The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-02
THE RIGHT VIEW.
The Jackson, Miss, City Election,
Report of the Minority of the Inves-
tigation Committee.
They Take Into Consideration All
Attending circumstances,
And Contend that the White People
Gould Not be Justly Blamed.
The Killing OF Gambren and Melville
Mitcheli-The Prohibition Movement
Got the People Beside Them
selves with Excitement.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The minority
report OF the Senate judiciary committee
on the jackson, Miss, political riots was
submitted by Senator Pugh to the Senate
today. The minority say the hearings
were held with closed doors, and in Wash
ington, more than 1000 miles from the
location OF the transaction. Hence the
members Of the committee had no oppor-
tunity OF examining the great mass of
witnesses who were on the ground.
How unsatisfactory and misleading
such course is, says the report, will be
evident to those who carefully examine
the reported evidence"
The minority says that for many years
there existed in Jackson the best feeling
between the two races, and before Janus-
~, 1883, the colored voters of Jackson had
uniformly voted, and their votes had been
counted. The report describes the local
option contest Of 1856, the killing OF Edit
or GaInbrcll, and the consequent excite
ment and bitter feeling which followed.
Affairs were in this condition when the
events Of December "a occurred. Edward
Eugene Baldwin, n lawyer OF intelligence,
and as the minority assert, the instigatnr
OF this investigation, is quoted as repre-
senting that matters were very riotous
among the young men on that day. Says
the report: "About q o'clock that night.
Melville Mitchell, with some Of his
friends, encountered a desperate negro
named Bob Whitcsides, and in the end
both parties were killed. Upon this the
White league was formed, having for its
sole object the finding of the policeman
and Others implicated, and having them
punished. No proper measures were taken
by the officers TO discover the murdercrs
Thus matters stood on Tuesday night,
when the nominating convention was
held. This meeting, though called Dem
ocratic, was really u meeting OF all parties
Two Republicans were on the committee
on resolutions and were actively partci.
pating in the movement. More than one
half the white Republicans in town were
sompathizcrs In the movement and actively
participating in II. The pro-
cecdings OF this meeting were IN the Ian
guagc used IN the resolutions and some of
the expressions OF the speakers, intern.
perate, but there was nothing said or
done which looked 10 u suppression Of the
colorcd vote or Of any vote at all. The
avowal Of a purpose TO elect the ticket
nominated ought not 10 be construed, and
was never meant 90 be construed into n
threat that the colorcd vote or any other
vote was 20 be intorfcrcd with. Aud il has
no such legitimate meaning
The minority quotes Mayor McGill ~
SAYING TO ex.Congrrssman Barksdalc-a
personal friend who advised that lac with
draw from the contest-that he was de-
termined 10 ascertain the wishes OF the
white people Of the town or a majority Of
them, that he would try and learn that
evening or the next morning, and II a INA.
iority OF the white voters OF the town did
not desire him ~ he a candidate he would
not be."
The minority finds that McGll's In.
quiries led him 10 believe that lac could be
| elected hy the white vote alone, ~, instead
of Withdrawing, che determined 10 have
the negroes withdraw and leave him In
the field"
McGilrs letter 10 Gen. Henry proposing,
in the interest Of fair aud pcaccoblc
election, that the colOrcd voters yolun-
tarily abstain from all participation in the
| election, and not q single vote he pollcd
by that class, is quoted, which proposi-
ton WAS rejected by the committee Of one
| hundred, because IL was "impmciicablc
aud contained stipulntions which no one
was authorized 10 make"
"This conspiracy" the minority SAYS,
"of McGillland Baldwin 10 eliminate The
negro vote aud 10 secure the cooperation
| Of the committee OF one hundred, Ia sug-
grslive Of the methods by which these
southern outragcs are Manufactured for
political purposes" The minority follows
at great length every detail Of the occur
rcnces undcrinvcsiigation II declares that
Baldwid stands impcachcd ~ utterly I'M.
worthy Of credit. II finds the evidence
against the federal officials inculpatcd by
the majority a. unimportant, unirust-
worthy and Illegal.
at Is not shown" the minority says,
"that any one OF the Federal officers In.
eliminated by the committee did n single
Illegal act or aided OF advised In the doing
Of such"
II argues that the bitterness and strife
engendcrcd by the prohibition contest,
though lulled 10 slumbcr, were awakened
in the twinkling Of an eye by the cruel
murder, AZ the people believed, Of n young
white man by negro bully In the pres.
ence OF negro policeman, Who, Instead
Of preserving the peace and protecting
human life, aided and encouraged the
murder. "The city government was In
capable Of protecting life aud property
Appalled, and stunned itself at the crime
and liz consequences, II stood still In help
less imbecility.
"1hen there was the inevitable scpara
ton Of the races and the inevitable race
antagonism.
ut was not In the power Of the thought
iul and conservative men 10 20 act "A 10 ~
cure absolute certainty against a race con
, nict. II in the midst 81 all this cxcitemon
, and terror the two races had been brough
together for the purpose Of testing whcthe
/. the imbccile government under which th'
tragedy had been committed should con
|, tnue is Intellectual and impotent rule, NJ
! matter whether there was a purpose on ih
part OF any TO have such n conflict. Tn
incorporate language Of single drunken
reckless man Of either race, the rude o
angry contact between any two, nigh
have, aud probably would, have fred III
1 slumbcring magazine aud pnecipitated
. conflict"
The minority, referring 10 the recon
mendalionl ol The majority Of the CON