Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-03-03
The Mississippi InvestigatiOn.

The facts brought to light by the in
vestigation into the Cepiah county. Miss
issippi murder, show a worse condition
of things than were anticipated. II was
well known before the investigation that
the murder OF Matthews was perpetrated
for political effect. but it was not imagined
that the democratic community would
openly and defiantly sustain the murder
er and take credit to themselve, for hav-
lug suppressed the independents by vio-
lcnce and outrage The democratic wit
nesscs who came before the investigating
committee. made no apologies for the
crime. and declared that it was approved
by the 'high toned aud elegant citizens
of Copiah Wheeler the murderer. was
elected marshal of the place. as a reward
Tor his assassination of Matthews. and
would have been elected mayor, it was
said. bur for the restraining influence of
one or two individuals. At pubic
meeting in Copish. after the murder the
following resolutions were adopted with
ont opposition;
WHEREAS. Srr.sin ruuuVs are current that
the relatives of rbe late y. I. Msftbcrs have
Threatened he peace If society IN order to
avcnse tie Ara'b. bv killing lem ,crats and
destroying their pruperte; now therefore be
1t
Resolrei. By the people Of Copiah county
in mass mccti1g assembled this day at the
Court House of said county that if any per
son shall be injured, Or attempted To be in
iured either in person or property in anv
manner Nv the ssld relatives or friends OF
said !. i. Matthews that We hereby declare
that We will hold hi. said relatives or friend.
who participate accountable for the same. and
that We hereby regard them without the pale
and protection Of the law. and common
enemies Of society, and that will visit up
on them certain and swift rctribution
After the towns people. the taxpayers"
and good mon" of the city had thus pub
licly endorsed the murder there was moth
ting more 10 he said against il. The re-
mark made by one OF the most intelligent
witnesses on the democratic side. that 'If
you should send your biggest man. Gen
eral Grant. down into our county 10 organ
ize the negroes he would be killed at
once" shows how little appreciation these
southern Neros have OF what popular
suffrage. the common rights Of mankind.
or common decency and humanity. re-
quire of them They deem any act of
brutality Justiiable tor the suppression of
independent voting. be it ever so outrs-
gcous. and If the best man in the country
should attempt to Interfere with their
purposes ''he would be killed at once"
Whether democrats in the North will
endorse such acts and opinions Is are en-
dorsed and maintained by their southern
brethern of Copiah. and ridicule the agi-
tation of such matters as waving the
bloody shirt" hardly admits of doubt
They have so long treated with derision
all attempts to establish justice in the
South and the holding Of free and fair
elections. that it seems impossible TO nope
for better things now. The South leads.
controls the democratic party of the coun-
try. and northern democrats bow their
necks in subsection to their southern mas
ters and dare no, raise voice or hand
against the grea, crimes by which they
keep the South solid for demo cracy
William Il. AcCr;ilie, the veteran lawyer
and democrat at Bangor, 10 ill.,