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"Letter from Isham Stewart to Governor Ames",,"Letter from Isham Stewart to Governor Ames.",,,,"Stewart, Isham",,1875-08-19,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham; Noxubee County (Miss.)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Document at the Civil War & Reconstruction Governors of Mississippi Project. Original held at the Mississippi Department of Archives & History.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
Macon Miss Aug 19/75
Gov A. Ames
Jackson Miss
Dear Govenor,
I understand that Dr Allgood is endeavoring to induce you to remove our sheriff Capt Connor by misrepresenting him to you. I know Capt Connor is an honest man & has made us a good and faithful sheriff, and I am confident that he has not refused to settle his account with the Treasurer & is ever ready to settle any just & legal demands with any & every body.
The Dr has been endeavoring for the last 18 months to injure the Capt’s popularity with our Republicans, to build himself up. Last year they had the same disagreement that they now have & we ^the Executive Committee^ had a full investigation of the matter & the Capt was most clearly vindicated.
The Capt is a strong administration man, and I would advise you Gov’ under the circumstances to say to Allgood & the The Treasurer to go to the circuit court & have their claims adjusted.
I would not remove the sheriff to gratify a little political clique.
Very Respty
Isham Stewart
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"noxubee,stewart",https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/7/2253/stewartletter.png,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Signature of Isham Stewart",,"Signature of Isham Stewart from an 1875 petition to Governor Ames.",,,,"Stewart, Isham",,1875-01-14,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"signatures,stewart",https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/7/2209/stewart.PNG,"Still Image","Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Freedman's Bank record for Charles Stewart",,"Freedman's Bank record for Charles Stewart",,,,"Freedman's Bank",,1871-04-18,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham; Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"[Freedman's Bank record for Charles S. Stewart, son of Isham Stewart, in Columbus, Mississippi]
Date, April 18th 1871
Where born, Macon Miss
Age, 22 years
Complexion, Dark Brown
Occupation, Constable
Works for County
Father, Isham
Mother, Jinsey
Brothers and Sisters, Robert William Wesley James Thomas Marg Jane
Remarks: any of the family authorized to draw
Signature, C. S. Stewart",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,stewart,https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/c69562194de1d2cc6fc274a24bc96c93.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Vicksburg Times & Republican clipping",,,,,,"Vicksburg Times & Republican",,1873-09-02,,,,,,,,,"Jacobs, Henry P.; Carter, Hannibal C.; Stewart, Isham; Davis, Alexander Kelso; Caldwell, Charles, -1875; Morgan, A. T. (Albert Talmon); Hill, James, 1846-1903; Cardozo, Thomas W. (Thomas Whitmarsh), 1838-1881; Barrow, Peter Barnabus; Webster, John D., -1887; Spelman, James J.; Political conventions",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"State Convention.
THE GOOD WORK COMPLETED.
The Convention was called to order at 12 m., by Hon A. Warner, Chairman of the State Republican Executive Committee, with Hon. O. C. French as Secretary. By invitation, Rev. H. P. Jacobs, of Natchez, opened the proceedings by a prayer.
Hon. Henry W. Warren, of Leake County, was by motion unanimously called to preside as temporary chairman over the deliberations of the Convention. Mr. Warren took the stand amid hearty and prolonged applause, and soon rivetted the profound attention of all in an eloquent address, in which, after thanking the delegates for the high compliment so unexpectedly bestowed upon him, he urged upon them the necessity of choosing for their standard bearers in this, their privilege, men whose honesty, loyalty and capability could not be questioned - men whose record would be proof against every attack, and who would bring with them the entire strength of the Republican party.
[...]
The selection of a nominee for Lieutenant Governor now being in order, Col. W. H. Parker, of Montgomery county, offered the name of Hannibal C. Carter, in an eloquent address, teeming with eulogistic sentiment in favor of that gentleman. This nomination was received with much enthusiasm. Mr. Stewart, of Noxubee, nominated Hon. A. K. Davis, of Noxubee, which received the endorsement of a great many. Mr. Werles, of Washington, placed in nomination the name of Hon. Finis H. Little. Mr. Settles nominated Hon. Charles Caldwell, of Hinds. Mr. Dixon placed in nomination, Hon. A. T. Morgan, of Yazoo. There was considerable discussion upon the merits of the candidates, pending which a motion was made to adjourn till to-day at 9 o'clock A.M., and carried.
[...]
The balloting for nomination for Lieutenant Governor being in order, a vote was taken, resulting as follows, Messrs. Sullivan, Lowd and White being appointed tellers: H. C. Carter 92, A. K. Davis 52, Charles Caldwell 39, F. H. Little 27, A. T. Morgan 10, scattering 7 - total number of votes cast, 220. The number necessary to a choice being 111, there was no selection, and a second vote was taken, as follows: Carter 90, Davis 70, Caldwell 44, Little 14, Morgan 9, scattering 4; total 229. No candidate having received the requisite number for a choice, another ballot was called, when Mr. Little, having thanked the members for their support, withdrew his name.
Mr. Caldwell also withdrew, amid deafening cheers,
Mr. James Dixon withdrew the name of Hon A T Morgan.
The ballot being now proceeded for the third time, the following was announced:
A K Davis, of Noxubee county, 119; H C Carter, of Warren, 99; Charles Caldwell 4, B K Bruce 4, scattering 3.
Mr. Davis, having received a majority of the votes cast, was declared the nominee.
The announcement being received with hearty applause, Mr. Carter rose and thanked the convention for their support, and moved that Mr. Davis be nominated unanimously, which was received with much enthusiasm. Three rousing cheers were given for Mr. Carter.
As some of our readers may not know the gentleman nominated to the high office of Lieutenant Governor, we will state that Mr. Davis has served for four years in the Legislature, with much distinction, as an honorable and high toned gentleman, admired by every class for his generous and manly course, and by Republicans for his unfaltering efforts to promote the best interests of every citizen of the State.
Mr. Davis is a resident of Macon, in Noxubee county. He is one of the most accomplished colored men in the State, and has, by his quiet, gentlemanly and straight forward course, succeeded in combining the large vote which selected him as the nominee for Lieutenant Governor.
Nominations for Secretary of State being next in order, the following were made:
Mr. Howe, of Panola, nominated Mr. Jas Hill of Marshall; Col Chas E Furlong, of Warren, nominated Mr T W Cardozo, seconded by Hon Peter Barrow; Mr D L McCawley, of Colfax, nominated Mr W B Jones, of Alcorn; Hon E H Stiles, of Claibourne, nominated Mr Thos Richardson, of Claiborne.
Mr C W Clarke, of Washington, placed in nomination the name of Hon J D Webster, of Washington; seconded by Hon H C Carter, of Warren.
Hon O C French, of Smith, nominated Hon H P Jacobs, of Adams.
Mr. Sumner, of Holmes, nominated Mr J J Spellman.
Mr Werles, of Washington, nominated Mr H T Florey.
A balloting being called for, Messrs Stiles, Gilmer and Lynch were appointed tellers.
The following is the result of the first ballot:
Mr Hill, 81. Webster, 30; Cardozo, 33; Jones, 23; Spellman, 18; Jacobs, 15; Richardson, 19. There was no whice, the requisite number being 113. The name of Mr A D Jones was withdrawn and Hon Charles Caldwell was authorized to withdraw the name of Mr. T. W. Cardozo, in favor of Mr. James Hill.
On a second ballot Mr. Hill was chosen by the following vote: Hill 133, Webster 45, Jacobs 6, Cardozo 8, Richardson 19, Spelman 10, scattering 3.
On motion of Mr. J. D. Webster, who thanked the convention for their support, the nomination of Mr. Hill was made unanimous. That gentleman, being called to the stand, expressed his acknowledgment for the honor conferred, and proposed three cheers for Hon. J. D. Webster, which were given with a will.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"ak davis,at morgan,barrow,caldwell,cardozo,carter,conventions,j hill,jacobs,spelman,stewart,webster",https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/e660ee82be27b1e7f3fda3c9687f3701.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Macon Beacon clipping",,,,,,"Hopkins, Edward R.",,1932-02-05,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham; Davis, Alexander Kelso",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"My acquaintance with the good people of Macon and surrounding country soon became general.
[...]
Also negro merchants: Bill Ferris, Dick Gray, Toby Brackett. Capt. W. M. Conner, sheriff. Maj. Watt Lucas and J. R. Cavett, deputies; E. A. T. McHenry, chancery clerk; Isham Stewart, a negro member of board of supervisors; Amos Sanders, Enos McCracken, H. W. Spray, carpetbag school teachers of negroes. A. K. Davis, mulatto lieutenant-governor of Mississippi under Adelbert Ames, resided in Macon during all or part of my stay there. Davis was polite and good natured. He claimed to be a son of Col. A. K. McClung, which was never credited.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"ak davis,macon,noxubee,stewart",https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/80846da191bf35bd9793e47de657c665.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Clarion-Ledger clipping",,,,,,Clarion-Ledger,,1895-02-28,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"AN AMUSING INCIDENT.
Why Senator Isham Stewart Voted Against Moving the Capitol.
During the reign of Republicanism in Mississippi a great many amusing incidents occurred about the State House, and among them was this one:
The State Senator from Noxubee county was a regular old cornfield darkey that answered to the roll call of Isham Stewart, and could neither read nor write, yet stood high in Republican circles. In his dress he was never accused of being very proud, but usually looked somewhat ancient, and boasted of it as though proud of the distinction.
One day when asked by a newspaper reporter, who was making a tabulated statement of age, profession, birthplace, religion, etc., replied: “I was born way over yonder in Noxious county, (meaning Noxubee) and to do best of my rickerlection I am 95 years old or somewhars dare abouts, but has forgotten which, but am certain dat ’twas one or tother; I am a hardshell Baptist minister of the gospel – and preached hard for a living till was called to the Legislatur to help make good and wise laws for de government of de bellious white folks.”
One day during a session of the Legislature that tried to move the Capitol to Meridian, Isham was seen walking in the rotunda, looking in that wise and meditative manner which so often characterized the “wise and doughty Senator from “Noxious county,” and soloquizing thus: “Well, dat duz beat me; day am talkin’ ’bout movin’ dis ‘ere house – dat sho’ does sprise dis Senitor. Well now dey jes’ can’t do it – why I ‘clare ‘fore God dey couldn’t hitch oxen enough to dis ‘ere house to move it ‘cross de riber, much more to move it way ober yander to Merigion. Why, since I cum’ to think of it, dat town am ’bout 600 miles way frum here at tuther end of de railroad, and it takes de kars all day to go dar – now how could dey move dis ‘ere big State House dar? Well, dey des can’t do it; dat am de fac’, and I’se gwine rite up and vote agin it.”
The “pint” was carried and “de Capitol” is at Jackson yet.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,stewart,https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/f4472bc2878a29eca96afad4efdb180b.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Memphis Daily Appeal clipping",,,,,,"Memphis Daily Appeal",,1889-05-30,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham; Bruce, Blanche Kelso, 1841-1898",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"HON. ROBERT H. TAYLOR.
THE DISTINGUISHED MISSISSIPPIAN DEFENDS HIMSELF.
He Rebukes Slanderous Enemies and Appeals to the Record – Why He Voted For Negro Senators in 1875 – A Plucky Declaration.
Special Dispatch to The Appeal.
JACKSON, MISS., May 29. A statement, intended, doubtless, to the detriment of the candidacy of the Hon. R. H. Taylor for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Mississippi by the approaching State Convention, that he voted for B. K. Bruce and Isham Stewart for United States Senators, while a member of the State Senate, has called from him the following letter, which will appear in the Clarion-Ledger tomorrow:
To the Editor of the Clarion-Ledger:
It ought to be with great hesitation that a man consents to enter the lists as a competitor for the prize offered to the victor in political contests. Misrepresentation, calumny and slander are among the usual and ordinary methods of conducting a canvass.
[…]
Among other things of lesser note, it is being industriously circulated, to my detriment, that I once voted for two negroes for the United States Senate. The parties who seek to circulate this to my injury carefully refrain from telling all the facts and showing the circumstances and conditions surrounding us at that time, or from stating that other trusted Democrats voted for negroes in joint session of the Legislature, and the reasons therefor. They fail to do me justice because they wish to make that which was the crowning act of our self sacrifice a reproach upon my good name.
The facts are about as follows: I had just been elected State Senator from Panola in opposition to the Republican nominee. I found in the Senate the Hon. Ira G. Holloway, now of Oxford, then also representing a district with a black majority, and we were the only Democrats in the Senate representing constituencies where the negro vote preponderated. The small number of Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives were in such minority as to leave no earthly hope of electing any official for which the Legislature balloted.
Under these circumstances, and with the vain hope of cultivating friendly relations between the races, Senator Holloway and I were earnestly requested by some of our white Democratic friends to vote for negroes for the Senate. This we saw we could do without in the least affecting the Democratic party. Neither Mr. Lamar, nor any other Democrat, was a candidate for the Senate, or even for the empty honor of being the party nominee for that high station. Our Democratic friends from counties with black majorities thought it might have a good effect for us to cast our votes in this way, and we ourselves were anxious to express our contempt for the carpet-bagger and scalawag and our preference for the negro over him.
An examination of the Senate Journal of 1874, page 97, will show that that true and tried Democrat, the Hon. R. H. Allen, placed in nomination one of these negroes and voted for him, as I did. The Hon. Ira C. Holloway, as devoted and true a Democrat as lives, voted for Bruce and Mygatt, and Senator Smythe, of Winston, voted twice for Stewart. If the hypocritical patriots, who now censure us, will examine the Senate Journal of 1874, a little further, on page 87, they will learn that nearly every Democratic member of the Senate and House voted for Carter, Revels & Co., a firm of negroes, for the responsible and lucrative position of State Printer. We were simply trying to hammer the Republicans with their own weapons. The object which Holloway, myself and others had was as well understood by all our colleagues as any other act of ours, and no whisper of the slightest suspicion of want of party fealty was ever heard.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"bruce,stewart",https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/52d21b0b2017587d0502e61ce31c7adc.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Natchez Weekly Democrat clipping",,,,,,"Natchez Weekly Democrat",,1871-08-30,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"We clip the following from the Macon Beacon of Friday:
That stupid and ignorant Legislator, the Hon. Isham Stewart, took occasion, after the verdict of the jury in the child poisoning case, to lecture some of his own color in that body, for finding the woman guilty, and he remarked ""they were betraying their own race."" For thus officiously intermeddling with the course of Justice, His Honor, Judge Orr, administered the blockhead a scathing rebuke, which, if he is intelligent enough to comprehend, will seal his lips in future, so far as meddling with juries is concerned.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,stewart,https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/99b3dbde4214667a40f4b5f8c68581ae.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Clarion-Ledger clipping",,,,,,Clarion-Ledger,,1870-12-16,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"What is the matter with the Republican leaders? We referred the other day to the prosecution of a son of Isham Stewart, the African Republican prophet of Noxubee, on the charge of violating the law provided for the punishment of Ku Klux conspirators, and now we have information that complaint has been lodged against Ex-Congressman Mullins, a prominent Radical in Tennessee, in the Circuit Court of Franklin county by a freedman that he had been hanged thrice to a tree by a party headed by the said Mullins. As justice is impartially administered in Tennessee, it is probable that Mullins will get his desserts.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,stewart,https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/bf1d0059def15e0181522fd2cc1aba2b.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0
"Clarion-Ledger clipping",,,,,,Clarion-Ledger,,1870-12-15,,,,,,,,,"Stewart, Isham; Ku Klux Klan (19th century)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"For public information, we have copied an Executive proclamation which is published in the Official Gazette as an advertisement, offering sundry large sums for the detection and apprehension of a real live KuKlux, under the absurd law passed at the late session of the Legislature. The Governor professes to have information that members of an organization known by that name committed acts of violence in some of the Eastern Mississippi counties. We do not believe that such an organization exists in our State. The only live KuKlux who has been detected in violating the law, is the son of Isham Stewart, a leading Republican and African member of the Legislature from Noxubee county. Why has the Governor not despatched his faithful prosecutors, Luke Lea and federal District Attorney Jacobson to take care that the son of Isham does not escape punishment? In truth all this sound and fury about Ku Klux outrages are gotten up for political effect. The Radical rulers are only disappointed that there is not some substantial ground for the clamor which they are endeavoring to raise concerning alleged atrocities, for their own benefit.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,stewart,https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/files/original/82d777286d9a0ebf03c2824385546b83.PNG,Text,"Against All Odds: The First Black Legislators in Mississippi ",1,0