Letter from William Cauley to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; October 9, 1875

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Letter from William Cauley to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; October 9, 1875

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People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Cauley, William Chamberlin, Jim Rhodes, Travis

Events

Crime Crime--Murder Mass racial violence Political elections Political elections--Mississippi United States. Constitution United States. Constitution. 14th Amendment Voting Voting--Disenfranchisement Voting--Voter registration

Organizations

Mississippi--Executive Department Political Parties Political Parties--Democratic Party (U.S.)Political Parties--Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )

Businesses

Newspapers Newspapers--Mississippi

Occupations

Secretaries

Places

Mississippi--DeSoto County. Hernando

Social Identifiers

African Americans

Page 1

Hernando DeSoto Mis
Oct 9—1875

Governor Ames

Dear Sir

We as repub-licans of state of Mississipi do ask you to tell us whether we are to be murdered by the whites of the state or not with out any protection at all Dear Sir did not the 14^th Articlle and first section of the constitution of United States say that no person shall ^be Deprived^ of life nor property with out due process of law it said all persons shall have equal protection of the laws but I say we colored men dont get it at all The whites are allowed to have war guns among ^{Folio I} us in the time of peace and we call all such as that unjust Now when we was registrraing I saw M^r Jim Chamber-lin turn away some men who was twenty three years of age Is that equal. No Sir I can prove they did the same time in Hernando too. But they did not no white So white men men who were too young to vote

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on the public road could regestar I call all such as that We understood at that time that our old 1873 certificates was all right but I saw the democratic ^{Folio II} news paper stting that no ~~people~~ ^papers^ which not issued this year would be no account in November Election So we want to know of you if it is so. and if it is so we are beat now?

Shall white men back their war guns around publicly is that right or not No Sir it is wrong Write immediatly

William Cauley [Eisr?]

Hernando DeSoto Co

Page 3

Copy No 18

Executive Office

State of Miss
DeSoto County

From—W^m Cauley
address—Hernando Miss
Dated—October 9 1875
Recd " " 12 " "

Subject

Wishes to know whether the colored people are to have any protection or not thinks white people registered who were too young to worke on public roads et visa versa

A Ames
Gov.

T Rhodes
Private Sec'y