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. 1957
bad men, Lane and Cecil. These nnfortunate influences have injured George. I think he
is naturally a good man, but he got to drinking a great deal of whisky, and he got to
be aggressive in his social ideas. He became quite aggressive in his social views. I
have seen him frequently up in Montgomery, and some of his own party have told me
up there that his habits were still irregular-drinking and noisy.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. Do you know of any particular acts done by him?
Answer. He threatened sometimes when he got tight to have the town burned up;
bat that was after he had been associated with these persons that I told you of some
time. I will say this: that I do not think anything of that sort is germane to the
natural sentiments of the man.
Question. You think if he had not been instigated he would never have done such a
thing?
Answer. I think not.
Question. Do you know of any armed organizations in the town of Livingston?
Answer. Yes, sir; they were very frequent while I was intendant; I broke them up,
though. I issued a proclamation that I told you of. I have the proclamation in my
hat, if it would be admissible to read it.
Question. What was the purport of it?
Answer. It is very short.
Question. Read it.
Answer. I did not issue this until they had been here frequently, and the whole town
was alarmed, and I was afraid that counter organizations would take place, and we
might have a bad time here. It reads as follows:
" PROCLAMATION.
" It appearing to me from well-authenticated information that armed organizations
are in the habit of assembling in the town of Livingston; and it being equally well
established that parties thus armed and organized have threatened to burn said town
to ashes, and have otherwise threatened the peace and even the destruction of the
entire community, and have also, in the most violent terms, menaced the very existence
of the law, and consequently the destruction of all protection to society: Now, therefore, I, as intendant of said town, in order to secure the peace and safety of this community, do hereby forbid future armed assemblages in said town for the purposes aforesaid, and persons congregating together or assembling in armed bodies under suspicious
circumstances, (in view of the threats and menaces aforesaid,) will be, by my order,
arrested and subjected to an examination under the civil laws of the State, to ascertain
whether their objects are peaceful or whether they are actuated with a determination to
carry out lawless purposes, and the destruction of this community. If found guilty of
the latter intent they will be dealt with and punished. as directed by the law in such
cases. In the civil and peaceful pursuits of life every one has a right to carry arms
in the manner permitted by the laws of the country, but the same laws that secure this
right demand the safety and security of every community.
"E. W. SMITH,
" Intendant of Livingston.
"JULY 27, 1868."
I issued that after organizations of that kind had been here repeatedly in that condition, and it looked like war times when we were all fighting, really, sometimes.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Organizations of whites and blacks, both armed?
Anicser. No, sir; there were no armed organizations of whites. That proclamation
would have covered either. I intended to disperse either; I had about eighty men to
stand by me.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. Do you know anything about the election of 1868
Ansiwer. Yes, sir; I was intendant.
Question. How was the vote taken?
Answer. They came in here armed, with bugles, and drums, and fifes; there was a
tremendous crowd, and they marched up to the polls in files. One of the boxes in
which it was held was in this very room. They elected in that year (1868) a colored
man, named Richard Harris, sheriff. He cannot either read or write. They elected
Ben. Bardwell solicitor, a clever, well-disposed man, but he cannot read or write.
Dick is a clever man, too. I told Dick they were making a fool of him. I will state
this, too, that in speaking of Price, and Rolfe, Hayes, Cecil, and Lane, I dissociate them
altogether from any ideas of republicanism or democracy. I think they are naturally
bad men. You will find bad men in every community.