Wichita eagle., 1888-07-24
WHOLESALE SUPPRESSION.
Senator Wilson Submits the Report of the
Jackson Riot Investigation.

WASHINGTON, July Ex-senator Wilson
of Iowa today submitted to the senate the
majority report of the judiciary committee
on the jackson, Miss, election riots. 1t
says there was a suppression of the votes
of ccl0red citizens at the recent municipal
election of Jackson, Miss. The suppress
sion was not partial, but total. No colored
citizen voted at said election. The report
alludes to the prosperous condition OF
jackson under Mayor Magill (Republican)
and describes the movement started to
nominate a candidate in opposition to him,
which resulted in the organization of a
white league. the first act of which was
the PRONUNCIATION of the manifesto declar
ing N awful earnestness that the corrupt
rapical negro government of our city
should, must and shall be wiped out.
cost what it may" Attached to this were
the names of Deputy Wilson and Deputy
Marshal Livingston. One of these issues
embodied the resolution that 1.-The chair
man Of this meeting appoint committee
of one hundred to see that the ticket Is
elected" The chairman Of the meeting,
the report says, was j. b. Harris, then
United States district attorney. The re-
port cites the story of the suppression of
colored vote and finds that the resolution
of the colored men to abstain from voting
was due to the terrorism inspired by the
actions of the White League and of the
committee appointed by it, 1t quotes
District Attorney Harris as saying that
the result of his interview with the presi-
dent was his Harris0 resignation, which,
however, was understood to be
voluntary. sit would have been becom-
ing" the report continues, Ito a
proper administration of public affairs, if
corresponding action had been taken in re-
spect OF the other implicated officers. But
no action has been taken in the case of
Samuel Livingston, who continues to act
rs depnty United States marshal and no
notice has been taken OIL the misconduct
of Robert L. Wilson, the deputy collector
of internal revenue. The committee can
but regard the continuance of these men
In the official positions which they re-
spectiYely hold as evidence of a want of
right appropriation OF dvty on the part of
the executive department of the govern
ment. If such conduct as the three Of
ticers named in the resolution Of the SEN
ate directing this investigation to be made
be not offensive craftsmanship of the most
reprehensible character then would it be
most difficult to define what would consti-
Iute that otIense. If these public
officers are not to be dismissed from
the service tHen OJnerS VIII take courage
10 do evil deeds of whatsoever character
partisan zeal may suggest. The testimony
taken by the committee shows that two
other persons engaged in the civil service
Of the nlted States were active partiCi-
pants IN the proceedings which resulted in
the suppression of the colored vote Fitz-
gerald, chief clerk of the railway mail ser
vice for the division in which jackson is
located, and T. a. Fitzgerald, railway
mail clerk. 1t farther appears that one
Iemly was treasurer of the committee of
100. He has recently been nominated by
the president to the senate to be postmas-
ter at Jackson, Miss. 1t is fair TO presume
that the president was not informed of
Lemly's connection with the committee of
100 when he nominated him to the senate |
for the Office indicated. The committee
further submits resolution for adoption
condemning the conduct of the United
States officers mentioned and expressing
the opinion that they should be dismissed |
from the pnblic service