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.

1638 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
the law, anything to prevent the officers from carrying out the law-disobeying the
mandates of the court.
Question. Did not this prevent the sheriff from having the prisoners before the court
when the time arrived for producing them?
Answier. Of course it did; but the question presented me was different. I understood the question to be, had there been obstruction to law, as that the sheriff had
been obstructed in bringing the man into court. That would have been an obstruction. Of course, the taking of that man out of jail was a violation of law, but not an
obstruction of law; it was a great wrong.
Question. Had he been rescued from the hands of the sheriff at the place of arrest,
would that have been an obstruction?
Answer. It would be quibbling upon words to discuss that, and it would be useless to
enter upon hair-splitting arguments. I did not understand the question as you did, or as
you explain it. I mevan that the judges could come here and hold courts, and the officers could enforce the mandates of the court; that I know of no obstruction to that;
that the sheriff could levy upon the property of people and put it on the block and
sell it. Murder may be committed, and, in your sense of the word, that would be an
obstruction of the law. I do not mean to say that murder could not be committed in
this county, or theft; but simply that the citizens of this county, whether they like
the officers or not; whether they believe that they are properly here or not; whether
they approve of their being placed over us or not, will obey the law until the law is
repealed, and will aid its judicial officers in enforcing the law.
Question. Were you engaged in the last canvass?
Answver. I was, at the governor's election.
Question. Had the republicans candidates in the field for the legislature?
Answer. They had, but they did not speak in the county, did not canvass the county.
Question. Do you know why?
Answer. I do not, sir. One of the candidates was George Houston, who is in Montgomnery; he was not here. Another one was Mr. Gilmore, in the lower end of the
county, who had moved over from Choctaw County. I ldon't reember the third.
Question. What has become of the former members of the legislature? There were
three from this county, were there not?
Answccr. Yes, sir; Ben. Inge was a member. He sickened and died in the neighborhood of Belmont. A man named Taylor was in his place there; I think lie is living
there yet; I don't know whether he is dead or not. A man inamed Burk was a member, and he was killed, as I have stated. And George Houston is at Montgomery.
Question. Two out of the three former members had been assaulted, one killed and
the other wounded by bodies of men, had they not?
Answer. Yes, sir; one killed and the other assaulted. He remained here f9r some
tinm after he was assaulted; I don't know how long.
Question. Would you have regarded an open, fearless canvass by the republicans as
entirely safe in the election last year?
Answetr. Entirely; I would have used every effort in my power, if lie had gone with
me, to have protected him, provided, however, that he conducted it as a man should
have conducted a canvass.
Question. You would be the judge instead of him?
Answer. Yes, sir. Let me explain myself. I do not desire to be misunderstood.
Question. Yes, sir.
Aniswer. If you, sir, or these gentlemen came to conduct it in your own manner, you
would have conducted it as gentlemen should have conducted a canvass. Governor
Parsons, Mr. Warner, and Governor Snith did address the people. But if a man
nad come here land conducted the canvass by having the lives and the property of our
people jeopardized; if hle had taught the freedmen that it was their duty to assassinate and destroy, then I would not have said that man would have been safe, because
some men would have had a difficulty with him; some men would have insulted him
upon the stand. That is what I mean.
By the CHAIRIAN:
Question. Was not Governor Parsons, in fact, insulted at the time he spoke here last
fall?
8Answer. I don't think he was.
Question. Was he interrupted?
Answer. H-le was; I don't think he was insulted.
Question. What kind of interruption?
Aln.swcer. By questions from persons, which is very common. I have been interrupted
myself, repeatedly.
Question. Was Maljor Hays your candidate for Congress here?
Answetcr. No, sir; lie did not come.
Question. Was that because he thought his life would be in danger?
Answer. I can't tell what he thought; but if he had come in the county, published