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.

ALABAMA-SUB-COMMITTEE. 1711
Question. For the same reason, is there not some restraint on the negro in regaad to
making harsh expressions, as harsh as a white man would mnake to him?
Answer. I think not; and I will say further, that I think there is no such disposition
on the part of the negroes here.
Question. They are not aggressive in character, at all?
Answer. No, sir; with such exceptions as usually occur in every community.
Question. Can you tell the reason why the republican candidates for the legislature
in the last canvass did not canvass this county?
Answer. No, sir; I cannot.
Question. Do you know any reason why the republican candidate for Congress did
not canvass this county?
Answer. I do not.
Question. Have you never heard that they had apprehensions for their safety if they
did?
Answer. No, sir; I have not. I have heard it stated, I believe, in some republican
papers. The statement was made, editorially, that they could not canvass in this
county; but to the contrary, Governor Smith, Senator Parsons, and Senator Warner,
and Mr. Burton, the editor of a republican paper, just across the river, at DemopolisQuestion. Accompanied by the commanding general of the district or State?
Answver. He came as a civilian. I presume he would be glad to avail himself of that
fact, that he came as a civilian. They came here and canvassed; came when they
pleased, and went when they pleased. There were assurances here, given through the
paper and published, that there should be no obstacles interposed in the way of their
canvassing, if they desired to do so.
Question. Was there any unkind course pursued by anybody towards those three
men, as they were making their speeches?
Answer. Not that I am aware of. There were some interruptions. I remember one, particularly, because I tried to get the man to go away and keep quiet. The effect of his
interruption was not calculated to help our side of the question, and so far from it
being taken in an offensive manner, Senator Parsons thanked him for making it, for
the opportunity it afforded him to recur to something else.
Question. Were there any armed men about the stand?
Answer. There were men with pistols, as is customary.
Question. Any with knives?
Answer. None that I saw.
Question. No weapons drawn, or anything of the kind?
Answer. No, sir; not that I saw.
Question. Anybody out in the crowd giving them the lie as they made their statements?
Answer. There were one or two drunken men in the crowd guilty of some interruptions,
but they were taken away by their friends. I was not present during all the speaking. I heard a portion of Governor Smith's address, and a portion of Senator Parsons's.
I was not in the square when Senator Warner spoke at all. I spoke of what occurred
while I was present. I was standing right in front of them.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Did you see any man on the stand, or in front of Governor Smith while he
was speaking, that was flourishing a bowie-knife, or dirk-knife, picking his teeth, and
flourishing it under the nose of Governor Smith?
Answer. I don't remember anything of that kind. I remember this: There were two
or three young men-they spoke from the court-house door-two or three young men
went in the passage and stood by where they were standing. I think some of them
had pistols on, but I saw no such demonstration as you speak of. I remember this, for
I thought it very bad taste for them, to intrude themselves that close to where they
were speaking, and I suggested to some of our friends outside that they had no business
there; that decency required that they should stand back farther; that that was
a republican meeting. But they made no such demonstration while I was there as
you speak of.
By Mr. RICE:
Question. You say in this case of Choutteau's you looked into the truth of this statement in regard to the amount of property he lost, partly with a view to counteract
anything he might do toward getting the State to pay him?
Answier. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you ever send forward the result of your investigations?
Answeer. I think I did; but I do not remember positively whether I did, nor to whom
I sent it. I either sent it to some member of the legislature or to the editor of one of
the papers in Montgomery; but I could not now say positively which.
Question.. Was there ever any bill introduced?
Answer. Yes, sir; there was a bill presented.