paign of clubs, processions, enthusiasm,
and--intimidation. The better part would have disclaimed the last
feature, but they did not prevent it. Thomas Dabney was among the
leaders. He relates that the best men were brought out for the
nominations, often against their own desire. He, in his old age, was
made president of the local club, and kept busy with marchings,
meetings, and barbecues. He quotes sympathetically the response of a
friend to his remark that the uprising was wonderful: "Uprising? It is
no uprising. It is an insurrection." He relates that at Clinton the
Republicans got up a riot, that they might have a pretext for asking
President Grant for troops. "They succeeded in getting up their riot,
which was put down by our own people after so sanguinary a fashion as to
strike them with a terror not easily described." There can be no doubt
as to the "sanguinary fashion" and the "terror." Testimony abounds of
the invasion of Republican meetings, enforced demands on the Republican
speakers to "divide the time," with threats and occasional violence.
Sometimes the meetings were prevented, sometimes they were broken up.
There was a great deal of terrorizing and now and then a murder. In some
cases the officers at the polls interposed so many hindrances that many
of the negroes were unable to vote. There was but a handful of Federal
troops in the State, and the President declined to send more at Governor
Ames's request. The reign of terror was effective. Once again we quote
Mr. Warren: "In our part of the country there were constant parades of
the 'red-shirted cavalry,' and the negroes were thoroughly frightened.
Two rough fellows once assailed me with threats and abuse, but drew off
when I stood my ground. When the election came on, to get our ballots
printed I had to go to New Orleans; spies dogged me in going and coming;
and as with a friend I rode toward home, we were beset and besieged in a
planter's house, that they might get possession of the ballots. Finally
we rode away on an unguarded road, pistol in hand, and escaped. But they
afterward captured and destroyed a part of the ballots, and by such
means they carried the local election. By such means and more violent
measures they carried the State."

The Democratic Legislature now proceeded to impeach Governor Ames, on
frivolous charges, but agreed to drop the proceedings if he would
resign, which he did, and left the State, knowing that his trial would
be a fa