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. 1863
Answer. I was not on the bench at the time the constitution was voted for, but I
took no part to control that election. I went quietly to the polls myself, and voted,
and did no more.
Question. Then you are not very competent to testify as to these facts about which
you have been speaking?
Answer. If they had prevailed to any considerable extent in Tuscaloosa I think I
would have heard of it. I have no knowledge that such a thing took place there. Indeed, I cannot renmember now who were the registers of voters there; I do not remember even that.
Question. I was not speaking as to Tuscaloosa.
Answer. Now, I cannot tell anything about outside of Tuscaloosa.
Question. Then why do you profess to give your opinion here that a very large majority of the people would have voted for the constitution?
A sw'er. I said " of the colored people."
Question. But they do not compose the entire body of the people of the State?
Answer. No; but I believe a very great many of the poorer classes of white people —
the more ignorant, who were most easily controlled and operated upon-would, many
of them, have voted for it if it had not been for the influence used; not that I know it
personally outside of my own county, or perhaps inside of it; but I am satisfied that
such was the case, from information that was common at that time.
Qtetstion. You speak of influences.
JAswler. Yes, sir.
Question. I want to know if influences of certain kinds are not very proper to be used?,Answer. Yes, sir.
Qtuestion. And especially upon those who are so ignorant as not to understand themselves?
Aniswer. Yes, sir; if there is an honest effort on the part of any one to give honest
information to ignorant voters, it is praiseworthy; but where there is an effort not of that
character it is greatly prejudicial, and I think there was a great deal of that used by
the democrats in that election.
Question. And none at all used by the republican party?
Ansivcr. I did not say that. It would be very strange if there was not, among the
republicans, or any party, more or less who did that. But I do not think, as a body,
there was anything to be compared on the part of the republicans to what was actually done by the democrats.
Question. You think the military officers who were running here as candidates for
Congress at the time did not make every exertion?
Answer. I do not know of any military officers of that sort (who were military officers then) that were running. I know of some who had been military officers.
Question. You do not know that a military officer was elected from this district for
Congress, and took his seat on the admission of the State?
Answer. This is in Tuscaloosa district, is it not?
Question. This is in Hay's district. I do not know whether it is in Tuscaloosa district or not.
Answer. I do not know. The first Congressman elected under the present constitution was the present member, I believe.
Mr. BUCKLEY. No; it was Major Pierce; but he had been mustered out more than
two years before that election.
The WITNESS. I did not know. He lived in that district. He was stationed while in
the Government employ down at Demopolis.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. He was here on duty in the Freedmen's Bureau at the time of his election.
Was he the officer who superintended the appointment, and did appoint, the registers
of election, and who removed fiom here, in the line of his duty, to Mississippi?
Answer. I do not know anything about that. I know he was called Major Pierce.
That is about all I know about him. I have met Major Pierce, and I formed a very
favorable opinion of him as a gentleman, and I am inclined to think he was a conscientious Union man. He had that appearance.
Question. I was not questioning you just at the time as to his character, and whether
he was an amiable man, or clever gentleman, but I was questioning you as to his military status.
Answer. I do not know anything about it.
Question. And his supervision of the election in this district?
Answver. I only know he was called Major Pierce.
Question. Do you know a man by the name of Callis who was in the Army, and
Freedmen's Bureau, who was elected to Congress?
Answer. He was elected, from my information, from North Alabama. What he was,
I do not know. I never saw him that I know of.
Question. I expect his constituents knew as little about him as you do.
Aniswer. I do not know how that is.