The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1899-09-30

forts to capture, aud then Mr.. Comor
s,'''''u nun to the prison, where he
al once exchanged a genteeI sniff NJ
clothing Tor the prison stripes.
summers is about So wears ~ ooo
wen educated aud very interesting in
conversation. 1t is not probable that
ne VIII have to serve out his uneynircd
term. VIVA p'' Gu
OF on the Picket Line of Freedom
In the south"
a volume bearing this title. 5l9 nac.s
was published by its author in 1881 If
~ IN The form Of "A Personal Maria.
i've by A. 7. Morgan, late Sheriff and
AK collector, lazoo County, Missis-
suppl The author claims that IL is So
simple and truthful narrative of the
principal incidents and events In the
puonc and private life of the author
uu'IhB ms residence in Yazoo county.
together with occasional pictures illus.
Oratlve OF the social condition of the
people Of the State. The characters
described are all real persons where il
was round impossible to disguise their
IDENTITY Following the preface is a
memorial page set apart "to the mem
DRY OF those men and women who have
uled on slavery's stubble ground in the
war for self-preservation." We had
heard Of but had not seen this book un-
I'll last week. We read it through while
suffering with an attack of inflamma.
tory rheumatism, and the effort NAV
nave aggravated the affection. Col.
Morgan wields the pen of ready writer
and has the gift of lively imagination.
lie deals with the reconstruction ne
rlou' ana the personal and political
experiences of himself and two broth
ers are graphically and venomouslv
sketched From the time that he and
ms brother Charles commenced cotton
planting in Gazoo county in 1865 until
the revolution of 1873 relieved Yazoo
OF his presence he kept the county in
state OF agitation that resulted in riots
and bloodshed and death. He was a
member Of the Black and Tan conven-
ton, of the State senate, sheriff of
Aazoo four years president of its board
OF supervisors, and because he and his
gang were turned down in 1878 he
styles "Barksdale, George and Lamar
the chief conspiratorS, who broke his
program, while he refers to his old
friend Charles Caldwell as patriot and
a hero; and for the turbulent w. II.
Foote his admiration is beyond his
ability to express. In one respect Col.
Morgan is consistent throughout He
enlisted in the Federal army not 50
much to Save the Union" but to free
the negro" and having freed him he
concluded that the bottom rail should
not only be elexated but should be on
top. The negro, in bondage for centu-
ries, must be enfranchised and edu-
Gated, and Col. Morgan was willing to
receive all the homage and emoluments
incident to his part in the reconstruc-
ton of our social and political fabric.
When he married the colored teacher, |
Carrie Highrate, in jackson, he gave
practical expression to his belief in the
equality of the races. Thenceforward F..
he was hailed as the savior" of the
colored brother.
Mississippi had ten years of recon
struction" experience. Col Morgan
gives one side of the sad story. The |
other has not yet been fully written.
1t is now twenty-four years since the
State threw off the yoke of carpetbag
and negro rule. If the people, white
and colored, were slow to realize all |
that was involved in the results of the .
war, no one can now say that all the
tights of citizenship guaranteed by the
Federal and State constitutions-''life
liberty and the pursuit of happiness
are not enjoyed by both races alike.
An enrolment in Yazoo of nearly 1000
,olored children, and 1000 white, 1865
.eachers, and an annual salary pay roll
# about SIG, 900 is evidence that 1.-THE
world do move" and if Col. Morgan
links that he helped to start the ball
he is welcome to all the comfort that he
IAN derive from such reflection.