GEOKGIA. 



315 



pie in the enjoyment of any other constitutional 

 right or privilege. 



In conclusion, we would state that we see no rea- 

 son to apprehend that the State government, under 

 the present constitution, in its legitimate operation, 

 as directed and administered by the several depart- 

 ments, as now constituted, will be more restrictive 

 of the rights of any class of our citizens than is ab- 

 solutely necessary to harmonize it with_and conform 

 it to the requirements of the Constitution and laws 

 of the United States ; and we trust the State gov- 

 ernment will adhere to and make effective the first 

 section in the declaration of fundamental principles 

 embraced in our constitution : " Protection of person 

 and property is the paramount duty of government, 

 and shall be impartial and complete." 



After the National Convention of the Demo- 

 cratic party in New York, on the 4th of July, 

 its action was freely and publicly indorsed by 

 the Democrats in Georgia ; while the Radicals, 

 including the great mass of the colored citizens, 

 expressed their hearty approval of the nomina- 

 tions and principles put forth by the Repub- 

 lican party at Chicago. The Democrats held 

 a convention in August, unanimously ratify- 

 ing the New York nominations, and pledging 

 their hearty support to the candidates. They 

 also approved of the platform of principles, 

 "not only for its soundness, but because it 

 recognizes the equality of all the States of the 

 Union." An electoral ticket was then nom- 

 inated, and a Central Executive Committee ap- 

 pointed, with authority to call a convention, or 

 to "take such other steps as may be necessary 

 to carry out the principles and policy of the 

 party." 



It was reported, from time to time, that or- 

 ganizations of colored men were formed for 

 the purpose of military drill, and that assem- 

 blages, gathered for political purposes, were 

 wont to' come together in arms. Constant 

 apprehensions of violence and of collision be- 

 tween citizens of opposite political sentiments 

 appear to have prevailed in some localities. 

 The Governor and the Legislature received 

 frequent communications from citizens in vari- 

 ous quarters, informing them that certain mis- 

 guided persons were continually endeavoring 

 to stir up strife among the people, and that riot 

 and bloodshed were likely to be the result at 

 any moment, unless measures were taken to 

 check this course of things. Finally the Assem- 

 bly adopted the following resolution : 



Whereas, It being the practice of a portion of the 

 citizens of this State to assemble in large numbers, 

 with arms, for the purpose of exercising in military 

 tactics, and for other unlawful purposes, without 

 authority of law, and to the terror of the good citi- 

 zens thereof, 



Resolved, therefore, by the Senate and House of 

 Representatives, That his Excellency the Governor 

 be, and he is hereby, respectfully requested to issue 

 his proclamation prohibiting such armed and un- 

 lawful assemblages. But the right of the people to 

 peaceably assemble for the consideration of matters 

 shall not be impaired by any proclamation of the 

 Governor. 



The Governor accordingly issued a proclama- 

 tion, on the 14th of September, "commanding 

 all citizens to abstain from any acts of violence 



against person or property, or from persuasions 

 which will tend to excite to violence or unlaw- 

 ful combinations, and from all interference 

 with the constitutional right of persons to 

 assemble for political or other peaceful pur- 

 poses; and to yield prompt and respectful 

 obedience to the officers of the law under all 

 circumstances; and also charging upon the 

 said officers the exercise of great vigilance, 

 that the majesty of the civil law may be vin- 

 dicated, and great caution, that all their acts 

 may be fully justified, and done in pursuance 

 of our constitution and laws. And to make 

 known that no authority has been granted by 

 the Executive for the formation of armed or 

 unarmed organizations of any kind or charac- 

 ter; and that the drilling or exercising in 

 military tactics, with arms, of any organized 

 body of men within the State, except the army 

 of the United States, is unauthorized, unlaw- 

 ful, and against the peace and good order of 

 the State, and must be immediately sus- 

 pended." 



Notwithstanding this proclamation, a hostile 

 collision took place between a body of negroes 

 and whites and the citizens of the village of 

 Camilla, in Mitchell County. The facts re- 

 lating to this unfortunate affair are briefly 

 these : 



It appears that, a few days prior to the 19th 

 of September, notices were circulated in 

 Dougherty and Mitchell Counties that a great 

 Republican mass meeting would be held at 

 Camilla on that day, at which W. P. Pierce, 

 the candidate for Congress from that district, 

 John Murphy, a candidate for elector, and 

 other prominent Republicans, would address 

 the people. "Whether the notice which was 

 given to the negroes respecting the intended 

 meeting contained any suggestion that they 

 should repair to Camilla with arms is a dis- 

 puted question ; but, at all events, on the ap- 

 pointed day a procession of some three hun- 

 dred, mostly negroes, with flags and music at 

 their head, and one-half or two-thirds of them 

 carrying guns or pistols, marched from Albany 

 toward Camilla, under the lead of Pierce and 

 Murphy. The inhabitants of the village, who, 

 with women and children, scarcely outnum- 

 bered the approaching force, had been apprised 

 several days before of the proposed meeting, 

 and the sheriff of the county, learning that the 

 negroes were coming together with arms, met 

 them two or three miles from the town, and 

 endeavored to persuade them to lay aside their 

 weapons. Not succeeding in this attempt, he 

 returned to the village, and called upon the 

 people, as a posse, to aid him in keeping the 

 peace. When the procession entered the vil- 

 lage, it was confronted by a drunken man, with 

 a gun, who ordered the band to stop playing. 

 This peremptory command not being obeyed, 

 the man fired his gun, or, as was claimed by 

 the citizens, the piece was accidentally dis- 

 charged, and, at this signal, the negroes fired 

 upon the inhabitants, and a conflict ensued, in 



