Weekly Mississippi Pilot clipping

Gleed, Robert, 1836-1916; Columbus (Miss.)

In the Columbus city election, held in December, 1874, there was undoubted and public intimidation of the kind denoted by the document I give you below, and it was without excuse, because the Republican candidate for Mayor, Mr. Eggleston, was an honest man, against whom I am assured no charge of corruption or incapacity was made, and as there had been some trouble the leaders of the two parties had agreed that there should be a fair and free election. In spite of this the following handbill was circulated and posted before election. I send you an original copy:

[This means Business.]

BREAD OR NO BREAD.

At a large meeting of the citizens of Columbus it was

Resolved, That the colored man who votes for Eggleston will, as certain as fate, vote meat and bread out of the mouths of his wife and children; that we pledge ourselves to employ no man who has been discharged by a member of our club who fails to bring a recommendation that he has been discharged for no fault.

You have driven the white men to the verge of ruin, and he has determined to draw the color-line, and if you can stand it he can.

Now, hunt for bread and meat among those whom you support.

We will know who you are, and it will be brought up to you the first job of work you ask for.

Any colored man who votes for Joe. P. Billups, S. C. Munger, and J. H. Sharpe will be protected in every sense of the term, and every proper assistance afforded him in the power of the white men of Columbus.

December 8, 1874.

After the election a private circular was sent around to leading Democratic business men, of which, also, I send you an original:

[For Private Use.]

"Stand to your Colors."

"Hew to the Line."

WORTHY.
George Simonton,
Ellick Valentine,
Henry Watts,
Granville Bros.
Henry Cheatham.

UNWORTHY.
Robert Gleed, merchant,
Braxton Littlejohn, merchant,
Parson Proctor.

And many others.