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.

1888 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
their being mobbed by other negroes. How many democratic negroes have you in
Choctaw County?
Answzer. In the presidential election there were sixty-two voted the democratic ticket.
Question. And last fall how many voted it?
Answer. Well, sir, we did not take an account of the number last fall; about the same
number, though, I suppose. The negroes have voted pretty generally there as a unit
for the radical party, and no effort has ever been made to change their vote except by
argument.
Question. How do you know that?
Answer. I have been engaged in canvassing there myself, and so far as my information goes there never has been a threat.
Question. Is it not quite possible that there may have been other persons canvassing
not as scrupulous as you were?
Answer. I do not know; I was with most of the canvassers and heard speeches.
Question. How do you know what the employers said?
Anlswer. I do not know about that. I heard a number of the employers say they
could vote as they pleased.
Question. A man who would intimidate a negro would not be apt to confess it to you,
would he, judge?
Answer. I do not know. In the first election for delegates to the convention under
the reconstruction act, there were threats made by persons who had them employed,
that if they voted the radical ticket they would turn them off. That was at the election of delegates to the convention.
Question. In 1867?
Answer. Yes, sir; in 1867. After that election and when the election took place upon
the adoption of the constitution, and for State officers, there were never any threats of
that kind made in my county.
Question. That you heard of? You do not pretend to say there might not have been
a thousand threats made that you never heard of?
iAnswer. There might have been threats made that I never heard of, but I was in
contact with the people, and saw the leading men of the county constantly; and they
remarked that if they could not control the negroes by convincing them that it was
their interest to vote with the democratic party, that they could go as they chose.
Question. There may have been a thousand instances of influences that never would
come to your knowledge?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. And do you think it probable that a man who would menace a negro with
punishment or loss of employment would ever confess that fact to you?
Answer. Yes, sir; I think they would.
Question. You think a man would make confession to you that he had perpetrated
such an outrage upon a negro?
Answer. Yes, sir; I think they would have no hesitation in speaking of it.
Question. You would regard it as very dishonorable and very unjust, would you not?
Ansiver. I should think it was not the proper course to control them, and not the
course I pursued.
Question. The black voters in your county preponderate, do they not?
Answer. No, sir; we have a white majority there.
Question. I notice that the census of 1870 shows that Choctaw contains 5,862 whites
and 6,872 blacks. How does that happen?
Ansoe'. The black vote does preponderate; but there are more registered whites
than there are blacks.
Question. More registered white voters? Then the blacks are not all registered?
Answzer. I suppose they are all registered. A great many register under twenty.
Quvestion. You suppose so?
Answer. I know it.
Question. How?
Answer. I saw them register.
Question. How do you know their age?
Ansiwer. I saw the men that raised them, and they said they were not over 16 years
of age.
Question. Who registered a minor?
Answer. The managers at each of the election precincts.
Question. What officer ever registered a minor?
Answer. I do not know. Judge Hill was judge of the probate court. I do not know
that he ever registered a minor; but under the election laws of Alabama you can go
to the polls and register and vote, and the managers at the different precincts have
the right to register as they vote. There is another provision in the election laws of
Alabama which imakes it a penal offense to challenge a voter.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. Is there not a heavy penalty fixed for false registering?