The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-29
sTLAND. FRIDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 90, 1884
SOUTHERN oUTRAGEs.
The Copiah County Investigation
Terminated.
A General Review of the Facts ELECTED
During the Inquiry-Two Reports 10 be
Made TO Cengress-The DanviIle Riot.


During the Inquiry-Two Reports 10 be
Made to Cengress-The DanviIle Riot.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. PA number OF wit
nesses were called today in the Mississippi in
vestigation, both by Senators Jonas and Frye.
They brought out nothing new, and were prin-
cipally put on to deny and corroboyate various
minor points in ths evidence. Several Demo
cratic witnesses, seven of whom were members
of the HaZelhurst mob, were dismissed With
out testifying. Mr.. Frye said he had rev
witnesses to put on, but, owing to the great de-
sire of the committee to get back TO Washing-
ton, the hearing was brought to an end at
late hour this afternoon. A letter from MT.
Garrett, chairman of the Republican commit
tee OF Madison county, Miss, appeared IN the
Times-Democrat this afternoon, denying cer-
tain statements made in the testimony OF
United States District Attorney Ware re-
garding the political situation In that
county. CARROTS letter declared that the
Republicans and Democrats are getting along
pleasantly together in that county, Whiie
Ware asserted that the Bourbons compelled
the Independents to withdraw their ticket last
fall before the election This apparent differ
ence is explained from the fact that many
of the old-time Republicans are acting
with the Democrats, while the independents
oppose both of the old organizations. The
committee, on strict party vote, resolved not
to admit this newspaper letter until its next
meeting in Washington. In the n1eaaaSinae
Judge Ware has been notified to make any
statement concerning Garrett's letter which he
may desire. The testimony taken will amount
to 800 printed pages, and the committees re-
port will be made as sooD as the evidence can
be printed and digested. Two reports will be
made. The three Republican members will
find that the testimony fully proves that in
Copiah county there was determination last
fall to elect Bourbon officers at any cost. The
independent movement had grown so strong
that it was sure to carry the election with
free ballot. To overcome this the Democrats
organized reign of terror. An armed mob,
under the lead of the Democratic politicians,
marched over the county, whipping, shooting
and numbering. In consequence the negroes
were driven from their houses, the independ-
ent campaign broken up, and the operations of
the law suspended. AS the crowning act of
this grievous crime, j. T. Mathews, the trust
ed leader of the independent party, wealthy
and respected man, was notified by the mob
that he must not vote. Other active Republi-
Mathews went to vote, and was killed at the
polls by Democratic marauder, who has since
stated he committed the murder because he had
been so directed by his party. The murderer
has never been brought to justice, and the
community had mass meeting to praise the
act, and vent the popular vengeance on any
one who should attempt to bEing him to JUS
tice.
Further, that he was elected after the murder
as city marshal, and that no one has been
brought to trial for any other outrages COM
mitted on persons and property during the
rule of the mob; while for the three weeks
during which it pursued its cowardly crimes,
no officer of the law interfered; the sheriff did
nothing, the governor would do nothing, and
the Democratic press and party in Copiah and
OF hoA 1arx 1rd Of 0nt dam i'm f0
offer. Mathews appealed for protection and
was killed, while other independents were
run out of the county; and In their strong
precincts on election day the polls were sur
rounded with armed men, 80 that the indie
pendent majority of 1881 in Copiah was, in
1883, by force and violence, turned into
paltry minority of 875 votes. All this was
done with the passive consent, which, with
such offences, was equivalent to active ap-
proval, of the magistrates and peace officers of
the State, and though many good men in
Copiah have deprecated these outrages, yet
the amount of public sentiment is still SO
strong in that direction, that no utterances by
that people have ever been made to disavow
the savagery which disgraced them last Octo-
ber for the acts of the mob. The majority re-
port will also indicate what farce is popular
government in Mississippi from these tragic
recitas, and from the testimony of men high
in Democratic counsels, who have sworn that
rather than allow majority of the
voters to obtain control of public
affairs the minority might, if it deemed
best, use force and intimidation.
This ayowed determination will be pointed
out as the great source of endless trouble in
the South, and the subversion OF common
rights, to be remedied only by some action on
the part of the federal government, or such
wholesome action by the law and order part OF
the country, as will convince the South that
until it learns to respect the rights of all citi-
zens, it can never be trusted with the national
administration. The minority will undoubted-
ly deny that the outrages in Copiah had any
political connection, but grew out OF private
feuds, an alleged improper use Of the county
administration by the Independents, fear
that Mathews would become all-powerful po-
litically, by raising up the race issue, and
rallying the negroes about him, and rumor
that the negroes were about to arm last Fall
will be relied upon to show that the Demo-
Gratis had good reason to use every lawful
means to carry their point. The mob was but
a band of excitable young men, rash perhaps,
not criminals. The State officers did their
whole duty. The murder of Mathews was
unpremeditated, but brought on in q measure
by the strong stand he had taken against the
Democracy. The election was fair and honest.
These are the pleas which will be offset to all
the indictments made by the Republicans.
In the mass of testimony which has been
taken, two or three facts stand out very clear.
ly. The Democrats will defeat independent
movements when necessary by force, rather
than lose control of the Southern States, and
for that purpose allow state OF affairs to eS-
ist for which no excuse can be offered and no
justification be made. In political contests it is
considered proper to win no matter what the
cost. The general Democratic sentiment,
whild not indorsing individual murder, rests
upon q deep-seated sentiment that in any case
the negro shall not be allowed to affect cleo
tions unless he is willing to vote the Bourbon
ticket provided for him,
Tha xvif in Wooh I'M fo,a
Saturday night. A meeting to hear Congress
man Barksdale's testimony will take place
next week, and a report will be made to the
Senate about the beginning of April.
The DanviIle Inquiry.
WASHINGTON, Feb. H. Squire Tallafero
(colcred), chairman of the ward committee for
several years, was the first witness before the
Danville subcommittee today. He was a
SANITARY commissioner" (scavenger) in Dam
vile for six months previous to the first of last
November, having been appointed by the town
authorities. He heard the shooting on the
Saturday of the riot, and hastened to his
house. He kept within doors, refusing admit
tance to all callers until o'clock Monday
morning. There were white men and others
about his house, and they pretended to have
kilograms for him, but he "didn't want any
news at that time of night" They tried to
rattle his door down. He did hear afterwards
that one of his tenants at a distance had sent q
telegram, Witness related at considerable
length conversations with white Democrats,
who. pre- vious to the riot, had threatened, with
abundant profanity, to carry the election at all
hazards. Witness said notice was put under
his door some time after the riot, addressed,
"This is to Squire Taliafero." Its contents
were, esquire, you are considered as ole of the
leaders or instigators of the late riot of Dan
vile. As such, you are respc nsible for the
blood spilled therein. We have determined
that your stay in Danville is injurious to the
public peace therefore you must go. You are
given three days to prepare, and if after three
days you are found in Dsnviile, you must take
the consequences"
The committee adjourned, subject to the call
of the chairman, with the understanding that
no further proceedings should take place until
the House had acted upon the Senate joint res
olution appropriating money for further ex
penses,
THE PACIFIC BANK.