The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-05-29
From TIE ". Y. World, May 10.

N curious type OF american A11es
Judge Uhisolm died at De Kalb Sunday
night; and as the riot in which he was
MORALLY wounded was the dramatic close of
series of fierce personal and political
feuds, the character Of the chief actor and
victim is worthy of study. We shall not
accept the opinions either of his friends or
his enemies, but porter to present a sketch
of him in his own words. He was examin-
ed under oath at Jackson, Miss, on the
23d of June, 1876, by the senate com
mittee appointed to investigate the election
held in that state the previous year, and
although due allowance must be made, in
considering his evidence. for his desire to
represent his character and conduct in the
best possible hight, it is nevertheless plain
that he revealed himself pretty thoroughly
in his testimony. He told his story with a
sort of brutal frankness and hardihood that
one cannot but admire. 1t is to be gath
cred from his own statements that he was
a Georgian by birth and had lived in KEN.
per county. Mississippi. for twenty four
years, and in the town OF De kalb for six
or seven years. He voted for the ordinance
of secession and was bitter partisan of the
COnfederacy during the war, although he
did not 90 into the southern army, but held
the position of probate Judge and did
what he could to forward recruiting He
alluded several times with some pride to
the fact that his brothers, although they
did not vote TOR secession, went into the
field so that the loyalty of the family to
the south was thus placed beyond cavil.
In his report of a conversation with
Democrat whom he met at Scooba during
the canvass, and who was drinking right
smart, he made a rough and ready state.
ment of his position. Promising that he
accepted the results Of the war a9d the
constItuDal amendments, he went on:
" remarked to him the damned cRrpet-baggers
have no particular love for them, got no particular
use for them but there carpet baggers in my
crowd. 1t was all southern men, and my friends
nearly all OF them gallant Confederate soldiers
and told him that suppose my family had as
good a record az far rs the war concerned as
ne or any other man in Kemper county; while /
didn't go myself that they had made honorable SOL
diers and filed honrable graves upon the battle
field"
This crowd of which Chisom was so
proud consisted of few white men of the
vicinity who looked to him for leadership,
and were literally faithful to MIN even un-
to death. He claimed that there we're
$50 white Republicans in the county, and
that these, with the negroes. had a majo-
rity Of about 200 votes. He was virtually
the political autocrat of the community for
seven years. during which he held the Office
Of sheriff and dictated the action of his
party. He was, moreover, a lawyer, far
mer and merchant He was a candidate
for the shrievalty in 1875, but was beaten,
as the people, insenced with such a long
period Of maladministration, made deter
mined effort and flung off Republican con-
troll. The canvass was very bitter one,
and though Chisolm intimated that the
air was full of wild rumors and threats of
violence, he declared to Senator Bayard
that he had filed all his engagements to
speak except two which he neglected for
business reasons. 1t was a common thing
for opposing speakers to divide the time
and address the same meeting, and he and
a select body guard of his friends always
went to political assemblies armed, but 10
disturbances occurred, although few arm
ed Democrats wee generally present. His
version OF his address to the negroes shows
what manner of man he was:
"My speeches to the coored men all the time was
that thought there would be no trouble; but II
there was, to fret let me and what few white men
there was along with me and the white democrats
fight II out; that it,shOuld BE- straight out white
mans fight; didn't want them to have anything to
do with the ghtiug; that If there was any fighting
to do what few white men went with me would
nght; that we didn't want them to have anything to
do with the hghting."
On his way to-a meeting at Scooba,
when the whole neighborhood was excited
by the presence of men who were said to
be sent over from Jackson as deputy mar
shals to make arrests, he was twice warned
that he was proceeding at the risk of his
life: To the first friendly admonition he
said doggedly that he hated to turn
back after he had started, as he usually
went where he started to-" The second
admoultiOn came from a Democrat, who
advanced out OF IA wood by the roadside,
and Chisolm went to meet him pistol in
hand. Their dialogue opened in this
fashion:
Says he, Judge. what is the matterS Are you
going to shoot meT said mo, sir; / have nc
intention Of shooting you. l am little excited
though, Jim"
He had conference with the Democra.
tic leaders and found that the alarm or
both sides was vain; his statement of the
ground that he took in the parley is very
characteristic:
SAID, Duke. by God am free American
SS'@su' S~o uave a. much right here ~ you have