Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-08-18
Mississippi mIsruie.


The tclegraphic synopsis of the majority
report in the United States Senate Of the
committee appointed TO investigate politi
cal affairs IN Mississippi is as follows;
The majority OF the Senate Committee TO
investigate Mississippi affairs asserts that
the testimony taken fully supports tlye al
were used generally and successfully In the
political CANVASS OF 1875. They dnd that
Gov. Ames Is not amenabie TO any lust
chargo affecting his Integrity or htness hs a
Chief Magistrate. The Committee find that
the young men OF the State, especially those
who have arrived at that condition since the
war, constitute the nucleus and main force
Of the dangerous element.
The majority also find that civil authori-
ties have been unable to prevent these out
ragcs or to punish offenders. The Commit
tee assert that the Democratic victory In the
State was due 10, the putrages perpetrated.
II there had been free election the Repub-
iican candidates would have been chosen
and the character OF the Legislature 40
changed that there would have been sixty
SIX Republicans 10 hf!y Democrats y; the
Democrats In the Senate Conseduehtly the
present Legislature Of Misslssippi Is not
legal body, and It's Acts not entitled
10 recognition by The, political depart.
mcnt Of the Government of the United
States, although the President may, In Ills
| discretion, recognize II as n Government de-
facto for the preservation Of public peace,
The resignation of Gov. AInes was effected
hy body of men calling themselves the
Legislature of the State Of Mississippi, by
measures . authorized by law, aud be Is OF
right the Governor Of that State. The evil
dcnce shows further that the State of Miss
issippi Is at present under the control OF po.
lltical organizations, composed largely OF
armed men, whose common purpose II is
to deprive the negroes OF the free exercise
of the right of suffrage, and to establish and
maintain the supremacy OF the white line
Democracy in violation alike Of the COnsti-
tuition of their own State and Constitution
Of the United States.
As far as the testimony taken by the Com.
\ mittce throws any light upon the subject II
| tends to establish the fact that the Demo.
cratic organizations, both In counties and
| in the State, encouraged the young men In
their course, accepted the political advan-
| tages OF their conduct, and are in a large
degree responsible for the criminal results.
| Democratic clubs were organized In all parts
| of the State, and able-bodied members werC
| also organized generally into military com
| panies, and furnished with the best arms
| that could be procured In the ,coun.
try, Members of these organizations, the
majority assert, are shown by the evidence
to have travcrsed various counties fol
weeks before the election, menacing voters
! provoking disturbance, or breaking up
| Republican meetings, causing the riots al
| Vicksburg and Clinton, and killing a large
number of unoffending persons throughout
the country. About half the white voters In
| Republican districts were thus organized
| and by intimidation they compelled Repub.
| lican nominations to be withdrawn in some
eounties, aud forced the Republicans to vote
! for the Democratic ticket or deprived them
of any opportunity 10 vote otherwise.
The report concludes as follows: The
memory of the bloody events of the cam
paign Of 1875, with the knowledge that theil
] opponents can command I'm instant pres
| enUe Of organized bodies of armed men al
every voting place, will deter the Republi-
can party from any general effort to regain
the power wrested from them. These disor
ders exist also in ne'ghboring States, anc
the spirit and IDEAS which give rise TO disor-
| ders are even more general. The power oi
| the National Govern nment will be be in
| voked, and honor and duty will alike
require its exercise. The Nation can
! not witness with Indifference the dominion
of lawlessness aud anarchy in a State, with
| their incident evils, and a knowledge Of the
inevi able consequences. 1t owes duty tc
the citizens of the United States residing il
Mississippi. This duty it must perform. L
has guaranteed to the State of Mississippi {
| republican form Of Government, and thi.
| gu rantee must be made good.
The measures necessary and possible il
an exigeucy are these: First, laws may b'
passed by Congress for the protection of thu
register of citizens in he respective Sta es
Second, States in anarchy or wherein affair
are controlled by bodies of armed men
should be denied representation in Con
| gress. Third, the Constitutional guarantee
| of "A republican form of government to ev
cry State will require the United States, i
these disorders increase, or even continue
and milder measures prove Intellectual, t.
remand the State to a territorial condition
and through system Of public education
and kindred means Of improvement, change
| the ideas of the multitude and reconstruc
the Government upon Republican basis.