Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-08-17
CARRYING ELECTION IN MIssIs.
SIPPI.
Men Assassinated by los sos and 6Cs-White
Men Driven Away and not Allowed to Sell
Their Properiy-Wbnt Preacher Does

AheH froperty-Nbnt Preacher Does.
The Democrats carried the Stat
OF Mississippi last year and also tn
Legislature by large majority, not
/ outstanding it is known that Their,
are in the State nearly twice as many
Republicans as Democrats. The
United States Senate sent to Missls
sIppi a committee, consisting O.
Senators Boutwell,, of Massachusetts
Cameron, of Wisconsin, and McMil
Ian, of Minnesota. This committee
visited all portions of the State and
examined reliable and respectable
citizens under oath, and otherwise in.
vestigated the circumstances. Their
conclusions are embraced in the fol-
lowing 81 counts. The testimony
which proves these counts will be
published in volumes. Democrats of
the North are invited to read it and
learn something of the character of
company they keep.
l. That force, fraud, and intimida-
ton were used generally and sue
cessfully in the political canvass of
1875.
2. Thta Governor Ames was man
of personal integrity and an able
chief magistrate, and that his fitness
was admitted by the political oppo-
nents.
3. That there were many persons
in office, especially elective officers.
who were incapable and dishonest.
but that this fact is as true of the |
Democratic as of the Republican
counties, and that neither the Gov
eminent nor the masses of the party
sustained them, but, on the contrary,
that they are generally driven from
office
4. That while it is true that some
of the recent citizens, or "carpet-
baggers," betrayed the trust confided
to them,' the majority were intell:-
gent. upright, and brave men from
the North, who were entirely incor-
ruptible, and who are now struggling
against great odds to secure just
administration of public affairs.
5. That the rate of increase of
axes of Mississippi before and after
he war is much less than the same of
he Northern States, where no COM
)lalnt is made against them. This {
complaint is considered at some
ength
6. That there was no justification {
whatever in anv WRONGS 49,"
'utrights and crimes committed to
it.
7. That the charge that Governor :
Ames attempted to organize the I
lack against the white race, by
negro militia" has no foundation in
act, as the evidence shows that ma
ive-born citizens who had served in !
he Confederate army were accepted ;
~ him, and commanded as officers, !
md that it was his purpose to solicit
md accept recruits from all classes /,
If the people of the State.
8. That although this act occur
ed after q series of assasslnatlons
following the Clinton rloD, which
eft the government powerless to keep |
he peace, it was made the pretext by :
he Democrats for opening organizing
md arming themselves in military
,lubs, by which the colored inhabit-
ants and white Republicans of the
State were overawed, inundated,
md deprived of their rights as citi- /,
.ens.
8 That these companies commit
ed numerous murders of citizens who
lad been and then were active in the
party.
10. That the Governor was not
,nly not reprehensible in organizing
. military, but that it was his duty to
10 so, and that the conduct of the
Democracy in arming to re-resist it
vas unlawful, and ought to have
oeen suppressed, either by the State
or national authorities.
IL. That the riot at Clinton and
he bloody massacre of the following
Sunday were in harmony with the
policy previously adopted by the
Democrats 10 that vicinity, and de-
signed to intimidate and paralyze the
Republican party.
~. That the allegation that the
negroes were organizing into military
bonds for the destruction of the white
race was pretext made for the for
nation of the Democratic armed COM
oanies, as the evidence shows not only
we're the blacks not armed to any ex-
.ent, but that those who had arms
were furnished with inferior and
secondhand weapons, and that their
leaders,, both religious and political
everywhere discountenanced the re-
sort to force.
IS. That in sentence 1t may be
asserted that all the statements made
that there was any justifiable cause
for the recent proceedings in Missis-
sippi are without foundation.
IA. That, on the other hand, it is
to be said that a majority of the white
Democratic voters of the State were
engaged in a systematic effort to
carry the elections, and this with a
purpose to resort to all means within
their power, including on the part OF
some of them, the murder of promi-
nent persons in the Republican party,
both black and white.
10. That the minority who were
opposed to these outrges, and who
were for o time overawed and power
less, are members of the Republican
party.
l6. That the element of society
which chiefly committed these out
RACES on the colored voters and on
the white Republicans was mainly
young men who have reached man.
hood since the close of the war but
that they were encouraged in their
course by the Democratic leaders,