Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-05-18
The Means Employed by the White Line Democra.
cY to Wine Out Renuhiican Aainrities

The Means Employed by the White Line Democra.
] CIV to Wipe Out Republican Majorities.
mississippi Correspondence New York Times !
The means employed by the Mississippi
Democrats to defeat their political opponents
are quite as numerous as they are ingenious
and violent The general plan of the last
campaign was the intimidation of Republ-
can leaders, tor it was well known that the
complete Generalization of the masses would
Immediately follow. Even Democrats ad-
nit that the white people were never so
aroused" all over the State they warned
prominent black men that they would have
TO give up politics or run the risk of being
shot, and by way OF emphasizing these
threats they did indeed kill a large number
of negro leaders. / make this statement at
ter careful inquiry and upon tho best author
lty; 1t cannot be successfully contra
dicted, for it is true. There is
no evidence that the white people
banded themselves, together to commit
these outrages. but there was general I'M
derstanding that the State should be free
| from negro rule, no matter what the cost.
II Is only just to state in this connection
that the white men, the prcperty-owne rs,
had suffered many wrongs at tie hands of
colored officials. Many of the more con-
servative men of the Democratic party pro-
fessed to deplore the acts OF their lawless as
sociates. but they made no effort to prevent
the wrongs which were put upon the black
men. and they were ever ready to wink at
even the most terrible outrages 1t was not
always necessary to commit crime however;
in many cases the timid negroes were easily
subdued by threats and what are known
here as warnings" This was the case in
Washington county. where the colored men
had a majority of 5000 but polled only q
lew hundred votes. In this district the
Democrats bought up number of negroes
who had been rcpudiated by their
party, but who still claimed to be Repub-
licans. They sent these men to all the DO
litical meetings held by the negroes in the
county, lnstructing them to make ell the
noise and confusion possible. and in order
that the work of breaking up the meet
ings might be more efiectually done num-
bers Of well-armed white men were always
on hand to protect the negro renegades In
Greenville one of the coloret men thus Sc
cured by the whites was Mulatto named j .
Allen Ross, who at one time had great in
1uence among the negroes. Because of his
prominence ne was particularly disliked by
the whites, and three attempts were made
to take his life. At one time his arm was
shot oil, and he received several other serious
wounds. He forgot these injuries when they
bought him ever. Acting under instruc-
tons from the white leaders, he attended
most OF the meetings held in and about
Greenylllc, and IN many cases sue
ceeded in breaking them up. At one
OF these gatherings State Senator Gray,
Il oolorei man, was the speaker, and Ross,
us was his custom, interrupted him frequent
y by asking Irrelevant questions. GRAY an
swered one or two OF them, but at length
becoming tired of the interruption, said quiz
city, Il cant answer any more of your ques-
tions, sir" Upon this, one of a number of
white men who was supporting Ross leye.sd
his gun at Gray. and said Answer him, you
black = =, or get down from that
- g.. 4.
stand and the meeting broke up. 1t was
the last one held in Greenville. In Lowndes
county another species OF outrage MAS resort
ed to tor the purpose OF defeating the Repub-
lican ticket. a colored man named Gleeds
was the leader in the district, and was can
didate for sheriff. A few nights before the
election the young white men and bows of
Columbus. where Gleeds LIVED, set fire to an old
shanty near his house and to deserted log
cabin In another part ofthe village then they
ran through the streets crying defend
your homes the niggers have set fire to the
town." Pistols were ut once drawn and
three olack men were killed. Gleeds fed tol
Jackson, the Republican organization Wasl
broken up. and the Democrats carried the
county by large majority. In Warren
county, OF which lchsburg is the principal
city, and in which negroes have q majority
OF seven to one, tho Democratic canvass WAS
begun on that memorable 9TH of NovemberI
when seventy negroes were massacred This
was followed by the trouble in july when
three black men were killed. and the result
was that the Republicans held no meetings
and virtually gave up the contest To make
their success doubly sure, the Democrats
through some unknown agent of whom they
prefer TO have no knowledge, tried to kill
Crosby, the negro sheriff and Republican |
leader. lie was standing in q drinking sa-
loon In Vicksburg Just behind wire screen |
"a N of
suddenly shot was fred a ball came
through the screen, and Crosby fell to the
ioor. He was severely wounded In the head
and fearing for his life left Mississippi. 1t
Is perhaps unnecessary TO state that the Dem
oerats carried Warren county. In Yazoo
county, where there is negro majority of |
$500. 1t is notorious fact that there were
only seven Republican votes cast. The
Democrats rid themselves of the Republica n (
leader oil the county ia a somewhat novel |
fashion. lie was prominent member of the
Legislature named Patterson. Shortly be- 1
tor" the election somebody killed a negro
tLe whites swore it was an outrage. and said
Patterson was TO blame. Then. without
Judge or jury. they took him ont of bed and
hung him. Jhe Democrats carried Yazoo by
4 majority of 1000.
THE REPUBLICANS DEMoRALIZED
By these and similar acts of violence the
Democrats succeeded in breaking up the Re-
publican organization in Mississippi. Their
Efforts were ably seconded by certain discon-
ented leaders. President Grants refusal 10 !;
'end troops into the State was "the last straw
hat broke the camel's back" and to-day the
negro voters are demo-alized, and without
nope or spirit. They know they cannot ex-
9ect to carry the coming election, FOR the
Democrats assure them that if necessary thew
Will conduct the canvass precisely rs they l
I'D the last one. They make no secret OIL
heir Intentions. To-day, in public dining
aloon. in the hearing of half dozen per-
ons' L asked prominent Democrat from
icksburg how many negroes were killed
Turing the last political campaign. ooh.
hree or four Dozen" was bis cool reply.
And how many will you have to kil tol
AIRY the next election?" asked. He thought
moment, and then said, laughing: Not
many, hope, but We must win" This was :,
aid loosely, but nevertheless it conveys a
cry good idea OF the feelings of the Demo-
rats. They don't want to kill negroes, but
hey must carry the election.