The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-08-30
lcnrrrr,rp rnon FInsT rAeE.l

80. - II. apprshended. lie discovered
no one. ami 20 not was given Or return
al between biz party and the coiored
mon nor wr- there nny collision or dis
turbance Whatever. lie returned 70
Clinton where The white men had col
Iected under arms, aud hndiug a want Of
sui,oriinati5n among them be resigned
his position AZ commander, becluse he
would nJi take the responsibility Oi pre- .
serving the peace without having the /
power 10 do ~. This j. much b be re- |
GREETED for by the testimony Of all wit
nesses who have made any reference 70
Captain Montgomery, as vel. as by his
own testimony before the committee, he
il evidently a maE Of high aud cool cour.
age, Of generosity pnd integrity Of char
acter.
Thus left without a leader and deeply
excited by the events Of the day, iniurl
nted by the murder and mutilation Of
their white friends, mob law soon be
came triumphant among the whites col
leclcd al Clinton. The white men killed
are shown n have been estimable and
popular citizens. Chiffon met bis death
while ondeav1ing 10 protect the colored
women aud children, and had handed
bis gun 10 a colored man IN his employ
nj the time be received his death-wound.
Al page 5i3, Chiffon Is proven 10 have
sent provisions down 10 AID the colored
people in their barbecue. Martin siyley
had no connection with the commencement
Of the ARRAY. The number Of wounGed
whites was unknown. aud was doubtless
enormously exaggerated. As "a conse.
quence, the more violent aud lawless Of
the men who had collected under arms
obtained the ascendancy. They visited
the homes Of the negroes in the vicinity
Of Clinton who, they had been informed,
had been connected with the ARRAY and
the killing Of their friends, and outrage
ou-ly took the lives Of seven or eight OF
these men. II was the reign Of terror
aud lynch law in that neighborhood from
late on Saturday night until Sunday
morning. After that time no distinctly
authenticated case Of murder growing
out Of the Clinton riot was established
before the committee.
The circumstances Of the riot were
carefully and diligently examined by Mr.
Frank Johnston, of the town Of Jackson,
together with Mr.. Chiffon and Judge
Cabins, within a few days after the oc.
currencc. Diligent inquiry was insti-
tuted by these gentlemen, and number
OF nhidavits from white aud cOlOrcd men,
Democrats and Republicans, were taken
at the time aud at the town OF Clinton.
Al T,Ipst,t ma ,g,,,t,..I I..T... Al I'd
committee at great length, and appended
these aiIidavits 10 his testimony. Iii.
cross examination developed nothing in
contravention of the conclusions al
which he had arrived in September
1875. llis deposition will be found al
pages 329-3IS Of the testimony, and tn,
reliability Of his statements is attestet
in the strongest terms 10y all the Repub
licans who have been examined in rela
ton to this affair Judge Anderson says
Of Mr. Johnston, ut page 3Ol
by Mr.. Cameron:
q. II Mr.. Frank Johnston made q
statement that he had made a thorough
examination, would you conclude tina
that was absolutely true or merely tina
he really believed that lac had made
thorough examination?
A. ! would not conclude anything
but whatever Mr. Johnston would inve.
tigate aud state upon his word Of honor
that | would give credit to. do no
know man for whose moral worth
have q higher respect than do for Fran
.Johnston's.
And his high character is equally at
tested by Judge Swami, Mr.. Estelle, an,
every republican witness who was exam
incd in regard to the Clinton transaction
Ills profession is that of a lawyer, an,
his residence within twelve miles of tn
scene OF disaster. So that we feel just
fed IN accepting the statement Of fact
aud the conclusions of Mr.. Johnston a
perfectly true and reliable lie is su.
tanned in substance by nearly every wit
ness who WAS examined.
Captain H. G.. Fisher, who was III
compiler of Mr.. Mortou's speech, an,
was one Of the speakers at the barbecue
stated his difficulty, even after the mos
careful investigation, in ascertaining re
liably the names of more than four q
five cOlored men who lost their lives o
the occasion. There seems to be no ia.
reason 20 doubt that the collision va
entirely unprecedented, certainly so o
the part of the whites who were present
~ il would have been little less than mae
ness for twenty-five or thirty white mor
not more than half of whom were afnot
10 have prccipitatcd a conflict agaiui
such overwhelming odds. (Sce Fisher
testimony, pages 52l TO 523)
As ana illustration of the absence
any anticipation of difficulty on the pal
of the whites, we refer 20 the tcstimsn
Of Captain Montgomery, page OIL h
which it appears that, having been aske
60 Gil the appointment Of another dem,
crat who had intended 10 speak at Clir
ton. he attended the meeting withoJ
even pocket knife upon his person, az
that, taking the train from Edward
Station to Clinton IN company with Ha
new, the colorel sheriff of the count
he remarked in reply to an Observable
of Harvey that he was totally uuarme,
but that be believed that of the posse
twenty five oolored men whom Harm,
had on board. tweDiy-four would be four
60 have weapons upon their persons, al
upon an examination by HaIBey it WI
found to be true in the case Of more ths
two thirds. (SCe page y
u will be borne in mind that N
nfTray occurring between a mere handf
of whites end large and organized DO,
OF colored men who were TO meet in Il
presence Of TIRE Governor Of the Stat
their peculiar anj especial champio
who had, to use his own wosls, ''unit,
his fortune with theirs" who held Il
entire executive power Of the State; vi
alsoin political stronghold Of the Repu
iican party which controlled every pea,
officer; that every means of repressin
or Furnishing disorder was in the hands
officials Of that party that within twel,
miles was force OF United States troor
oncamped for the alleged purpose
suppicssing riot. 1t seems impossible
believe that such a collision could
brought ON by the minority under su,
circumstances with view 20 produ
political effect. Such view is irreco
cilablc with any suggestion Of humi