Legal Document from Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; December 4, 1874

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Legal Document from Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; December 4, 1874

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Each transcribed document contains links that connect it to other documents on the same topic in the collection.

People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Hill, James, 1846-1903

Events

Crime Crime--Affray Crime--Riots Crime--Threat Employment--Resignation Evacuations Military Events--Insurrections Political elections Political elections--Mississippi United States. Constitution

Organizations

Courts and Judicial Systems Mississippi--Department of State Mississippi--Executive Department

Occupations

Law Enforcement Law Enforcement--Sheriffs

Places

Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson Mississippi--Warren County

Social Identifiers

African Americans African Americans--Historically Free and Newly Freed

Page 1

PROCLAMATION.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.
JACKSON, MISS., DEC. 4TH 1874.

WHEREAS, Positive information having been received by me that riotous and disorderly persons have com-bined together with force and arms, and by threats and intimidation have expelled from his office the legally elected Sheriff of Warren County, and do now resist the execution by him of the laws of the State;

WHEREAS, Said riotous and disorderly persons have combined together with force and arms, and made threats against other county officials whereby said county officials were compelled to flee for their lives; and,

WHEREAS, The State Courts were in full force and vigor, and competent to punish any such officials, if dishonest, until said Courts were paralyzed by the action of such unlawful assemblage; and,

WHEREAS, Such threats and intimidation have been directed exclusively against colored officials; and,

WHEREAS, It is satisfactorily presented to me that the object of said riotous and disorderly action is to deprive colored men of their civil and political rights because of their color; and,

WHEREAS, It is provided by the Constitution and laws of the United States, that the protection of the laws shall not be denied to any citizen because of race or color; and.

WHEREAS, It is the duty of the Governor of the State to use all his powers to execute the laws, and to suppress riots and insurrections, as provided in the State Constitution; now, therefore,

I, ADELBERT AMES, Governor of the State of Mississippi, do hereby make proclamation and command said riotous and disorderly persons to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes, and hereafter submit to the legally constituted authorities of the State, and I invoke the aid and co-operation of all good citizens to uphold the laws, and preserve the public peace.

ADELBERT AMES.

By the Governor:

JAMES HILL,
Secretary of State.

Page 2

Proclamation.

Commanding armed bodies to disband.

Dec. 4, 1874,