d according to law
out of money appropriated for that purpose. In making these
appointments, it is both reasonable and natural that the appointing
power would favorably consider a suggestion or recommendation from any
one of the sureties. At any rate, Mr. Evans had the good sense to
surround himself with honest, efficient and capable assistants. He is
still living at Hernando, DeSoto County, Mississippi. As I write these
lines, an autograph letter from him is before me. While it is clear
that he is not a college graduate, his letter effectually disproves
the allegation that he can neither read nor write. Moreover, even if
his education is limited, this cannot be considered exceptional, for
the sheriffs of many counties in the South today are illiterate and
mentally undeveloped. I judge from the contents of Mr. Evans's letter
that there is no truth in the allegation that he divided any part of
his own compensation with any one or more of his assistants. He left
the office with a spotless record, every dollar of the public funds
that passed through his hands, and for which he was liable, having
been honestly and faithfully accounted for.

But even if Mr. Evans had been the man described by Mr. Rhodes, it
would have been manifestly unfair and unjust to the colored voters of
Mississippi to select him as a typical representative of those who
were elected to important and responsible positions by the votes of
colored men. Out of seventy-two counties of which the State was then
composed, not more than twelve ever had colored sheriffs at any time,
and they did not all hold office at the same time. Of those who were
thus honored, the writer of these lines was personally acquainted with
not less than ten. Mr. Evans was one of the few whom he did not then
know personally. If Mr. Rhodes had desired to be fair and impartial,
he would have taken all of them into consideration and would have
drawn an average. But this would not have answered his purpose. It
would have shown that in point of intelligence, capacity, and honesty
the colored sheriffs would have favorably compared with the whites.

Take, for instance, the county of Adams-Natchez, my own home, where
two colored men at different times held the office of sheriff. The
first of the two was Wm. McCary, who was elected in 1873. He belonged
to that small class known as free persons of color during the days of
slavery. His father was the leading barber of Natchez for white
busine