The Tupelo journal., 1906-12-07
NUMBER 81

on earth. Men will have to be
different to what they now are
before they can quietly and plac-
! idly see their enemies take their
sustenance, make the laws by
which they are to be governed
and appoint over them their for
mer slaves to execute such laws.
Nothing restrained our people
dnring those reconstruction days
but the few Of the military pow
er. | remember very well how
intense the feeling was against
one, Flood, who was chef of the
Registra lion Board at Fulton,
where / then lived. That always
was a white county, and it was
almost impossible to restrain the
boys from doing him some per-
sonal injury. He was shrewd,
unscrupulous adventurer, who
came here, not to. serve his
country, but himself, and who
ingraciated into the confidence
of the negroes, and but for the
fact that he feared the conse-
quences Of his conduct, would
have remained there to try for
Office. But when the election
was over by which the military
constitution was adopted, he had
seen enough to indicate to him
that he might do better some
where else. During the first
campaign for the adoption or re-
lection of the constitution, which
had been submitted to the people
for ratification or rejection, /
took a part in the speech making
in opposition to the adoption.
There were several features of
that constitution which were so
Objectionable, that it failed of
the necessary vote. Then the
military authorities, who were
in charge of the entire South,
and who had all power, elimina-
ted certain of those Objectionable
features, and the constitution for
Mississippi was again submitted.
with those features left off, and
thus carried. In that first CAM
paign Eugene Whitfield ran for
Congress on the Republican tick
ct, and was opposed by "a little
fellow from the North, who ran
for the same Office. but who op-
posed the adoption of the consti-
tuition, and whom I suspect was
here after the 'loaves and fish
es, as we'll as Flood. His name
has passed out of my mind. |
remember to have made a speech
at old Ryan's Wells, north of
Fulton, during this campaign,
and in which Whitfield and his
opponent also spoke. There was
a yankee driving Whitfield around
over the campaign, against whom
Whitfeld's opponent seemed to
have great feeling for some
cause, and when he rose to make
his speech in opposition to the
constitution and Whitfield, | saw
him place his cooked pistol in
his hat behind where he stood to
make his address, and thought
sure he was going to open in
warm style on Whitfield. But
when he began he said, Gentle
men, | am not after Col. Whit
field. He is a nice gentleman.
But am after his carriage driv-
er." And from that he went for
the carriage driver in the rough
est manner | have ever heard
anyone abused from the stump,
but he opened not his mouth. 1t
seems he was a Republican boos-
ter of Whitfield, and was carry
ing him through the campaign.
But when | heard a candidate
for Congress say he was only af-
ter the carriage driver of his
opponent, | lost all interest in
him, even though he spoke for
our side.
When we had defeated the
first constitution, we really did
not know whether to be sorry or
glad. Those were perilous times,
and we knew not what a day
might bring forth. So while we
were sure we had right yet, fear
ing what might be the next
move of the powers at Washing
ton, we were i'll at loss. But it
came out all right, and this is
another illustration of the doc
trine, do right and leave the
consequences to God.