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. 1823
after that I heard of and saw some threatening letters purporting to be from them. It
was about that time that my neighbors quit calling upon me, or rather upon my wife,
because she was my wife. I have been married twice in this county, and married a
southern woman both times. There are a good many I have known a long time who
will not come near my house now.
Question. That species of ostracism is continued up to the present time?
Answer. Yes, sir; but not quite so strictly. I will go now, since I have got on the
subject, a step further. There is a gentleman living near me, a neighbor to me, who
invited me to his house one day to play backgammon with him, and we played a very
social game, without any interruption at all, and took a glass of whisky together,
and he introduced the subject of politics. I told him it was a subject that I (lid
not allow myself to talk on with such men as 1 knew him to be. I (lid not say it to
insult him; but, knowing his opinions were extreme and opposed to mine, I thought
we had better associate as friends and let politics alone. Ile became a little excited
upon the subject, and politely asked me to leave his house. I told him, " God damn
him, I would leave it, and him, too, forever. I was not concerned about his damned
old house. I had one of my own to live in." We have been living so ever since, and I
have never put my foot across his threshold. I told him to go to hell with his house.
I am not a very discreet man myself; I say things I perhaps ought not to say; but
when I entertain an honest opinion, I think I have a right in this country to utter it,
and I utter it sometimes to my cost; but (I am left to say it myself here) in all the relations of life I have maintained an unsullied character in this community; that you
may ask of all my fellow-citizens if you want to. Now, gentlemen, enfranchise the
disfranchise(l, and give the government up to the citizens of this State, and there will
be harmony sooner than there will under any other course to be pursued.
Question. Before we pass from the topic you were upon, I wanted you to state to the
committee what manifestations of the existence of this organization came to your
notice after you had this conversation with that Msississipi woman.
Answer. I did not have the conversation with her.
Question. I want to know what manifestations of the existence of this organization
you noticed after that. What condition of things was here afterwardl
Answer. I heard it said that one object they had in view was to ostracise, as I said
before, men like myself, to proscribe them from society. Well, I saw the thing working in that way. Now, if there were a dozen men talking about having anything of
that sort to-day, or to-night, if they saw me within a quarter of a mile of thenm they
would hush it. There was no syllable ever uttered in my hearing; but I want to say
that there is a great body of men in this county, and in this town, who deplore tills
evil as much as I do; who discountenance it, who are not friendly to it, and who are
shocked at it as much as I am.
Question. Is it your understanding that this organization of men had their signs and
pass-words by which they recognized each other?
Answer. Yes, sir; that is what I hear of them.
Question. Did you ever understand that it was one of the purposes of the order to
drive froum the country objectionable persons?
Answer. Yes, sir; I have heard that.
Question. You have stated already that your information and understanding is that
another object was to influence negroes in voting or abstaining from voting?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you also understand that one of the objects-perhaps that is the same
statement in another form —was to promote the success of the conservative or democratic party, and to obtain for the democratic party the political control of the State
and possession of the offices?
Answcer. I have heard it so said.
By Mr. BLAIr:
Question. You say you have heard the purpose of this organization was to obtain
control of the State by the democratic party. By whorm did you hear that salid?
Answer. If you will not press me to answer mrore definitely than I am going to
I will answer you. I could not tell you by whom without betraying confidence. I (.o
not think it becomnes me or any other gentleman, when he has a conversation oi a
friendly character with one who indiscreetly betrays what he did not intend to-I (do
not think it becomes me to take advantage of it and go and tell it. I have heard
men boast of it in this town. Now, I cannot tell you whom, because I think I
should be betraying confidence. They did not boast of it to me as one participating with them in the feeling, or who coincided with them in their views on the sub
ject, but I heard it boasted of by them as a thing they would do-that they were
going to make the negroes vote the democratic ticket. Now I will make one othel
statement, and I do it under some embarrassment, but I cannot go any furthei
than simply to make it, because I should there be betraying confidence, and not simply