THE SITUATION IN MISSISSIPPI.
We have been furnished by a gentleman now residing in this city the following extract from a private letter written him by a friend in Mississippi. No comments are necessary:
FAYETTE, MISSISSIPPI, August 21, 1876.
FRIEND G—: Things are in such a condition in this county, (Jefferson,) that it is dangerous for a man to even say he is a Republican. The Republicans of Jefferson county give notice some time ago that on the 19th of August there would be a mass meeting held at Fayette, and that there would be speakers invited from abroad to advocate the cause of Hayes and Wheeler. The Democrats, taking advantage of the call, appointed committees from each club in the county to attend our meeting, and other counties sent whole clubs to Fayette with three wagon loads of Winchester guns to overawe the colored men and Republicans generally. These moss-backs came into town early in the morning, commenced shooting their pistols and whooping like so many wild Indians. They had two pieces of artillery with them to use if they thought it necessary. They were dressed in different uniforms, red and blue. They placed a guard around their guns just as if the war was still going on. They told the colored Republicans that if they attempted to put up a Hayes and Wheeler pole in the town, they would kill the last one of them. All this as you well know had the effect of preventing the Republicans from raising the pole or making speeches either. After they did all this, and found that the Republicans were completely at their mercy, they got to fighting among themselves; two companies from Claiborne county, got at it, I suppose, because they had nothing better to do. Merriman Howard, our Republican sheriff, was compelled to leave home and run for his life. That night the Democrats of this place became so much enthused that they armed themselves and marched all through the town. The town was bristling with bright new guns all night. In the meantime I learned that they were going to take G— and myself out and hang us, and we had to seek a place of safety in the woods. If we can’t get some protection, this district will go for the Confederate General Chalmers, although we have a majority of 18,000 Republicans in this district. We are to have an election in this county for Sheriff next Wednesday, to fill the vacancy caused by Merriman Howard’s flight, and the Democrats are letting on that they will elect their candidate although the Republicans have a large majority in the county, and have as their candidate Thomas W. Hunt, an ex-Confederate Captain, and a man of high standing among the whites.
Now, what do you think of all this?
Your friend, J—- ——
Ms. Baldwin:
Can I trouble you for a little more information about this article? I’d love to know if the Daily Commonwealth it was published in was out of Greenwood, MS, or if it was another paper with that name. I’m not finding the article in either newspapers.com or the Library of Congress historical newspapers site. Many thanks! (Also: I LOVE this website!)
Hi, Jerri! Sorry for the delay – I didn’t see your comment until today. The article is from the Daily Commonwealth of Topeka, Kansas, which should be available on newspapers.com. Very confusing since a Mississippi newspaper also has that name! I’m going to add the location to the title because of this.
Thank you!