Year: 1875

Amte Co., Miss, Sept %, 1875. !
EDTToRs CLARION Having seen in
the jackson Daily Times letter from
Sheriff Parker to Gov. Ames in regard
to the excitement at Rose Hilt on the
18th inst, which is calculated, and evi.
IDENTIFY inten ded to create false impres-
sion on the minds of those who are not
conversant with the facts in regard to the
condition of affairs here, and feeling that
such statement allowed to 60 unnoticed
and without contradiction, would create
in the minds of some presumption that
it was true. We have thought best,
after a consultation with our friends 10
ask space in your columns for the follow
ing reply to Mr.. Parker's letter and
true statement of the facts as they are


lie (Parker) seems in the first place
desirous of making the impression ON the
Governors mind that himself and party
were prevented from holding q conven-
ton at Rose Hill. But suffice il to say
that no one expected him to attempt TO
have convention here, but that il was
notoriously known that there was to be a
convention held on that day at Kirhland's
School House, and in his bind partisan
zeal, Mr.. Parker seems to have failed to
state the true cause of the armed assem-.
blage o. which he speaks, but has endea-
vored to represent it as band of rufiians
opposed to law and order, and in state
of insurrection. Now be it remembered
that the colored majority in this county
is comparatively small, and as Parker
and his satalites saw that the Democrats
were determined to make a tremendous
effort to carry the county at the coming
election, they went to work with renewed
vlgor to use every means 10 stir up the
old prejudices existing in the bosom of
the negroes against the whites, but they
now find that the negro in his rage and
excitement has gotten almost beyond even
Parker's control, and that there is dan
ger of the whole party being precipitated
into war of races, and so obnoxious
have they made themselves to the white
people of the county, that in such con
tingency they fear they would either be
forced to leave the county or take sides
with the negroes.


And as regards the cause aud conduct
of the assemblage at Rose Hill we pro-
pose to state it in plain terms, for we
were present and familiar with all of the
facts. There exists in the minds Of the
negroes a cordial hatred Of the .nIace.
from the fact of there having been one
or two personal difficulties there between
black and white persons, and its being
the place at which a small Democratic
club holds its meetings. Therefore near.
ly week prior to the 18th inst, il was
reported that thenegroes were coming ON
Friday or Saturday q don't remember
which,, to Rose Hill for the purpose of
having fight with the whites but no
Ole placed confidence enough in the re.
port to inquire into the matter, but few
days after the same report was received
from an altogether different direction,
but was still passed by almost unheeded,
but we were soon informed that the ne
groes in portion of the parish of East
Feliciana, La, were actually preparing
to come into this county to assist the ne
groes against the whites, and on the
evening Of Friday, the 18th inst, one
Billy Jefferson, a negro of some note az
a politician and leader, in q conversation
with Mr.. JAS. c. Dixon, took occasion
to say in Dragging manner that there
would be fight in Rose Hill on to-
low, or within week." on being asked
the cause, he said there had been a negro
killed below here, and he thought a
white man did it, and he wsuld be id
If the negroes were going to stand it,
that all Of the negroes in the community
were going to march through Rose Hill
tomorrow armed, and that if the whites
wanted fight by G--d.they could get it.
Dir. Dixon counciled with him and
advised him to use his influence to have
the negroes go by a more direct route to
the school.house, which would leave Rose
Hill to the left about mile mo" saws
be, "by God we are going right through