THE RADICALS SEEK TO CREATE RIOTS.
The plans of the Radicals in the State are beginning to assume shape and form. Determined to succeed; feeling assured that failure is party death; being devoid of responsibility and deaf to honorable suggestions, they bend their every energy to foster their hatred and pestilential thraldom upon the people of the State, through the agency of negro prejudice and ignorance. The extreme Radical party numbers within its folds a most insignificant representation of white men, not one tenth of the Republicans of the State hold any intercourse whatever with the miserable incendiary faction which assumes to be the Republican party of the State. The reflecting, considerate, just and honorable members of the Republican party of the State hold aloof from these wretches, as contemptiously ignoring them as do the Democrats. Yet these wretched political vultures essay to be the Republican party of the State, issue manifestoes, draft platforms, order political gatherings and endeavor to bring about a certain kind of party organization which is pledged to foster them and their hated system of rule upon the people of the State. Their only hope of success is in exciting the prejudice and passion of the negro. This poor deluded creature is to be goaded to frenzy by incendiary speeches, and made to do deeds which must necessarily result in a riot and bloodshed. Thus they hope to intensify the negroes in enmity towards the white man and by perverting, as they know so well how to do, the stories of the various outrages in the State which will grow out of their plans and teachings, as to make enemies of the white man, where he now has friends. Falsehood, treachery and deceit are the arguments which they propose to use in the canvass. If they can provoke a riot in every county in the State they will have material upon which to contest the result of the election if it should go against them, and capital to be used for their interest during the election. Their plans are known and the people of the State are prepared for and anticipate them. They will act with great forbearance, and if a riot should occur it will be forced upon them. They will seek no difficulty, make no incendiary speeches, nor strive to array one class against another; but will be willing that the election shall be conducted upon high and honorable grounds – feeling assured that the great good sense of the people will induce them to vote aright. To-day we give an account of an attempted riot in Brandon, and one in Columbus. They show conclusively what has been decided upon in solemn conclave by the Radicals.
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Radical Meeting Last Saturday – Disgraceful Scenes – Incendiary speech by a Negro Emissary – Almost a Riot.
From the Brandon Republican, June 3
Last Saturday was an exciting day in Brandon – such an one as we hope we will never see again. It had been announced that the Radical party of Rankin county would organize a Republican Club on that day, and at an early hour the bad negroes of the surrounding country began to assemble around the Court House and Bill McGowan’s office. The leading spirits held a caucus, and determined not to hold the meeting until 3 o’clock, hoping that Sheriff Corliss, who was detained at home by sickness in his family, would be able to attend by that time. The train from Jackson brought over the swearing man, Fisher, and two of his colored associations Henry Mayson and Albert Gordon. They called on their sweet-scented chum, Bill McGowan, and determined to call the meeting at once, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the more respectable portion of the party. Bill was backed up by a fellow named Perry, an aspirant for a clerkship, and repairing to the Court House they called up the faithful and organized the meeting, Perry called McGowan to the chair, and McGowan appointed Perry secretary, and then called on that infamous black scoundrel, Henry Mayson, to make a speech. Mayson took the stand, and for nearly two hours poured forth such a sluice of vulgar, indecent, blasphemous and incendiary ribaldry as we have never heard from mortal lips before, and for the utterances of which he should have been hung as high as Hayman. He denounced the white people of Rankin as a set of “d—-d stinking rebels and scoundrels” – called Hiram Jones, Esq., “Old Jackall Jones” – called Dr. Catchings “Old Kitchens” – spoke of the Irishmen of Jackson as the “d—-d blatherskite Irish” – of Governor Humphreys as “Old Ben Humphreys, who was kicked out of the Governor’s mansion” – abused “Old Joe Davis,” “Old Mays,” “Old Brown,” “Old Jeff Davis,” and various other gentlemen, and asserted that he was sent here as an emissary and incendiary, and that he was paid for coming. He said Castello had sworn before the Reconstruction Committee that the negroes of this State were in favor of expelling the whites. He would not say that Castello spoke the truth but he would say that he was for the government, and if the government said hang every d—-d rebel, from Jeff Davis down, he was in for doing it. He had no confidence in “Old Kitchens, or any other damned Rankin rebel,” and he was glad to know that “Bill McGowan had been placed over them to keep them straight.” He then told the negroes that the government had 30,000 acres of land within six miles of Brandon which they could get at a bit an acre, and advised them to stop working for white rebels. He said the rebel democrats, by their keenness, had got Grant and half the Republican party on their side, and the colored people should look out for themselves. His whole speech was one continued tirade of abuse, and “d—-d white rebel scoundrels” seemed to be a favorite expression. Everything was said that could be said to exasperate and inflame the white people present, and his object was evidently to get up a riot in order to have an excuse for arresting some of our prominent citizens. We believe he was brought here by Fisher, or sent by the carpetbag crew of Jackson, for that purpose. He boasted, time and again, that he was sent here as an emissary, that his fare was paid, and that he had the army at his back to protect him in the freedom of speech. It was a deliberate attempt to raise a riot, and had it not been for the counsels of some of our best men, who held back those who were boiling over with indignation, the object would have been accomplished, and many good men, both white and black, might now be mouldering in the grave. We call upon Gen. Ames to put a stop to these outrages. Our people cannot and will not submit to it. He sent his soldiers to Lexington to arrest a lot of white men there for firing off a few shooting crackers to scare Jim Lynch. Will he allow a deliberate effort to raise a riot in Brandon to pass unheeded? Will he allow a foul-mouthed negro emissary to come here and villify and denounce our people en masse? Will he allow H. T. Fisher to hire such negroes as Henry Mayson to come here to stir up a fight between the white and black people of this peacable and quiet community?
Our Mayor, we are sorry to say, was present on the occasion, and made no effort to put a stop to the disgraceful scene. Mr. Corliss, the Sheriff, was at home with his sick wife. We are charitable enough to say we believe he would have stopped it had he been present.
At the conclusion of Mayson’s tirade, a saddle-colored fellow named Albert Gordon took the stand. He appeared to be too drunk to know what he was talking about, and no one could tell which side he was on. He talked about twenty minutes without saying anything, when Bill McGowan made him sit down. He informed us that he was sent by Gen. Ames to see us, but had forgotten the message that Gen. Ames gave him to deliver.
Fisher then took the stand – evidently very drunk, and considerably alarmed about something – and after pulling off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and giving his colored sweetheart one of his peculiarly knowing winks, he pulled out a bundle of papers, took a drink of water, blew his gourd-handle nose, bowed very low, and commenced telling his colored friends what the French Colonel of the Ninth Ohio regiment said about discipline, and assured them that if they wished to succeed they must also be drilled and disciplined. He then read the By-Laws of the Republican Club, together with the list of officers that he and Bill McGowan had elected before the meeting commenced, and told them they must all come up and sign the paper, and swear by the Republican party. At this point Mayson interfered and said the club had not been properly formed – that there were names on the list of men who had not come out and showed their hands, and he wished it distinctly understood that no man should hold an office in the county unless he was an open and avowed Republican.
McGowan then told all who were in favor of the By-Laws and the officers to say “aye,” and they all said “aye,” except one genteel looking darkey, who asked Bill if there was any bread and meat in that Club concern, and if not, he said he believed he would stay out.
The meeting then adjourned, with the understanding that the Club was to meet every Saturday, whether the plow stopped or not.
The officers of the Club are as follows: George Washington Corliss, President; Cyrus Myers, Squire Wilson, Moses Proctor, Frank Taylor, Mitchell Williams, Vice Presidents; William R. Perry, Recording Secretary; Alfred Sutton, Corresponding Secretary; W. F. McGowan, Treasurer; Alfred Proctor, Assistant Treasurer; B. M. D. Mason, Beverly Patterson, Peter Farry, Geo. W. Harris, Washington Jones, John Proctor, George Prescott, Charles Evans, Johnson Webb, Executive Committee.
As soon as the meeting adjourned all hands got drunk, and from that until 2 o’clock on Sunday morning, the crowd presented the appearance of a wild and infuriated mob. The negroes were gathered in squads around the square, cursing blackguarding and abusing the whites – flourishing bowie-knives, pistols and canes, and occasionally fighting among themselves. The Mayor, being very much fatigued with the arduous duties devolving upon him in the organization of the club, left the scene of confusion, apparently caring but little whether the town was burned up and our citizens murdered by the mob or not.
We are for peace, and have urged our people to be quiet and obey the laws, but we now warn them to be on their guard, and prepared for the next attempt by emissaries from Jackson to get up a riot. Do nothing and say nothing calculated to stir up bad blood. Do not strike as long as it can be avoided, but if General Ames and his appointees will not attempt to protect your families from insult, and your property from the torch lighted by emissaries, take the law into your own hands, and when you do strike let the licks fall fast and heavy, not upon the heads of the dupes, but upon the heads of the emissaries. Again we say, let every peacable man in Brandon, both white and black, be prepared for the next attempt to create a riot.
Henry Mayson, the black-hearted villain who stirred up the riot, sneaked off to the country as soon as the prospect of a fight became iminent.
We now warn Mayson, Fisher & Co., and the colored men of this county who are following their lead, that such conduct will not be tolerated in Brandon again. We have heretofore extended every courtesy to both black and white speakers of the Republican party. We have divided time with them at all our meetings, and have done all that mortal men could do to preserve peace and harmony. They have repaid our generosity with insults and abuse. They have tried to stir up a riot that they might have an excuse for burning and plundering our peaceful village. They have made enemies of those who have stood up for their rights and defended them through thick and thin. They have driven from their ranks every decent man in the community who affiliated or sympathized with them, and we now give them timely warning not to make another attempt to get up a riot. Our people will never be as forbearing again. Forbearance has ceased to be a virtue, and our advice is, “pray to God and keep your arms close by you.”