USA > Mississippi > School history of Mississippi; for use in public and private schools > Part 21
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
4. The military authority not only disregarded the civil law, but stationed colored troops in many important towns. A low class of white men connected with the Freedmen's Bureau caused ill-feeling between the white and the colored people, who had formerly been on good terma.
-
291
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
5. The convention of 1865 recognized the abolition of slavery, declared the ordinance of secession null and void, and elected Senators and representatives to Congress.
6. Although the rights and privileges of the colored people were extended by the governor's proclamation and by acts of the legislature, stringent laws were passed to restrain them from licentiousness and to compel them to fulfill their obligations.
7. The University reopened in the fall of 1865. For several years Mississippi College was greatly hampered by a debt which arose from trying to run the institution during the war.
8. The legislature of 1865 provided for the defence of Jefferson Davis and attempted to get him released from prison.
CHAPTER XXXVI
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI (1867-1870)
356. The Congressional Plan of Reconstruction .- When Congress met in December, 1865, the Senators and repre- sentatives from Mississippi were present, ready to take their seats. The State convention had abolished slavery, the legislature had ratified the Thirteenth Amendment, and legislation had been enacted to adjust society to the new condition of things wrought by the war. As the State had complied with all the requirements of the President's plan of reconstruction, it was confidently hoped and believed that Mississippi would be restored to her proper place in the Union, so that the people might go forward at once with the work of building up their broken fortunes and, if possible, recover their former prosperity. But this was not the case. A serious breach had arisen between the Presi- dent and Congress, and when Congress assembled the President's reconstruction policy was set aside, and the Senators and representatives from the Southern States were refused their seats. Nothing that the President had done during the recess of Congress in the way of reconstructing
.
292
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
the Southern States was recognized. Congress appointed a joint committee of fifteen to investigate the condition of the Southern States. Few of the native white citizens were asked to give their testimony. Of the score of witnesses called to Washington from Mississippi, not more than two were citizens of the State. In June, 1866, the reconstruc- tion committee made its famous report, the substance of which was that the Southern people had not by their acts shown that they were ready to accept the results of the war in good faith and were not, therefore, entitled to immediate readmission to the Union. Congress was filled with men of strong prejudices, and they accepted the report as if it were true. In February and March, 1867, the infamous reconstruction acts were passed. These measures pro- ceeded on the theory that the Southern States were no longer States in the Union, but conquered provinces, sub- ject to the control of Congress. They were divided into five military districts, each of which was placed under com- mand of a general detailed from the army. He was author- ized to call a convention for the purpose of adopting a con- stitution which, when approved by Congress, should entitle the State to readmission to the Union.
357. The Administration of General Ord .- Soon after the passage of the reconstruction acts, President Johnson assigned Major-General E. O. C. Ord to the command of the fourth military district, embracing what had been the States of Arkansas and Mississippi. He entered upon the discharge of his duties March 26th, with headquarters at Vicksburg. There were few limitations upon his power as commander of the district. He showed no more respect for State laws and judges of the courts than if there had been none. The ancient right of trial by jury was per- mitted only in certain instances. White offenders were summarily taken out of the hands of the civil magistrates
293
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
and dragged before military commissions, and tried in accordance with the strict rules of procedure practiced by courts-martial. The press was to a certain extent muzzled. Colonel McCardle, the editor of a Vicksburg paper, was tried before a military commission and sent to prison for presuming to criticise in strong language the reconstruc- tion acts. When he appealed to the United States Su- preme Court, on the ground that he had been denied the right of trial by jury, Congress, fearing that the courts might declare the reconstruction acts unconstitutional, made haste to pass a law depriving the court of jurisdiction in such cases as McCardle's. Civil officers who dared to oppose the reconstruction policy were at once removed from office. Verdicts of juries and judgments of courts were set aside whenever, in the opinion of the commanding general, they were not in accord with the spirit of the re- construction acts. Such acts of the legislature as failed to secure the approval of the commanding general were not allowed to be enforced.
358. Supplemental Reconstruction Act .- General Ord was also charged with the execution of supplemental recon- struction acts of Congress (passed July 19, 1867), pro- viding for a registration of the voters of the State. No person was qualified to serve as a registrar who had ever borne arms against the United States or in the remotest way given aid or comfort to its enemies. This disqualified nearly all of the native white men. Early in June the reg- istrars began their work of registration. Accompanied by soldiers and clerks, they proceeded from precinct to pre- cinct. No person could be registered as a voter who had ever held an office, no matter how small, and afterwards engaged in war against the United States. Thus the more prominent and influential citizens of the States were dis- franchised and allowed to take no part in the work of
294
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
reconstruction. Early in September, the work of regis- tration was completed with the following -result: white voters, 46,636; colored voters, 60,167.
359. Calling of a Constitutional Convention .- An election was then ordered to determine whether the people wished to have a convention and secure admission to the Union, or whether they preferred to remain under military rule. Those in favor of a convention were successful by a large majority. Delegates to the convention were elected at the same time. This was the first election in Mississippi in which the colored voters took part. Most of the native white citizens refused to have anything to do with the elec- tion. In December, General Ord was transferred to the department of the Pacific. He died at Havana of yellow fever in 1883.
360. Administration of General Gillem .- Upon the re- moval of General Ord, President Johnson placed Brevet Major-General Alvan C. Gillem in command of the fourth military district. General. Gillem, though a native South- erner, had cast his lot with the Union upon the outbreak of the war. Since the passage of the reconstruction acts he had been in command of the sub-district of Mississippi. He assumed command of the fourth district January 9, 1868. United States troops were stationed at Vicksburg, Meridian, Holly Springs, Jackson, Natchez, Grenada, Co- lumbus and Corinth. The cotton crop of 1867 had been almost a total failure on account of floods, droughts and worms. As a result, there was wide-spread suffering among the poorer white people and the freedmen. Gen- eral Gillem's course was more moderate than that of Gen- eral Ord. He restored to the civil courts jurisdiction in certain cases, showed more consideration for the habits and tastes of the people, and interfered as little as possible with the civil authorities.
295
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
361. Black-and-Tan Convention (1868) .- The important event of General Gillem's short administration was the session of the constitutional convention. It assembled at Jackson January 6, 1868, in accordance with a military order issued by General Ord. In personnel, it was the most remarkable assemblage ever held in the State. There were one hundred members, seventeen of whom were colored. The majority of the latter had been slaves up to the close of the war and were, of course, without education. The exceptions were the colored preachers, of whom there were about eight. There were nineteen ex-Union soldiers in the convention, three of whom had been brigadier-generals. There were nineteen Democrats and thirty native white Republicans, the latter commonly called "scalawags." The few honest, patriotic men in the convention could ac- complish nothing, as the influence of political adventurers dominated that assembly. The delegates had hardly taken their seats when they began a discussion of the amount of money they should receive for their services. It was agreed that the president should receive twenty dollars ; members, ten ; and a large corps of clerks and reporters, from five to fifteen dollars a day each. A regular chaplain was em- ployed at ten dollars a day. Delegates also voted them- selves mileage of forty cents a mile going and coming. Perhaps less than a dozen who voted for these measures were owners of real estate in Mississippi. Congress was memorialized to declare all the civil offices of the State vacant, so that they might be filled with men of "known loyalty," by which, of course, was meant Republicans. Fifteen conservative members drew up a respectful pro- test against the memorial. The convention refused to allow it to be spread upon the records, and decided by a vote of fifty to nineteen that it be " wrapped in brown paper and returned to the gentleman from Marshall." The con-
1
296
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
vention spent much of its time devising schemes for the support of idle freedmen who refused to work, under the absurd belief that the lands of their former masters would be divided among them. General Gillem, knowing that the reports concerning their destitution were greatly exag- gerated, refused to enforce an ordinance of the convention appropriating money for their support. He declared that five hundred men with their families could have secured labor at the office of the Freedmen's Bureau in Vicksburg on any day during the session of the convention, and that he stood ready to furnish free transportation to all laborers in search of employment. Ordinance after ordinance of this kind was passed, all of which the General refused to enforce.
This convention inserted in the constitution which it formed, a clause that would have deprived thousands of the white citizens of Mississippi of the right to vote or hold office. The Democratic members then resigned and re- turned to their homes, refusing to take further part in the deliberations of an assembly that showed so little consid- eration for their rights.
After having been in session one hundred and fifteen days the convention adjourned May 18th .* Its probable cost was a quarter of a million dollars, the expenditures for salaries alone being $116,150. Twenty-eight thousand, five hundred and eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents was voted to four newly established Republican newspapers. It was determined to submit the new constitution to the qualified electors of the State, and a committee of five was appointed to receive and determine the results. An elec- tion was held at the same time for congressmen and State officers.
.
* Read Power's (Colonel J. L.) Black-and-Tan Convention, In the Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society, Vol. III.
297
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
362. Rejection of the Constitution .- The canvass was conducted in a spirited manner. The white people were active in their efforts to defeat the constitution, knowing that if they failed they could scarcely live in comfort under its diabolical provisions. The freedmen were organized into "loyal leagues " and drilled by their white leaders. They were sworn to vote against their late masters who, it was alleged, only wanted an opportunity to put them back into slavery. Be it said to their honor, many negroes voted with the white people against the constitution, and by their help it was rejected. The voting began on June 22d and continued about eight days. The result was a surprise to all parties. July 10th General Gillem announced that 55,- 231 votes had been cast for the constitution and 63,860 against it ; that four of the five members of Congress elected were Democrats; and that Humphreys had defeated Eg- gleston for governor by a majority of eight thousand. The Radicals, however, secured a small majority in the legisla- ture. As the constitution was rejected, the legislature did not meet to give the party an opportunity to profit by its success.
363. Removal of Governor Humphreys .- On June 4, IS6S, General Gillem was succeeded by General Irwin McDowell, who commanded the district until July 4th, when General Gillem was reinstated. McDowell's brief reign was marked by the removal of Governor Humphreys and Attorney- General Hooker, it being alleged that they were an obstacle to the reconstruction acts. Brevet Major-General Adel- bert Ames was appointed provisional governor in the place of Governor Humphreys. A military officer was detailed to perform the duties of attorney-general. On February 9th following, the Secretary of State was removed.
General Ames proceeded to Jackson and informed Gov- ernor Humphreys of his appointment, and requested that
--
298
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
the executive office be vacated as soon as possible. The governor replied that the attempt to remove him was a usurpation of the civil government of Mississippi, and that he would not surrender the archives until a legally qualified. successor was chosen. On the following day a detail of soldiers took possession of the Statehouse and forcibly ejected the governor against his dignified protest. The executive mansion was then taken possession of in a simi- lar way.
364. Removal of General Gillem .- The committee of five (ยง361) issued a pompous proclamation from its rooms at Jackson, declaring that the election had been carried by fraud. General Gillem denied this and declared that the election was as fair as it was possible for it to be. The Radicals were desperate. They appointed a committee of sixteen to go to Washington and if possible induce Presi- dent Grant to remove General Gillem, and have Congress set aside the late election and declare the constitution adopted. The President, however, refused to consider such a contemptible scheme for thwarting the will of the people, and recommended that Congress pass an act submitting the constitution to the electors in such a way that the objectionable clauses might be voted on separately, and a new election held for the choice of State officers, members of the legislature and representatives in Congress.
365. The Administration of General Ames as Provisional Governor and District Commander .- Adelbert Ames was appointed as the successor of General Gillem, whom Presi- dent Grant removed, much to the regret of the good people of the State. General Ames was a native of Maine, a grad- uate of West Point, and a prominent Union soldier. At the time of his appointment as district commander, he was serving as provisional governor of Mississippi, to which office he had been appointed by General McDowell. He
299
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
continued to serve in both capacities, the headquarters of the district being removed to Jackson for his convenience. As military commander and civil governor his powers were almost unlimited. He was made virtual dictator by a joint resolution of Congress (February 16, 1869), which dis- charged practically all the civil officers in the State and authorized him to fill the vacancies. He removed several State officers, hundreds of county and local officers, and filled more than two thousand vacancies. His proclama- tions were law throughout the length and breadthi of the State. According to his own testimony, he permitted no law to stand in his way. By a general order of April 27th he extended the privilege of sitting on juries to all colored men who were otherwise qualified.
366. Election of 1869 .- The election on the constitution and for State officers, members of the legislature, and representatives in Congress was held November 30th and December 1, 1869. The Democrats and conservative Re- publicans had organized under the name of the National Union Republican party, and nominated for governor Judge Louis Dent of Washington. He was a brother-in- law of the President, had married a Mississippi lady, and had lived several years in Coahoma county, though he could hardly be called a citizen of the State. The regular Repub- lican party nominated a ticket with James L. Alcorn at the head. The regular Democratic party did not nominate a ticket, but decided to support Judge Dent. The President gave his support to the Alcorn ticket, and it was elected by an overwhelming majority. All candidates for Congress on the Dent ticket were likewise defeated. The legislature was overwhelmingly Republican, the first Republican leg- islature in the history of the State. No county or local officers were chosen at this election. The objectionable
300
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
features of the constitution were rejected by a large major- ity, but the rest of the constitution was adopted.
367. Constitution of 1868 .- The constitution as adopted in 1868 made several changes in the fundamental law of the State. It created a public school system and estab- lished the office of State superintendent of education. It reestablished the office of lieutenant-governor and ex- tended the terms of State officers to four years. It provided that all judges should be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. The old county probate courts were abolished and a system ( chancery courts established. The High Court of Errors and Appeals was changed to the Supreme Court and the terms of its judges were fixed at nine years. The old county boards of police were abolished, and boards of supervisors established instead.
368. Readmission of the Stat: (18.0) .- It will be remem- bered that the legislature chosen in 1868 was never assem- bled, the constitution having beer. rejected. Th legisla- ture chosen in 1869 met in Jackson, January 11, 1870. It ratified the Fourteenth and Fifteentl. Amendments and elected United State. Senators. One of these, Hiram R. Revels, had come to Mississippi as a chaplain in the Union army. He enjoyed the distinction of being the first colored man to occupy a seat in the Senate of the United States. The other, General Adelbert Ames, was at the time of his election military and civil governor of the State. As the State had met the demands of Congress by adopting a new constitution and by ratifying, through the legislature, the new amendments to the Federal constitution, her repre- sentatives were admitted to seats in that body, February 24, 1870.
Summary
1. Congress took the position that the Southern States were conquered territory, subject to its control, and refused to seat
301
MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN MISSISSIPPI
the representatives from Mississippi, who had been chosen in 1865.
2. Under the reconstruction acts (February and March, 1867) Mississippi was made a part of the Fourth Military District, which was placed under the command of General Ord (March 26, 1867). He showed no respect for State laws and judges, and removed from office all civil officers who dared to oppose the reconstruction policy.
3. A supplemental reconstruction act (passed July 19, 1867) disfranchised a large number of the best citizens of the State.
4. The principal event of General Gillem's administration was the session of the "Black-and-Tan Convention," which had been called by a vote of the qualified electors of the State. This convention formed a constitution which would have deprived thousands of the white people of the State of their right to vote or to hold office.
5. The election which followed resulted in a rejection of the constitution, and in the defeat of the regular Republican State ticket.
6. General Gillem was succeeded for a brief time by General McDowell, in whose short reign Governor Humphreys, the newly elected governor, and other State officers were removed.
7. General McDowell was succeeded by General Gillem, and he was in turn succeeded by General Ames, who, as civil and mili- tary governor of the State, had absolute control, and filled over two thousand vacancies by his appointments.
8. In 1869 another election was held, which resulted in the choice of James L. Alcorn as governor of the State, and in the adoption of the constitution framed in 1868, without the objec- tionable clauses.
9. The constitution adopted in 1869 created a public school system, established the office of State superintendent of educa- tion, re-established the office of lieutenant-governor, extended the terms of State officials, provided for an appointive judiciary. and made several changes in the judicial system of the State and in the management of county affairs.
10. The legislature of 1870 having ratified the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, Congress admitted the representa- tives from Mississippi on February 24, 1870,
302
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
EPOCH IX BACK IN THE UNION Period I .- Under the Constitution of 1868
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE RESTORATION OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT (1870-1874)
369. The Inauguration of Governor Alcorn .- General Alcorn* took the oath of office as governor of Mississippi on March 10, 1870. In his inaugural address he said : "The military government which I have the happiness to bow this day out of the State was no more a pleas- ure to me than it was to any other Mississippian whose blood glows, as mine does, with the in- stincts of self government. The Union has
back, par- brought us doned children, into its bosom. Erect and free. Mississippi goes forward now to work out her own destiny in a fellowship of States, the peer of the proudest." He declared that the new colored citizens should receive the protection of the government the same as the white people, and that a large proportion of * Early in life James L. Alcorn moved to Coahoma county, Mississippi, from Illinois, his native State. He was a slave- holder and a wealthy cotton planter. Before the war he served in the legislature, and was a member of the Secession Conven- tion. He was a Whig in politics and opposed secession, but,
303
THE RESTORATION OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT
its energies and funds should be expended in educating the poor white and colored children, who had been permitted in the past to grow up like wild flowers.
370. The Legislature of 1870 .- The legislature had as- sembled at Jackson the IIth of January. Dr. F. E. Frank- lin, a carpet-bagger from New York, was elected speaker of the house. On the 29th of January the legislature ad- journed to meet again on the second Tuesday after the readmission of the State to the Union. On the 23d of February, Congress passed an act readmitting the State and seating her Senators and repre- sentatives. Shortly afterwards (March 8th) the legislature re- assembled. It will be remem- bered that the new constitution made many important changes. in the judicial system of the State. Executive and legislative actions were necessary, however, to give effect to these changes. GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES The chancellors appointed by Governor Alcorn and confirmed by the Senate were, for the most part, native Southern men who had joined the Repub- lican party. The first members of the Supreme Court were Ephraim G. Peyton, Horatio F. Simrall and Jonathan Tar- bell. The first two were native Republicans, and the other was from New York. Provision was made for repairing the governor's mansion, the capitol, the lunatic asylum, the
finding that the other members of the convention were deter- mined to pass an ordinance of secession, he cast his vote for it. He served for a few months in the Confederate army, and was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, but he seems to have had little hope for the success of the Confederate cause, and gave it but a lukewarm support. Upon the passage of the recon- struction acts, he joined the Republican party, and was the
304
HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI
insane asylum, and for establishing a public school system. The governor was authorized to appoint three commis- sioners to revise, digest, and codify the law. In pursuance of this act, he appointed J. A. P. Campbell, Amos R. John- ston, and Judge Amos Lovering.
The legislature adjourned July Ist, having been in ses- sion since the IIth of January, with the exception of about three weeks in February. It was perhaps the longest ses- sion of the legislature in the history of the State. Few or no attempts seem to have been made to hasten business. The total expenses of the session amounted to $241,191, the per diem and mileage alone of members aggregating $196,296.60. This was nearly three times the cost of the legislative department for the years 1865 and 1866.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.