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.

ALABAIA —SUB-COMMITTEE. 1761
Answl8er. It does now, and these outrages are ceasing; they are not nearly so frequent
as formerly.
Question. How long has that healthy state of feeling existed?
Ansier. It has been becoming a great deal better for the last two years, and in
some localities these outrages have almost entirely ceased.
Question. Do you think there was an unhealthy state of feeling in the community?
Answ'er. At one time I think there was.
Question. Countenancing these outrages?
Answer. Not so much countenancing these outrages as sopposition to legislation, to the
congressional legislation, the reconstruction legislation.
Question. What connection had that withi this organization, or the outrages which
they prohibited?
Answoe. It oiught not to have had any: still it did have some; at least there was a
bitterness of feeling aroused against the negro on account of his having been emancipated, and on account of the reconstruction measures, which placed him on a footing
of equality with the white man.
Question. Then you think these outrages were perpetrated upon the negro at the
time because of his emancipation and the legislation in his favor?
Answer. I think that had its influmice.
Question. Was he supposed to be responsible for that legislation?
Insrer. No, sir; and with good, sensible men it had no influence; but with these
bad men, and those guilty of these outrages, it did have its influence.
Question. Hlow was this legislation to be counteracted-by violence upon the negro?
Ansc'wer. It was more in a spirit of revenge than in any other spirit; because it ought
to have been known, although our people were a long time in finding it out, and sensible men did know, that it was a thing which could not be counteracted at all; but a
great many people did not believe that.
Question. From the first, was it not evident to all men that the colored people, as a
general thing, in casting their votes, would vote with the republican party?
Answer. It ought to have been, because ik was very natural that they should vote
that' way.
Questiont. Where they had an opportunity to vote, the great majority did vote that
way'?
lAnsw8cr. Yes, sir.
Question. Did that not create irritation in the opposite party?
Anlswer. I think it did, to some extent.
Question. Do you not think the punishments of the negroes arose, to some extent,
from that feeling in the opposite party?
Answcr. I scarcely know how to answer that question, for the reason that in my own
county, and in that section of the State with which I am the most tamiliar, there were
no acts of violence used towards colored men. Now, cutside of Tuscaloosa County there
is Jefierson County contains more negroes than any otler county; and I know that
in that county there was no intimidation attempted; and I think it was ascertained
that there were but six democratic votes cast by the colored people in the election of
1868. 1 know of no attempts at or use of violence or intimidation; but I know strong
efforts were made by persuasion to induce some of these men to vote the democratic
ticket, but it failed except in four or five cases.
Question. You speak of 1868?
/Ansitur. Yes, sir; and my own county.
Question. Referringc to other portions of your circuit, where the white population
greatly preponderate, did the mere fact that the negro was emancipated, and was put
by the lt]v upon an equality with them in civil and political rights, tend to excite the
strongest prejudices upon thle part of the whites-particulaly the poor whites-against
the neI-ro —I mean because of his equality before the law?
Ansiter. Yes, t:;ir; it excited a feeling of prejudice against the negro.
Questio. Do youi not think that in those counties nmch of this violence was attributable to that fct —to that condition of things?
Aniswer. It nmay, or it may not. I could not answer that question.
Question. Have youa ever ]ealrd tlhat in any of thle counties in your circuit, or in any
other parts of lle State, a, fund was ever raised for the purpose of defraying the expenses of these' secret origanizations?
Anlser. No, sir; I never have heard of anything of that sort.
Question. Is it supposei thlt those reckless men who engage iI those enterprises own
the capital cnlll,. eud in theil, the horses, saddles, bridles, &c.!
Ansawi. Well, I think thlat sole of them who I believe belong to this organization
are not able to owni a horse or bridle either; but some of them are.
Questiol, Would not that seem to imply, then, that men of property are cognizant of
these enterprises, and willing to lend a hand in them?
Antsiccr. Unless they got the horses surrepitiously in some way, it woull. I do not
know how- they get the horses, because they disguise them. If these men who do not
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