Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-10-31
RADICAL TESTIMONY.
Hon. &. Wiley Wells, in an Interview
with the Holly SpriEgs Reporter,
SeOrns the Bloody. Shirt, and
Defends s. His People,"
He says His San Francisco Speech was
not Correctly Reported, and that
He was MisrepreSented
IN Toto.

The Holly Springs Exporter, of Fri
day, contained the following report Of
an interview Hith Hon. G. Wiley
Wells, member of congress from that
district, and 3 Republican whose testi.
mony ought to outweigh that OF all the
creatures who, in the interest of Hayes
and Rkeeler, are cIamorous for troops
in. order to Kill fair vote by the people
OF M ississippi, on Tuesday Dext:
INTERVIEW WITH HON. WILEY
. WELLS
On Monday last one OF the editors Of
the Reporter called on Colonel G. Wi
ley Wells, who had rst&ned from his
California campaign tha evening before,
for the purpose OF learning whether or
not the reports CT his speeches in the
golden State, as contsinsd d ia the news.
papers, were sc ne made them. Colonel
Wells resides III a pleasant portion Of
this city, and in dwelling which is not
only comfortable, but luxurious il it's sr.
rsDgement. 1t was here that the colo
mel, in bis sffsble way, allowed himself
to be interviewed on the subject OF his
CalifJrris OTatOry. IE will be remem-
bsred the reports of his speeches We
have read contained charges again g.
the people of Mississippi OF the most vi.
Olent and derOgatOry character. That
such charges from the lips of Colonel
Wells, VINO had bsen elected to con
gres5 by these very people whom
he thu5 aSsailed, anu whose c0uIse ne
hSd time and sgain iudoTsed, should
offend the people Of this section waa
natural and 10 be expected. He said in
the outset hs 'uoped his views would
be more accurately reported in the Re
porter than Othsr newspapers had re.
ported theyu. mot only my views" he
said, "but my speeches also.n Hts at
rention was called to his speech deIiv-
cred in Ssa Francisco, as reported by
the Chronicle Of that city, and copjed in
the Reporter. He ssid: '!That speech
was not correctly reported. ] did not
use the violent language attributed to
me in that report. l did not say there
we're no less than forty thousand Re
publlcans in my State who dare not 60
10 the polls, for it is not the case. 1 be- |
lieve there are localities in the State |
where free and Independent exercise |
Of franchise by the cGlOred Repub. |
licans cSnu0t be obtained, where
Intimidation aud violence are prscticed, |
but that il is not the case in my district, |
nor in large part Of tho State, nor o
my own persOnsl observation do ! know !
that this violence is prscticed elsewhere
IN the State, but I spoke from the report |
OF the Mississippi Investigating commit |
tee. SO far as my oWn district is con- |
cerned, and particularly Marshall |
county, l know Of no more orderly, |
peaceable aud law.abidiDg people. /
nave always said that-t0ld the Presi- |
dent so, told the sttOruey-geDeral so, and |
told Republican cOngTessmea SO. Ineyer
said l knew five hundred men had bsen
shot down IL Mississippi because they
voted the Republican ticket. | said that |
not less than that rUmber had been
shot down in tbe south on account OF |
their political views. / believed I was
safe in saying this. The records Of con-
gress cialon q great many more did |
Got say Republicans buliL schoOIhOuses
and Democrats burned ths M down, I
said kuklux burned them down. He
Tss a:ked for an Instance, SIN Winston |
county," said Ae, tkilzlnx burned down |
the schooIhousss, and ID Chicksaw and |
8 portion OF Ndxubee counties, they |
burned them. The evidence was ad- |
du2ed IN the EuSlux trials, and is now
on record. When l said the fires turn |
as brightly to-day il the south Tor the |
losS cause ss IN 1851, | did not mean |
the spirit oi rebellion was the same, |!
0us the states rights doctrine v&s ss |
hrmiy liked n the south now as it had |
ever been. This l believe. i did say, iU |
the event o: TldeO's election, that l, |
Will every other white RebubIicAu Ia |
L hD
out. BY this l msaat we would be go os-
tracissd in social way that we could |
not bear it and sustain cur self.Tespect, |
snd would arus be forced to leave |
for more congeUial cline. l did |
not say no loyal white man ever g1es to |
bed without closing his doors and guard !
ing against rebel bullets and rebel assss- |
sins. | h8ve always felt safe st my |
homo here. l fear no assassination, nor |
disturbance dangerous to me or my
household. I would feel entirely safe |
to 'rzvel over my district, unattended, |
making speeches and such speeches as
made ii California. | expect to do so. |
So far IS leaving here is concerned, in
tend to remain here, to live hers and
die here. If go away, il 1il be when
| sm carried cut of my house fee5 fore
No, siTn and this he said with uplifted
hands, "I consider this splendid coun-
try, the people around me law.sbiding
and peaceful, and 1 have cast my for.
tunes here and expect to atide the fate
OF this people and this State;
here ! viii spend the rest of my
days" Colonel Wells said he would
not intentionally do this psorls any
wrong; he wanted them and the country
to prosper and grow. In reply 10 an 10.
q1iry, did you wave the bloody ahirt,
10 California; ne said, "my speeches, |
OF which there were six, were. mainly in
discussing the fitness OF the Democratic
candidates for the positions they seek. |
never was in favor If waving what js
called the bloody Shirt l have always
desired, and | desire now 10 see peace
snd good feeling restored between the |
sections, l have always condemned !
Law lessne5F, and [ shall Continua to do |
so. My visit to California was not n the |
interest Of politics. went for ths Dep-
eft OF my wife's health. While there
WAS invited 10 speak, ard ] made sucD |
speeches as l expect to make in this |
and Other places before the election. |
Il has been reported that / declared l
would only return to Mississippi at The
head Of regiment OF soldiers to put
down the new rebellion. Ny return
here unattended shows this to be false. |
l never uttered such q sentiment" Dur
ing the interview Colonel Wells was
free IN his expressions, and said much
more than we have the space to publish
The main points are given, however.
AfteT ample assurances that Colonel