National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-20

large number of loyal citizens, who were legally
qualified ns voters, under the provisions of the
constitution OF the state. BY the arbitrary power
exercised by said officers Of registration in the xth
Congressional district OF Mississippi ten thousand
legally qualified voters of the district unl0w-
iully aud fraudulenty deprived of their right to
vote Under threats ofbeing discharged and driven
from the lands on which the colorcd voter had
growing crops, thus depriving himself and family
OF their only means of subsistence, thousands were
Kept nom the polls or forced vote the Democratic
Ticket BY fraud, threats, and violence throughout
tue district coupled with all the corrupdng inhu.
encos so well understood by the Southern Democ.
racy, the colorcd man was denied every right con.
tempaed by the Constitution of the State and of
The United States relating TO the franchise.
A gentleman writing from jefferson County,
which is also in the sixth district, and who
has been lifelong resident Of the State,
says:
There nre thousands Of white men IN this county
who would vote with the Republicans II they dared
to; but such is the terror inspired by Democratic
rihe.clubs they have not the hurlihood to say they
are Republicans even. 10 make such declaration
would be to call down on their heads the curses
imprecatons and abuse of their ueiphbors IL pro-
iessional men they would sacrifice their business
II clerks, they would be OSraCsed aud. discharged
by their employers II farmers they would ne mar
rassed in every way, and especially before thG
courts, on Iumped'up charges of hog stealing una
other petty crimes
Does Mr.. Chalmers claim that Democratic
reform has brought prosperity, contentment
and happiness to the colored citizens of his
district2 Here Is an extract from letter
written by lady welknown to the writer Of
this. IL bears date Claiborne County Decem-
ber g, 1873:
Poor Mr.. James Page has been brutally murdered
here, and many others have shared the same fhte
Two of his sisters childrcn--yOung men, the
Sawyors-have been murdered They have four
now in jail and we waiting TO hear of their be-
ing hunR. Three men were taken on Ford's Hill
ana shot; we know not for what reason. They lay
where they shot them until one of the men on the
place had 10 come to town and get permission To
bury them, they had become offensive They
shot Mr.. Page and lad who was trying to get ont
of the burning house, and then both were rolled In
| burial. They supposed they had burned Mr.. Page
alter they shot him. Some one asked, and white
man remarked, IF he was not burned he got a
damned good scorching, he was so close to the
house" They made his wife, sister, and kindred
witness what they did. Those poor young girls
were made to run before their pointing guns The
whole premises were set OF fire and burned.
But, oh TO murder the poor old man and so
many others; to destroy all the poor women and
children had 10 live upon. Then to drive them
thirty-three in number-perfectly bare, to Louisi-
among them. Every man fed to the woods. somt
said, "SpdrG none" White tOOaeR cryiiig "SpdIe mol
eren tDOmeR and chGdreR~ ~
on Mr. -, where is our refuge? Poor, de-
spised dependent race. We cannot hope to see oui
wrongs redressed in this land.
Appeals like the foregoing are coming uI
daily from every county in the sixth district
of Mississippi. Does Mr.. Chalmers now in
! tend to turn States evidence against his party
by the introduction of an honest bill for the
prevention of frauds in elections, thus making
\ it incumbent upon himself and his Democratic
associates from the South to disbaud and re-
turn to their homes? or does his bill propose
| to legalize the crimes which have been manly
instrumental in giving them place and power