Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

1558 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
DEIMOPOLIS, ALABAMA, October 28, 1871.
ROBERT CHRISTIAN sworn and examined.
The CHAIRMAN. This witness having been called at the instance of the minority, the
examination will be conducted by General Blair.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. State your residence and occupation.
Answer. Uniontown, Perry County, Alabama; I am a lawyer by profession.
Question. How long have you lived in Perry County?
Answer. I have lived seventeen years in Perry County.
Question. What public positions have you held?
Answer. I never held any until after the commencement of the war, when I was
elected justice of the peace in that, county. I filled that office until 1867-from 1861,
the latter part of 1861, to November, 1867, I think.
Question. Were you at any time an agent for the Freedmen's Bureau?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How long?
Answer. General Swayne issued an order recognizing civil magistrates as agents of
the Bureau, provided they would consent to accept the position at the instance of the
community. I consented to serve, and qualified, and served for-I do not remember
accurately the time-eighteen months, though, at least; may be more than that.
Question. When did you qualify?
Answer. Early in 1866.
Question. I wish you to state the condition of affairs in your county since the war up
to this time; and whether the laws have been executed; and whether peace and good
order have been maintained in your county.
Answcr. There have been a great nmany acts of lawlessness, but I request you will
interrogate me on the points you wish to be informed about.
Question. Generally, has peace and good order been maintained, and have the laws
been executed in your county?
Answver. Yes, sir; the laws have been executed, so far as I know, with as much
promptness as usual. In that community there are a great many acts of lawlessness, as
I said before; they are chiefly confined to the freedmen; the most of the cases that come
before our courts are bet-wcen freedmen; difficulties, and squabbles, and quarrels between them constitute the principal business of our courts now.
Question. Are the civil officers of your county mostly republican?
Answer. They have been heretofore exclusively so, almost exclusively so. We have
had some justices of the peace who were of the opposite party, but until recently all
the county offices, without exception, have been filled by republicans, the most of them
by the northern Army when they took possession of our country; most of the officers
belonged to the Eighth Wisconsin Regiment, which was sent to garrison. The probate
judge and circuit clerk, the sheriff, were all members of the Eighth Wisconsin Regiment.
Question. And all elected in 1868?
Answicr. Ycs, sir; the first election under the constitution.
Question. Can you informl me whether these officers sold out their places?
AiSswer. I do not know it of my own personal knowledge; that is the general belief
and impression in the county; I believe nobody dlobts it or has or ever denied it.
Qtestion. Did you ever hear any one say so, upon whom you could rely?
Ansit'cr. Yes, sir; Major Modawell, of Marion, told me on yesterday that he had
undoubted evidence, certain evidence, of several of the sales and transfers of offices,
the sheriff, and probate judge, and the past solicitor, he who was the solicitor; he is
an Alabamian; both the present and the past solicitors were Alabamians; he was a
member of the republican party, Mr. Reid. I will state in these transfers there was
some transfer of property, which was more or less valued, which was considered a
mere cover to the transaction.
Question. That the purchase of the property included the purchase of the office?
Answer. Yes, sir; that was the belief.
Question. And the price was given for the property?
Answer. Yes, sir; an inadequate price.
Qluestioa,. What was given for the office of probate judge?
Ansll er. Five thousand dollars, I understood.
Question. Whlat was his name?
Answlcr. B. S. Williams.
Question. What was given to the sheriff?
Anlswer. He sold out for fifteen hundred, so it was said; he was in a difficultycharged with having released a prisoner who was under charge of murder-and he had
to lmake up his accounts in a short time; that was the belief; for it was the most
valuable office in the county-worth more than the others.