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. 1819
had two partners by the name of Cecil. I think this Major Pierce, to whom I alluded,
was also a partner. The concern was broken up, as I was told at the time-there was
a good deal of talk about it-by the discovery on their part of an attempt to defraud
them by Boville, the sheriff. Lane was elected probate judge of this county. He failed
to give bond-no, he had gone to Ohio at the time the election was hell, and never returned here to take charge of this office.
Question. Who were these brothers Cecil?
Answcr. They were two adventurers here. They were engaged in this cotton business with Lane, down on the Tombigbee River. They staid here a short time, until
that planting speculation broke up, and then they went back to Ohio, I was told.
Questio'n. Did either of them have an office? Wa one of them jailer of this county?
Answer. Yes, sir; one of them was jailer of this county. He moved up here to town,
and kept the jail for some time. He had a family of two or three grown daughters;
they were very badly spoken of here.
Question. Lane and Rolfe were both candidates for office under the constitution, were
they not?
Anewer. I believe they were, sir.
Question. And members of the board of registration, also?
Answier. Yes, sir; and supervisors of registration. I think they were members of the
board of registration and judges of election.
Question. The candidates for probate judge and tax-collector?
Answer. Yes, sir. They had the power of permitting whom they pleased to vote, and
refusing it to whom they pleased.
Question. Was that in defiance of a general order?
Answer. Yes, sir; a gross violation of General Pope's order.
Question. They were managers at the election at which they were chosen?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Qucstion. And clothed with the power of determining who should and who should
not vote at the election in which they were candidates?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Would you call such an affair as that an election?
Answer. No; I call it a shameful fraud. What could have been more exasperating
to the people than to have had such a man as Beville appointed sheriff of this county,
when he could not take the oath required of himn by the law of the land, and did not
take it, and did not execute a bond? The office of sheriff here was guarded by a bond
of $40,000. That was most outrageous trifling with the rights of the citizens.
Question. I see this statement made by you: "In my former letter I made the
appointment of a disloyal secessionist "Anmswer. That is Mr. Beville.
Question. " To the officP of sheriff of this county by Colonel Swayne, the military
conmnander of the State, the subject of one of my complaints. The appointee did not,
and could not, take the oath required by law. He gave a bond which the grand jury
of the county reported as being insufficient. He then obtained the name of at least
one Army officer on his bond-Major Charles W. Pierce, of Demopolis-and continued
in the exercise of his office until, happening to give offense to his official sureties, he
was given up by them, when Colonel Swayne directed him to remain in and exercise
his ofiice without either oath or bond."
Answer. Yes, sir; he did do it, and held the office and executed it without either
oath or bond.
Question. Is the condition of the country at the present time improved from what
it was?
Answer. I think it is, sir.
Question. In what respects?
Answer. Well, sir, I do not think there is so much violence committed; I do not
think there is so much of a disposition to do wong as there has been manifested,
though there is wrong done now, and gross wrong. Our officers seem to be afraid to
prosecute it.
Question. Is the fact that the officers are afraid to prosecute among the reasons why
these outrages cannot be put down?
Anszwrc. One reason, sir.
Question. Inregard to the officers that have been foisted upon the State in the way
in which you have described, and who are in so many instances without character, is
not their influence diminished, and their power to preserve order much less than it
would be if they were properly selected, and men of character?
Answer. Yes, sir. Under your rule for the admission of testimony, I will state what
I heard the other day from a gentleman. whose testimony perhaps you have already;
Major Harris of this town told me that not long since there were three or four men,
some seven or eight miles from here, went one night and took a negro out of his house
and whipped him very severely. I have not heard that there has been any complaint
made to anybody on behalf of the negro. I have not heard that the, men have been