Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-07


have taken place. This mfuorIty however
Is for the time overawed and as powerless &
resist the course Of events as are the me N
beTs OF the republican party. Under more
favorable circumstances they may DE able
TO cooperate with the trleads OF order, aud
redee m the state from the control OF the re
VOi0lioDary element.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE FIND
% TIE committee find that the young
men OF the state, especially those wao
rt acted manhood during the war, or who
have aIriyed at that condition since the
war, constitute the nucleus and the main
force of the dangerous element. AS far rs
throws any light upon the subject, 1t tends
however, 10 establish the fact that the dem
ocratlc organizations, both ia the counties
s itI In the state. encouraged the young men
IN their course. accepted the political atvan.
tages OF their conduct, and are In large
degree responsible for the criminal results
Y There was general disposition on rhe
PART OF white employers 70 compel the la
borers 10 vote the democratic ticket.
90 Democratic clubs were organized IA
all parts of the state. and the able bodied
members were also organized into military
comparie les and furnished with the best
arms that could be procured in the country.
Inc fact OF their existence was no se:ret
although persons not In sympathy with the
movement were excluded from mem bershin
Indeed their object was more fully attained
By public declarations OF their or
gaD1ZatiOn In connection with the inten-
ton, everywhere expressed, that IL was
their purpose TO carry the election at ali
hazards. In many places these organtza-
lions possessed one or more pieces OF artil-
lery. These pieces OF artillery were carried
over the counties and discharged upon the
roaos IN the nelghborhood OF republican
meetings, and at meetings held by the dem
ocrats. For many weeks before the election
members OF this military organization ira
versed the various counties, menacing the
voters and discharging their guns by nlgut
"a 1t appears from the testimony that,
Tor some time previous 10 the election, IL
was impossible, ia large number OF the
counties, TO hold repu olican mestipgs.
(5') The riots at Vicksburg or the 5th OF
July, and at Clinton on the 4th OF Sep:em-
Der, were the results OF special purpose on
the part OF the democrats TO break up the
meetings OF the republicans, To destroy the
Leaders, and TO inaugurate an era OF terror,
not only In those counties, but throuyhout
the state, which would deter republicans,
Ing or attending meetings, and especially
deter them from the free exercise of the
r1sht 10 Vute on the day OF the election. The
results sought for were In large degree at
tained.
(6) Following the riot at Clinton, the
country for the next two days were secured
by attachments from these democratic mil.
itary organizations over circuit of many
miles, and large number OF unoffending
persons were killed. The number has ne yer
been sscertained correctly, but IL may be
estimated fairly as between thirty ami nifty
Among the innocent victims of those days
OF horror and crime was Mr.. VIM. p. Hsffa,
a white man, teacher by profession, q JUS
tice OF the peace by the choice OF bis fellow
citizens, and candidate for re election upon
The republican ticket. he was resident OF
Philadelphia with MS family until ths year
1870, when he emig1atad 10 Mississippi FOR
the purpose OF planting Trhe story OK his
assassination as related by his wife is given
IN full.
An equally horr;d crime was the murder
OF Senator Caldwell and his brother, at C!Io-
ton, Christmas night. 4 history OF the
events OF that night, as given by Mrs. Cald-
vel, is quoted in her own words.l
The outrages were generally confined to
the republican counties wnere IL was necss-
saIy to overcome the republican Ina tOrity by
unlawful means, but IN two or three cOun-
Ties, as Wilkinson and lssaquena. there was
comparative peace at the election ana dur
ing the canvass.
Capt, William A. Montgomery, lea i'ng
democrat and con1mauoer of fve military
companies, with the designation In rank OF
major OF battalion, testified that in some o,
The counties there was no military organf-
Zation; that IN those counties the democrats
did not try 10 carry the election. This ap-
pears to have been true of the two counties
Lamed; but since the election, namely, 10
December and May, great outrages, attend
petrated, and evidently with the design Of
OverawiDg the cOlored voters and preparing
them TO submit to democratic victory IN
the coming election.
The attention OF the Senate is directed 10
the testimony concerning the events in IssR-
qGena county, which took place in The
month OF December last A Colonel Ball an
officer ia the confederate service during the
war, who at the time OF the outrage was Of
6ciatiDg as clergyman, took command ola
body of armed and mounted men Sunday
morning. december B, and traverset the
country below Rolling Fork during the day;
ard that night the men of his command took
from their homes at least seven unodendlng
negroes and shot them in cold blood. With-
In the next two days five other leading ne
gfOes were summoned to Rolling ForK, aud
there compelled TO sign a statement by
which they became responsible for the good
conduct OF all the negroes in their vicinity,
with the exception OF fourteen, who, in fact,
by that stipulation, were made outlaws,
and, as consequence, fled from their homes
and their families and abandoned their
as The committee find, from the testi-
mony of Capt. Montgomery, supported by
numerous facts stated by other Witnesses,
tnat the military organization extended TO
most OF the counties In the state where the
republicans were In the majority; that II en-
braced proportion not much less than one
half OF all the white voters, and that Ia the
respective counties the men could be sum-
moned by signals given by firing cannons or
anvils. and that probably in less than
week the entire force OF the state could be
brought out under arms.
(9.) The committee find that in several OF
the counties the republican leaders were So
overawed and tntimiCated, both white aud
black. that they were compelled 10 with
draw from the canvass those who had been
nominated, and to substitute Others who
=.
that finally they were compelled to vote for
the ticket so nominated, under threats that
their lives would be taken If they did not
do ID.
(10l The committee find that the candi-
dates in some Instances, were compelled. by
persecution or through fear Of bodily HARM
10 withdraw their names from the ticket
and even TO unite themselves os tensiply
with the democratic party.
Q1.) The committee ind that on the day Of
the election, at several voting places, arLnei
men assembled, sometimes not organized
and In other cases organized; that they con-
frolled the elections, intimidated repub bill
can voters, and, In fine, deprived them OF
the opportunity TO vote the republican
ticket.
(l2) The gravity OF these revolutionary
proceedings is expressed in the single fact
that the chairman OF the republican state
committee, General Warner, owes the pre-
servation of his life on the day OF the cleo
ton TO the intervention OF General George,
chairman OF the democratic state commit
tee.
(13l The committee ind In several cases.
where intimidation and force did not result
in securing democratic victory. that fraud
was resOrted to IN CONDUCTING the election
and In counting the votes.
THE COURTS POWERLESS.
(14.) The evidence shows that the civil au-