New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-26

at secrecy into the hands of coIapanies f"rhea 70
advance of their reception. There was ecarceiy
csunty in the state that did-not have ono on more
az fhsse companies before the rst OF July They
were ell organized without the authority OF the
Governor and therefore ia defiance of State law
Their ofiiCorB were mon who had served as o'neers
IN the Confederate Army aud the rank and file was
ulafie up Of veteran rebel soldiers.
Governor Anes saw that rebellion was on foot.
Il not against the National Government. at least
against the State. The Clinton massacre confirmed
bis appreheusions. The first important Republican
meeting of tho Canvass was held at Clinton, ten
miles from jackson. It was attacked by large
, bedy of armed Democrats For tho first aud only
time in the course of the bloody campaign ct 1875
the 3lebublicans resisted They were dispersed ana
hunted for days in the woods, and killed wherever
faund In ali. 107 were killed in the affair." oil
whom six were white Democrats and the rest col
ored Republicans Governor Ames communicated
the state of things to the Washington Government,
and at the same time Colonel J. 2. George, then
chairman Of the Democratic State Executive Com
mittee and now United States SenGtOr-elect fIom
Mississippi began fire of kilograms to Attorney
General PierrepOut assuring him that perfect peace
prevailed throughout the State and that there was
& NO danger of disturbance unless melted by
tbe state authorities" While Georges perfect
peaoen reisned no Republican meeting cOuld be
held without visit from riflo-Oub. 1t tho meet
jng dispersed there was violence, as a rule; but
~ il was slow in breaking up vOiiey from tho
r;fe-club hastened its movements,
Attorney. General Pierrcpont seems 20 have been
the Government at that time. President Grant was
at Long Branch, and took little interest in what
was going on in Mississippi. Finally, after re-
peate requests for troops to sustain his authority
Z md show that the Administration was determined
To mt down the new rebellion, Governor AmeS
made a formal demand on the President early in
Septeniber for troops. In this demand he said he
was aware of the reluctance of the people OF the
country to National interference in State AFFAIRS
and expressed the hope that all the clium would
attach to him and not to the Republican party or to
President Grant. He cOuld not, he added, escape
the conscientious discharge of his duty toward
class af American citizens whose only crime con-
sisted in their color. Mr.. PierTepOnt sent the call
to Grant with all the correspondence on the sub
ieot complained of want of fOrnalIty in Ames's
isrnand but said he did not think it we'll TO be too
stiff about words. The real substance of
fbe ustter pcrplexed him, he added. He did not
think the Constitution and the laws authorized
Federal interference in such 3 case The President
did not communicate with Governor Ames directly.
Int cent message by telegraph TO PierrepU1t,
who made IT'D a curious dispatch, blowing hot and
cold in the same breath. He quoted portion of
Grants dispatch to him. in which the President
said: Tho whole pubic is tired of these annual
autumnsl outbreaks in the South, and the great
majority are ready now to condemn any interior
enee ON ths part of the Government. 1 heartily
wish that peace and good order may DO restored
without issuing the proclamation. But If it is not.
the proclamation must be issued, and if it is shall
instruct the commander of the forces to have no
chid's play"
srhe proclamation was not issued, though some
IN 1ryI of MAJ
Orleans to aid Governor Ames in maintaining order
and preserving life If called upon. The Republican
candidates for Congress went TO Washington and
made an appeal for troops to be sent to the state,
bnt were unsuccessful. Before they left Mississippi
they were told by the Democrats that the President
4eok no interest in the Ames Government and
wenld not interfere and when they returned they
wcrc icered at and tauntod with their failure.
The Attorney-Geueral did. however. dispatch
a special messenger to look into the affairs
M the State. Meanwhile, the rife-club cam
puign had had It's effect. The Republicans had
abandoned all attempts at holding public meetings.
Numerous assaSsinatiOns Of local cOlcred leaders
had broken up their county organizations, and they
were at the mercy Of their opponents. The nvestj
cation subsequently, made by Senate committee
showed that over 400 political murders were COM
united in the course of the canvass, the victims be-
ing all Republicans. BY the time election day ar
rived there was not much left Of the Republican
party The Democrats stuffed the ballOt-boxes or
made fraudulent counts in the counties where the
negroes turned ont and voted but in most places
they did not need to resort to these expeCients for
the terrified and dssrgsnized cOlOred men did not
make any attempt to poll their full vote. The Re-
publ,csn majority of 10000 in 1873 was wiped out
as with q sponge and q Democratic majority OF
10000 substituted for IT.
To obtain control of the State Legislature and the
county Offices was the chief motive OF the camDaign
Az soou as the new Legislature met in January,
1878 it took measures to get rid of Governor Ames
by impeachment. There wero no valid charges
framed and sent TO the State Senate by the House.
Aanes had not made discreet or efficient Governor
sonal honor and no faint of corruption or dis
honesty attached TO him. He sent to New
York for Roger Pryor an sx-ConfeGerate o fnGg
that the Democrats meant to pat him out, whether
any of their charges were valid or not. and ADVISED
Legislature had provided that only the witnesses
s for tho prosecution should be paid by the State,
ssIf. Seeing that be had nothing hope iOr from
trial, he took Pryur's advice and resigned. The
Lieptenant Governor colorsh man helG on n mil
Gratis elected Stone President OF the Senate. and he
stepped into the vacant place OF Governor A..
This was the end of the Republican party in Nis-
sjssippi In 1875 its Central Committee formally
tiiEbauded IT, on the ground that contest would be
The rhe-cluo mopnOd OF destroying hopup-
can majorties got the appropriate name Of the Mis-
aiss,pp plan. and was closely copied IN 1876 III
Ssc1fh Carolina and louisiana 1t 10 the general
heiief smou1 Southern Republicans that II 1T had
been destroyed in Mississippi by tho Administration
z treating the Illegal military organizations as
trsesonable. there would have beOn no trouble in
1879 and the Governments of ct least three South
ern tStateS would to-day be IN Republican hands;
II need not Dc inferred frOm tho above recital that
Generel Grants cotton in tbs Misssaippi troubles
was inlefenslble from Republican point of view
sThe public was tired of the annual outbreaks in the
SOUTH as be said in his dispatch 70 Mr.. PierrepOnt,