The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-06

. or that IN Y are associated together from
the fact that they are Of the same race
aud community Of interests, or both?
A. They are not organized in bands.
/ q Or IN companies, under officers,
and having a general head
A. Well, in the first place, they have
their clubs, just as any other polieal
organiz .tion has its clubs. | have
never been inside of one Of their clubs.
but then they never have asked me,
though the clubs were republican in their
name, and republican, | suppose, in their
character. They have generally ected
in such a way as to leave me tn believe
that they did not want my presence there.
Although they are quite near my house,
have entirely abstained from going
.here. And when the county eonven-
| tions would meet, | have observed taat
the negroes in these conventions very
strongly resisted white influence, and
consequently it became dissgreeable, in
asmuch as there was sucn disposition, to
the white people to have anything to do
with these conventions. II became un-
pleasant personally, and it produced an
| impression which it was hard to avoid. |
have always found it practically impossi-
bic for me to avoid it; the impression
that these meetings meant nothing but
the organ zltiOn of one race against an
other. The truth is that a white man,
especially a southern white man, belong
ing to the republican party, does not
seem to be any more acceptable as one Of
their counselors or advisers than one who
belongs to the opposition. Although my
connection with the republican party has
been undertaking, and | believe have
escaped from any personal reproach in
that connection, l am quite certain that
my personal influence with the negroes
is not bit greater than that of any de-
mocrat in my county; not particle. l
am quite certain that ! was never able to
influence vote or influence a colored
man on any single question of politics;
which | confess with some modification.
Governor Ames seemed disposed to
far the flames Of excitement and antago
nism to their utmost height, As an il
. lustration of this it was desired to trans
port some arms and munitions of war
from jackson to Edwards Station, be-
tween which points a railroad was in op
eratiOn but Governor Ames sent these
arms conveyed by negro militia com
pany, fully armed, in command OF Cald-
we'll, colored State Senator, to march
through the country with drums and
flags and all the pomp of war, having
no other result than to intensity the
alarm already existing. (See Barks
dale's testimony, page 472)
Mr.. Johnston, in his testimony al
page 3S4, says, in regard to this anC
other acts of Governor Ames:
"On all hands and from all classes Of
white citizens heard but one expression
: in reference to this militia, hlch VIZ:
that it was intended by Governor Ames
to use that militia to bring about a col
lision of the races, and the expression
was used that it was his ultimate pur-
+ pose to afford good pretext for getting
s United States troops here to carry the
. election"
The result of such course of action
, was made manifest all over the Stat
wherever the negroes existed in superio
or Approximate numbers to the whites
n The citizens of Canton, in Madison
: county, turned out and picketed thei
Il town for weeks at night before the elec
ton. (See testimony of--, mayo
: of the city, page-.)
d White men were afraid to let thei
e families remain in their houses in tn
n country, (see testimony of Captain Viii
IT liam a. Montgomery, page 553)
I, Question. You do not live unde
/ any apprehension of their injuring you
r do you?
5 Answer. Well, for myself l will te
y you; when | have seen my neighbol
1t running off, and have sent my famil
l. away, l have staid right in my ow
n house on my place; but | must sa
z, that had apprehensions. If left alon
o would never have been afraid ofthem
'e but l knew that there was somethin
l. brought to bear upon them from the ou
e side, and they might not be able to r.
a sist the temptation.
y Q. How many years have you bee
d living at your present place?
l. A. Always-silce | was nine yea
l. old.
Q. Some of those negroes we're on tn
y place before the war aud remain the
k now?
ID A. Nearly all.
WITNESS AND OTHER WHITES LIVED
r. FEAR OF ASSASSINATION.
r. @. You mentioned that you hi
he lived in fear of assassination from t
10 negroes?
]. A. Yes, sir. never stated that e.
n actly-that l lived in fear of assassini
~ tion; | said my fears were aroused somt
le times. Senator Bayard asked me if
was afraid, and ! said that sometim
IN my fears were so strongly aroused that
tie sent my family off, but staid there m
ly self.
wv @. You may have stated that t
D. people were living in fear of assassin
ee iion-your neigbOrs perhaps; was tn
ss- what you meant?
p A. Yes, sir; and evidence of Il
state of feeling will be found multiple
throughout the testimony.
ha The apprehensions of both races til
no excited grew to fever heat, and a con,
ton of affairs absolutely alarming TO
,se stoutest hearts prevailed all over t
al. State of Mississippi, and at last penet
of ted the mind of Governor Ames himsC
ara His plans had worked but too well.
Is. had conjured up a spirit of despair a.
dv anxiety the part Of the unhappy p
ey pie over whom he had been placed in r
Of which threatened to wrap that State
roo flame and blood. 1t was no thanks
'ss- him or his advisers that this result '
m. not reached at the time or preceding
in election in November, 1875. FIR
ant every quarter evidences reached him
as this state of affairs. He had never C
IN ciliated the people. He had ne
&c sought to learn how far concession, 8
.ar. Justice, and kindness, and sympathy, &
IN, a recognition of their tastes, prejudiC
and habits would go toward procur
good government among people.
.HE threatened to restore Morgan, the she
of Yazoo county, to his place by fore
ted armed militia; ana ..,e ..e troubles in
the county, which led to the killing O.
al eral colOred Republican leaders, the
: Of moralization Of the Republican for,
ter. and their practical abandonment Of