The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-07
NO VOTES FOR NEGROES.
As Mach as Their Life Is Worth to Go to the
Polls in Jackson, Miss.

ST. PAUL. MIMI, Feb 6-Something over a
week ago F. c. Nlckels. of Minneapolis. addressed
a letter to Judge John McGiil, Mayor OF Jack
son, Miss, asking what the real facts were about
the recent troubles at the municipal election,
which Senate committee is to investigate. In
reply he received letter, in which the follow
ing language is used:
s'What you may have seen stated in the pa
pers in reference to the recent municipal elec-
ton in this city does not tell the whole story
it is The impression has been sought to be
made in the public mind abroad that the govern
mont of this city was corrupt and vicious, and
ruled and dominated by negroes. Such is not
the fact and never has been true. have been
Mayor of this place fourteen years, having been
elected seven consecutive terms. | am forty
years Of that time in this city. was soldier
in the confederate army, and served through
the war. When the surrender took
place also surrendered, and ever since the war
have been, I believe. . good loyal citizen; at
least have tried to be. Politically. my fortunes
have been cast with the Republican party. and
this is about the and substance of my
offending. The city government consists of a
Mayor and Board of six Aldermen. or these five
have been white men and Democrats, and one
a Republican and colored man. The other off,
of the city a marshal, assessor, col
lector, clerk and treasurer. Tho marshal, as
SCISSOR and treasurer were all white mon and
Democrats, aud the clerk and collector were
both Republicans, the frstnamed colored
man, and the latter white native of this city
The jailer was a colored Republican. The police
force. consisting of six, was constituted fol-
lows Four white Democrats ana two colored
Republicans. You will be able to judge from
this statement how much truth there may be in
the statement that 1T was negro ridden gov
ernment Four of the former members of my
Board of Aldermen were re-elected on the ticket
with my opponent. OF course, they are all
white men and Democrats.
II iucloss you copy of the celebrated Red
Circular. They were very plentifully distrib-
uted just prior to the election. but have been
suppressed as far as possible since. and it is
now difficult to get q copy. The unfortunate
occurrence Christmas eve night, which
suited in the killing of young white man with
knife in the hands of negro and the shoot
ing and killing of the negro at the same time,
was one that could not have been foreseen by
my officers and hence could not have
been prevented 1t was made tho pretext for
bitter attack upon my administration however,
and the most violent and infammatory speeches
and publications were made to arouse the most
bitter and vindictivs raSe preiudices The only
thing that prevented riot and bloodshed was the
fact that the negroes resolved not to vote or in
any way participate in the election. Had they
attempted to do SO some of them would without
doubt have been killed.
.The white and colored registered vote of the
city is nearly equal. Not single colored man
was permitted to vote at the recent election.
They were completely disfranchised as
though they had never had the privilege of Cit
izenship conferred upon them. These are facts
that can and will be established in the testlmo-
ny Of witnesses whose standing in the co1nmu-
nifty cannot be attacked impcached. There
are me Democrats here who will bear testi-
mony to the truth of all that has herein been
stated. JOHN McGILI,.n
W. H. Gibbs. ex-Union soldier, who served
three years in the war in the Fifteenth Illinois
Volunteers, and who has been in Mississippi
ever since the war, adds letter in which he
makes tho following statement
ST say without hesitation that the recent ac-
tion of the White League Democracy in the re-
cent election has been the most defiant and out
rageously unlawful and -unwarranted effort to
deprive citizens of their rights and overrule the
constitution and laws of the country that has
ever occurred here elsewhere"
The red circular contains this paragraph:
Driven by sudden passion or impulse, but
actuated by firm and deliberate sense of the
duty owe to ourselves and to our race, we
hereby warn the negroes that If any of their
race attempt to run for Office in the approaching
municipal election he does so at his supremest
peril, and we further warn any and all negroes
of this city against attempting at their utmost
hazard by vote or influence to foist on again
this black and damnable machine miscalled
of our city"