn parties. This is cert ,inly bad stat
Of nnrs though thus lar none but heinoA
offender. lave suffered.
LEGITIMATE RESULT OF MsGovRRNMEST.
II will be- seen that the evil which have de
scribed Is incident to the non-administration Cd
The Laws and does not result from mintar
Organizations, except SO far "a the Friendl
Brothers and similar secret societies Of negroe
are implicated. These orgauiz lions have Ion
been known to exist, fostered by our Shenl
T. Moran, and their threats against III
whites nave been fearful. After repeated war;
ings ui the existence and sanguindry PURPOSE
OF these organizations, the white citizeus bega
localities To organize for sef-detence. Yet n
thing II this Kind took place 10 YazoO City unit
tie day after tue Radical riot, 81 which BostO
count, aud our Sheriff ha- gwen the Governor
pruIN and meuCaciuus report. 1t is believed o
NJ shlht evidence that TINS riot was the re-u
Of a cons tracy between Morgan and his a,
ta.sins 90 XII certain citzen ~ lao csc lped, an
!. tue lelure greatly ufe ued ny tine 'pscohuil
shrrln That there was no amino tty on tn
palt II the whites against negroes b. e,idel
frolI the report of the Sheriff himself. h
guilty fears II the shetin-nOt fears o. the CON
uiuuitN. (Which h IL prof una Tranquility, but
the iuuiyduol whnse life he attrmN tel kre
hin away rom Ya1oO, though he h. oincnl
present ny deputies, and his duties are f.liy
well performed a. when re Is per Onally proseu
AMFss WARFARE AGAINST rnR WHITES.
while the whites In the excitement whic
Toll wed tine recent riot, sad, "SUafe the u
gro" some OF the ShcriTs negro frieuGs We
helrd a. saw, " Let's XIII every damned whi
man we meet" the citizens were apprehensi
that sune OF the .hr' atcning ORGANIZATIONS
the country might attempt 10 iut their threa
into execution. Hence, tho DAY after the ut
they iurued such ORGANIZATIONS as were GccuI'
neces- ary tor self defence, and similar oiganz
tions We're formed IN the country. No prcDar
sion has been made for aggression. The mel
bers are quietly pursuing theiryocatons. The
are no military paraIcs or threatening dcuo
HtratiOns. Negroes ana cafpc t-ihggefs pass az
Tepass unmolested. Yet all IRE ready % ~
FOR aalI ,i.fat mr.