Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 March 1884 — SOUTHERN TAFFY. [ARTICLE]

SOUTHERN TAFFY.

(From the Chicago Tribune.) The Macon (Gn.) Telegraph extends the following glittering invitation to Northern Republican speakers to go down South and dis cuss the issues of the day: ——-• ——~— - *i*T Speaking 1 for the poople of the South, we extend in advance a warm welcome to any man of brains and ability who will come among us to discuss iu public the great business and political issues of the day. The people have much to learn of the tariff, the principles of our Government, and the progress of the Republic. And while they have much to learn, thoy have also much to teach that will disarm calumny and speed the restoration of the Union. Let Messrs- “Conkling, Edmunds, Blaine, Hoar, Frye, Hale, Hawley, Sherman, Harrison, Logan, and a score of others,” come with their wives and daughters and tarry for a season in the Southern Empire State. Socially, the people will indulge them In a season of old-fashioned Southern hospitality; politically, with such men as ex-Gov. James M. Smith, the Hon. J. C. C. Black. Gen. H. H. Jackson, the Hon. Clifford Anderson, tho Hon. Thomas Hardeman, the Hon. H. G. Turner, the Hon. N. J. Hammond, and Gen. Phil Cook, they will oppose them in open discussion upon the stump. As greatness dwindles as ,you approach it, so, porhaps, may prejudice vanish in personal intercourse. It will take something more than such taffy as the above to induce North-, ern Republicans to go South for political purposes. There is evidence on the other side, delivered under oath, which places that section in an entirely different attitude. We learn from some of the witnesses before the Senate Committee in the Copiah investigation how Republicans are regarded and treated down there. , One of them testified as follows: If you should send your biggest, man, Gen. Grant, down into our country toorganizetho negroes he would be killed at once. All our trouble last fall was amoilgthe County Supervisors. We were determined to elect our men and get rid of the Independents. We would have taken human life if it had beeu necessary in order to get rid of them. Yes, wc would do it if they had a majority of the -votes. —In some places I deny the right of franchise to the majority and believe in a qualification to limit the suffrage, We limit, it auy way. I believe it is a moral obligation to gfet rid of the Independents, even if they are in a majority, and that opinion is shured by the good white people. That was the cause ( of our trouble last fall. Frank M. {Sessions testified as to the meeting held to warn ,the Matthews family to keep out of politics: After the resolutions were adopted Mr. Baily made a speech, saying that he had gone into Beat 3to stump the county, but found he could do more electioneering in the saddle than on the stump, and ho had found the most convincing argument to be a pistol, which he drew from his pocket. The speaker said his friend Wheeler was the best clectionoerer he had over seen. Wheeler's arguments always convince. Witness had not taken much interest in politics on either side. Had been in the Confederate army. Mr. Baily in his speech said that if the Democrats who had gone off to the Independent party would come back they' ought to be rereceived kindly. But if they would not, what shall be done? A voice in the crowd cried; “Kill’em off.” “No,” said Baily, “I cannot advise that, but I bclieie you will kill them without advice.” The speech was greeted with applause. The following extracts from the testimony are also to the point: J. W. Dunbar saw a crowd of armed men nt Gough's store, where Has Wheeler made a speech saying, that they intended to force tho negree t to vote tho I)emocr^.ie-.tickot. J. T. Dameron, a merchant, saw Has Wheeler in a streetcar in Jackson the 12th or 14th of February. Has Wheeler Was talking in*a low tone. He said, “ Yes, old Hoar is coming down here on an Investigating committee, if I get a crack at him I will kill him, too. I killed Print Matthews, or rather it was the Democratic party that did it. If it had not been for polities I would not have done it, but it was politics that did it.” J. B. Alien 1s a natlvo of Tennessee, and was in the Confederate army. Had teen a Democrat, hut for four years past was an Independent. Witness was told that he was to be killed lor his politics, and the man who threatened his life wns a deserter from the Confederate array while witness was fighting In it.

J. M. Mathews (white) was sworn. Lives fifteen miles from Hazlehurst, in Copiah County, is a farmor, is a brother of Print Matthews, voted at Centennial eleetion-day, but left at 11 o’clock and went to Hazlehurst. Witness was notified by the negroes that he would be killed if he went on. Saw numbers of armed men, but nobody interfered with him, and, ho went into Hazlehurst to his brother's house. About dark a crow'd of armed men came along the road by the house aud were very noisy and profane. When witness left the polls at Centennial there had been cast eighty-five colored and eight white votes for the Independent ticket, but in the final result there were only twentyfour votes for the Independents and all the rost for the Democrats. All the negroes that have lived with and worked for witness have been driven off by the system of terrorism practiced. Witness cannot, get negroes to work ior him through their fear of being disturbed. Witness is a cotton-planter, owning 1,400 acrcs,and most of it under cultivation. Witness does not believe there is any prejudice avainst him exceptjfor his Republican politics. We might add columns more of sworn- testimony like the above, showing how Republicans are esteemed in the South, and how much freedom is allowed them in voting and expressing their opinions. Until the Macon Telegraph can explain away such testimony, or prove that it is false, and that Republicans can speak and act with as much freedom in the South as they can in the North, its invitation will have to be declined with regrets. It would be an immense advantage to the South if it could be accepted, and it would develop mutual kindly feelings, but we shall have to wait a little longer, or until a man has the liberty to speak and vote as he pleases before acting.