Letter from Henry Mayson to Governor Ames

Dry Grove Miss Sept 24 1875

The communcaton from the executive office came duly to hand I will state that I was in the city of Jackson Miss from the First until the tenth days of September On my return Home Sept 11th I found great excitement prevailing on account of the Clinton Troubles but no one in this immediate district had been molested I have authentic information that many white men from Copiah County were riding around in the district on Sunday Monday & Tuesday Sept 5 6 7 & 8 four men from here refuged to Jackson on account of alleged threats three of whom have returned home and one Jesse Downing is still in Jackson at work for Col Wm Y Walker every thing is quite here now but a general uneasiness prevails amongst the colored people and the Democrats are out spoken in the saying that they will carry the election at all hazards and also that it would be dangerous for such a man as F A Wolfe to attempt to speake here They also say that if we (the Republicans) hold another meeting or meetings here before the election that they will have men on the grounds to make our speakers tell the truth or [?] the stand I am free to confess that I would be powerless here to put down any political disturbance that might take place here for the reason that the whites (who are armed) would all be on one side and the blacks (who are unarmed) would all be on the other The fact is that now right here a colored man cannot buy powder & shot for love or money

Respectfully Yours,
Henry Mayson J. P.