Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-14

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| that. The ''outs" were composed of a elias
of people who, while they knew the colore'
| people were IN the majority, were determlI eC
| they should not exercise their legal rights o
citizenship, and acted on that idea.
| Ques.-Ihat being so, what had they K
| gain by attempting TO lntImIdate anybody a
! the polls? Ans--TheY had this to gain
they hoped the result would be he'd which
has been reached in that and other States
| and they were determined not to submit &
! an exercise of the right of suffrage by the
colored people who had been emancipated by
| the war, though they were IN large major
| ity; they hoped tine government would be
overthrown; when the constitution of 1865
was framed their local papers said it would
only last six or eight months.
Ques.-Do you not think 1t might have &C.
| CURED to some OF them to try to cOnclliate
the colored people? Ans.-The colored peo-
pie were conciliated in many parishes by the
shotgun; they did attempt Cancellation, how
ever, and | endeavored to second them in
East Feliciana.
Witness in response to questions stated
numerous instances in which Republican
officers were driven out of their parishes by
Democrats previous to the election of 1876
and SAID he would furnish to the committee
list OF names n gsiSons Killed, hung and
sTfhg jd2r~@ '0' p0''''"i reasons If they SO de-
Mr.. Hiscock-I thank the gentleman for
that remark; it 'characterizss the whole
purpose of his inquiry.
After further discussion between Butler
and Hiscock, the chairman stated that, as
there had been charges of corrupt election
and returns In Louisiana, it was pertinent to
show that men connected with that matter
had been appointed to Office, and that that
was their only qualification to such office. He
thought the question a proper one.
The Witness-With the exception of Jas.
E. Anderson, all the parties named | believe
to have been appointed because they were
competent to discharge the duties of their re-
spective Offices, and they were men Of suffi-
clent character to justify their appointment,
and had also been true, consistent and work.
ing Republicans in the last campaign.
think there are more Republicans of good
character who were efficient and active IN
the campaign, who ought TO be appointed to
office for that very reason, If they are other
wise competent and upright.
Ques.-Were there other honest and noble
men of whom you speak, who did not happen
to be supervisors, who made protests at the
time of election? Ans.-They may not have
done that, but they were more or less prom
inent In the last election.
By. Mr.. Hiscock-E. L. Weber has worn
before the subcommittee that you instigated
him to go to Mississippi and testify there be-
fore the congressional committee. Please
state all you know about that. Ans.-Mr.
Weber was member of the committee APP
pointed by the State senate to investigate re-
garding violence In the parishes of East and
West Feliciana, and that committee had made
q report In writing, which had not been
printed when. the Boutwell, committee went
down to Louisiana. Weber was anxious to
appear before it with this famous manuscript
He was In the city about that time, and ex-
pressed desire to go before them, and | may
have suggested to them that he had better
go if he would, but at the time he testified !
was not aware of his dong so, because | was
in attendance at the Cincinnati convention.
Witness was then questioned by Mr.. His
cock in regard to violence and intimidation
In East and West Feliciana parishes, and
stated that his information was based upon
the kilograms received, the substance of
which he had embodied In telegram sent by
him to Zach Chandler.
Ques.-At the time you forwarded that dis
patch to Chandler had there been communi-
c tied to you facts upon which you predicated
it, and which induced you to believe the con-
tents of that telegram. to be true and you be-
lieve them yet? Ans.-I had large numbers
of dispatches before me from supervisors
of these parishes and | believed them
at the time, and have never had any occasion
to change my opinion, except that | had
doubts as to whether they were correct in the
statement that any considerable number of
arm6O UlGn CAME over from MISSISSIPPI or
Arkansas at the time of the election.
Ques.-From facts which came to your
is it your opinion that intimida-
lion arose by reason of the carrying out of
any settled or defined plan on the part of
bulldozers, CT was it the natural exhibition of
feeling and conduct on the part of the whites
On account of their antagonism to the govern
ment by the negroes? Ans.-I think there
was a predeterminaton to carry those five
parishes specially because they were known
to be Republican parishes; that the action of
local politicians may not have furnished an
additional argument to intensity the feeling
against the Republicans on the part of the
whites, l do not pretend to deny as to one
Or two parishes.
By the Chairman-Referring TO E. L. Web
er's letter to you CONCERNING the outrages in
East Feliciana, | will ask you If there was
not good deal of that kind of letter writ
ng in Louisiana at that time. Ans.-Weber
was one of those men who used to write such
etters as that, In which he mixed up great
deal of truth and great deal of romance;
he was very sanguiue and jealous man.
The chairman then questioned the witness
N regard to the signing of the second SET of
electoral returns, and the action of the cleo
boral commission thereon, but no new facts
we're elected. The committee then went into
executive session, and adjourned until the
twenty third of July, to meet at Atlantic City,