The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-10-04

Z
cellor Campbell has m2de il the subject OF
pubic asldr-ss 10 the people OF the count
which is already IN vpe. Three utys ate
the speaking at Piezsan. Hill the opposing
candidates met in fernando. II Was III
first day of the present term Of This Court
While the whites were assembled in IN,
courthouse listening 20 the charge OF you
Honor. s6dEese 70 our y bods. the col
orel People, 10 the number Of six or seves
hanIred. began IA pouT ia upon the puoiit
~Quare mounted and marching IN organized
c.mpanies around the courthouse. ant
; eating and Yelling 20 loudly as almost e
pat 4 stop tn the basintss OF the court
AFTER q c ing repeatedly around the
building they pTocesHled 20 the ground pre-
pared fJr the speaking. and took complete
xad exclusive possession Of the lew sesfs
th8t had been prepared By some of the
Rhisa 5 for their own u~e. At the instance
( OF the whites, Chancellor Campbell ex plain
ed 10 them that the seats had been prepared
BY the white people for their own use. but
that they were willing 70 share thtm equal
iy with the blacks. He. therefore. request
ed them TO yzcate one-half of the SEATS, and
designated a certain tree as marking the
division line. The great mass Of the blacks
after some hesitation, acceded To this request
and withdrew beyond the tree. some OF the
blacks positively and drfiantl refused to
yaeate. just then the court having adj
~iOuTned the whites began TO arrive and take
possession OF the seafs allotted them. OBe
~hine man advanced towards the blacks
who retained the seats allotted - the whites
waving a walking stick aud calling TO them
10 give back. One OF the blacks rising up
srasped the stick and attempted to wreSt it
rom him. an angry scufise ensued, during
which the coloTed man MAS knocked down
The sharp crack of Il pistol immediately en-
saett, and this was fallawed by several more
F~-1a tie, -. II - So
impossible to ascertain BY whom these shots
were fired, but foUr-ffths of all the wit
uesses, black and white. examined by US
testified that they came from the coiored
portion OF the audience, a fact not difficult
To determine, since the blacks, to the num-
Der of Goo 10 100, were all massed on one
side OF Il dividing line, while the 40 or 80
whites. who had arrived, stood upon the OPP
po,ite side Ten or fifteen shots were fired
la all. By these. two white men were shot
through The clothing. in addition TO Thomas
Nichols dangerously, and John w. Woods,
mortally wounded, and since dead. One
colored man only was slightly wounde In
the leg. The entire firing occupied not
longer than one minute.
The widest scene of confusion and ex-
element ensGed, but the officers of the Law
headed by your Honor, and Sheriff Bynum,
were promptly on the ground aud assisted
by the great body of the people present OF
both races, commanded and enforced the
peace. Too much praise cannot be award
ed TO your Honor and the Sheriff and to all
the good citizens who so strenuously and
nobly assisted you in preserving the peace.
While we regret the tair name ofour coun-
ty has been taiue by this unhappy occur
renee and deeply mourn the blood that has
been shed, and the life that has been sacFi-
feed, we feel that we have reason to be
proud OF the prompt energy exerted by our
Ofspnrz aud fFa rnbla sell -raefrufp lf-pIaw r.
ed by our people. 1t is a pleasing aud strf-
king contrast to the weakness. inefficiency
and eowardice too often displayed by
officers of the law under similar circum-
stances under former administration in
this State We are satisfied that this UNI
fortunate affair was as unexpected to the
great mass ofthe colored people. as ir GER
tainly was to the entire body of the whites.
We regret to say however, that eircum-
stances are not wanting which seem to in
dictate previous anticipation if not prepar-
ation upon the part of a portion OF the COL
ored Clubs present. 1t was testified by
many witnesses that runnerS had been
seiIt out through the country after the
speaking at Pleasant Till urging the color
Ell people to come to fernando in their
Club organizations prepared for a difficulty.
SThe leader of one of the clubs, al ex-
q ember of the Legislature and a colored
rAan of great influence, stated that fearing
that n difficulty would ensue he refused to
bring his club to fernando until he had ex-
acted from each member an oath to leave
his arms at home, and being asked why he
feared a difficulty, he replied, that it was in
consequence of the representations he had
heard of Judge Walton's speech. We lave
been unable to ascertain by whom these or
ders we're issued. They were certainly st
variance with the counsels of tie Repub1i-
can county committee, and of the entire
cHTrfr n gho no rs in Fhic 0r1nfu FNrnVfop1
to the speaking at Pleasant Hill. To their
authors is directly traceable the innocent
blood that was shed at fernando.
We submit this report of the causes and
circumstances of this unhappy affair with
the more confidence of its correctness since
it is derived from the testimony of Republic
cans and Democrats alike, and is the unani-
mons opinion OF a Grand Jury composed
OF both races and of members of both par
finS