J. ALLEN ROSS
was duly elected sheriff of Washington county last November. In that county there are about 2,500 colored, and 8 or 10 white Republicans – all the white men are office holders – some of the filling two or three official positions, and at every election they are candidates for others.
Mr. Ross was required to furnish a bond of $124,000, and to qualify on or before 12 o’clock M, January 1st. By gerrymandering they prevented him from presenting his bond until that day, and then refused to accept the parties on it. Of course it was too late to prepare a new one; a vacancy was declared, and new election ordered. Ross was again elected, but by throwing out a sufficient number of ballot boxes, the present incumbent, and original appointee of Gov. Alcorn, was awarded the position, notwithstanding Ross had over 300 majority. The colored people became indignant, and a riot was imminent. They swarmed in from the surrounding country, determined to enforce the rights of their representative. They were pacified, and the matter will come before the courts. The colored men are hopeful of success, feeling assured of the righteousness of their cause, and having confidence in the uprightness of the judge before whom the case will come. This is but one sample of many others of the same kind. Slowly, but none the less surely, the colored men are being driven from the Republican party in the South, and with men, who as leaders treat them like this, we cannot wonder at it. The fees of the Sheriff amount to $12,000 or $15,000 per year net.