National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-10

The Black Ku-Klux In Mississippi.
The dispatches from Mississippi yes
terday were, as John Phoenix said of an
Aliens revolver, "of the old kind, brass
mounted'-no returns, but the regular
Bourbon ticket well ahead in the yet UNI
counted ballots. Admissions come from
Bourbon sources that the election was
quiet and fair and all that sort of thing,
except at Marion Station, five miles from
Nicksburg. The shooting of negroes is
something that is now usually omitted
in Mississippi at election times, except
where great necessity exists for such ac-
ton. As for any widespread massacres
like those which were forced upon the
Conservatives in 1874 by the conduct of
the negroes in persisting in voting, none
have occurred. fin any locality moro
or less negroes have been killed as
warning to the race throughout the State,
the true lover of his Constitution will
exclaim that something must be par
doned to the spirit of Liberty"
The reported occurrences at Marion on
election duy will naturally be viewed
from opposite political standpoints. Our
own dispatches by Associated Press are
slightly conflicting. The Vicksburg agent
reported that terrible riot occurred on
the morning of election day, drought on
by number of vicious negroes who came
from Beat Three armed for that purpose"
He adds that "three white men are
known to be killed and others wounded
by negroes, who made their escape on
horses tied near" The aggressive char
acter of the dominating negro of Missis-
sippi and the shrinking and timid
nature of the white Bourbons of that
State have long been understood, but
we had hoped that the long-con-
tinued outrages perpetrated upon the
patient whites by the tyrannical negro
bull-dozers would have taught the former
to assert themselves, or at least, as Mrs.
Chick would have said, to make an effort.
The dispatch from Meridian lends some
basis for hope that the negroes were
not allowed to have things their own
way. The dispatch states that negroes
marched up to the polls while the cleo
ton was going on and "opened fire on
| the whites. The latter had no arms
with which to defend themselves" The
fact is not known generally, but in Mis-
sissippi the negroes do not allow the
whites to own pistols or other weapons,
and this gives the former great
advantage. 1t is u common thing, and
has been for some years in that State, for
bands of negrocs to go around opening
fire on white folks. The dispatch goes
on to say that after this performance, the
sheriff. with posse from Meridian,
found about hundred negroes barri-
caded in the dwelling house of their
leader, Ed. Vance" Another body of
armed men were sent to reinforce the
posse. The official report of the battle
concludes as follows:
The sherif's posse, consisting of about one hun
| bred men, surrounded Ed. Nance's house to cap
ture the insgators and perpetrators of the murders
at Marion Station this morning, and demanded
their surrender, which was refused John Vance,
aged twenty-five, son of Ed. Vance, riding up,
pointed II gunat the posse and was shot and killed.
A. g. Warren, of the posse, was killed instantly by
| a shot fired from inside of the house. Ed. Vance
| and the negroes escaped Several negroes in es-
| Gaping were shot at and wounded. VIII Vance,
aged about thirty, a son of Ed. Vance, was cap
tured and lodged in Jail. The sheriff received q
slight wound from spent bullet. Hardin Jones,
| of the posse, was slightly wounded Vance and
the negroes have fought desperately all day from
inside the house, and thus, having all the advan-
| tage, 1t was difficult to capture them. The names
of the killed at the polls this morning are: A. T.
Harvey, Joseph Barnett, and JEFF segars. Vance
segars was MORALLY wounded. james Hodges and
Levi Moore were wounded, the former seriously,
the latter slightly.
Several negroes, in escaping, were shot
at and wounded. The negroes " fought
desperately all day." but were finally cap
tured, despite their numbers and their
superior proves.
How long are these colored Ku-Klux
Klans to be allowed thus to terrorize the
quiet and peaceful whites of Mississippi?
1t is gratifying to know that the Demo-
cratic election officers have decided not
to allow the Bourbon majority to be fig,
ured at more than 10000. Also, that the
election was quiet everywhere except at
Marion. The intimidation attempted by
the negroes will not, it is believed, pre-
vent free count.