National Republican., 1883-11-28


ticket he was supporting was composed of
white men Of property. of intelligence, of
high social character, and influence. IIo was
native Of tho town in which ho was MUIR
dored. Ho opposed secession before the war
The Jackson (Miss.) Tribune says:
week before the election armed bottles of men
were riding at nights through beat in q spirit of
intimidation or kukluxlsm. Houses were fred
into, negroes were taken from their homes and
whipped, in one instance killed so that before
the sixth reign Of terror had begun. on the
flh an armed body of men, commanded by Il. B.
Wheeler, marched into HdsiohlTsL Among other
things they passed resolution about Mdhhsi0s. The
words of this resolution we cannot give, but 1t
seems to have been in effect warning to Mat
thews 10 remain in his house on election day, and
under no circumstances 10 90 10 Me polls 10 uote
To disregard this order the death penalty was at
tached. Matthews disregarded the order. He
went to the polls. lIo voted, and as he turned the
captain of the band OF regulators and the peace
officer of the polls with his own hand inflicted The
death penalty
Concerning tho murderer, Wheeler, the same
paper says He was Immediately bailed on
$1,000 bond, and put at the head of crowd of
mad mon to visit other precincts in the inter
est of tho democratic candidates" 1t ex-
presses the opinion that "there will be moth
ing done with Wheeler" and adds "Why
should there BOP He was only an instru-
ment. Why punish the blind and bloody
tool? He was one among the leaders
of o successful revolution to override law"
We have before alluded to tho action con-
cerning this murder by "the citizens Of
Copiah county mot in mass meeting" on the
day after it occurred, at which it was re-
solved that whereas rumors" were "cur-
rent" that tho relatives of the murdered man
had threatened vengeance on his murderers !;
therefore
1. "If any person shall be injured, or at
tempted to be injured, either in person or
property by tho relatives of said ]. p.
Matthews, that We hereby declare that we
will hold his said relatives and friends who
participate accountable for the same; and
that ace will regard them as 'Cithom The pale
and protection of the ldw and common enemies
of society, and that we will visit upon the IN
certain, swift retribution."
2. Assurances of protection of the lao to
same relatives $50 long as they obey the law
and become good citizens"
3. That, in The opinion of this meeting, it is
necessary to the safety of society and the well
fare of all races and classes in this county,
that hereafter the Matthews family shall keep
o,f of .,J;I;,o "A, O,n;ob co,,,t,,
A. Forbids organizing colored voters on
"peril of the person or persons attempting so
! to do"
5. Pledges elves, fortunes, and sacred
honor" of all present to hold ourselves in
readiness to enforce the foregoing resolutions,
and to meet at any time upon the call of the
chairman"
6. A band of twenty-four from each super
visor district Of the county to serve "the
brothers and sons of the late J. p. Matthews"
with this deadly proclamation of outlawry.
Z. That " the honors heretofore worn land
worthily SOY by Beat No 2 be. and the same
are hereby awarded to Beat No. g."
s. That this "is by no means intended to
reflect upon the past and present services OF
Beat No q but to show our appreciation OF
the result of tho election of the ticket in
Beat No. g." Iuoat
8. Clubs not to disband, but to be subject to
call
10. Thanks to Hazlehurst brass band for
music ION this occasion"
Such is the history of the bloody assizes OF
the democratic party in Copiah county, Miss,
of which tho central organ of the democracy
has nothing to say beyond what we have
given it credit for above.
A friend writes us from Jackson, Miss, as
follows:
| j. l.. Meade, chairman of the mass meeting, is
n democratic editor, has been a member of the
legislature, was editor OF the Westvile News when
he uttered and published the now famous sen
tence: "If we can't vote the niger down we Cur
| knock him down."
Beat 3, to which is awarded the honors, is tn
beat wherein the most killing took place.
The Vicksburg Post is the only democratic pape
which, so far at least, condemns the murders.
King Qnd.) beat Lowery (dem.) for governor In
Copiah county QSsl), and in spite of fraud &c,
they had TO give tito him (Kingl by a small major
ity, but now Copiah goes by 1000 mujority for tn
party of reform. Turn the rascals out!
The Post had better call in the aid of som,
Mississippian to help it keep still on the sub
ject of the Copiah murder and the resolution
of its bourbon defenders. 1t need not max
itself an accessory after the fact. No mai
can be compelled to criminate himself.