there should be a suitable body of troops in said

county for the said reasons the principal parties

say that they set the Federal laws at defiance

and no one shall live if they interfere between

them and their negroes also that there is a secret

organization to assist the said parties and to

compel said negroes and all others to go back to their

masters. I would also state there is an extensive

organization in this part [of] the state to prevent

any parties except the former owners from employing

Negroes and timely action by your Excellency in

sending troops in the county will sustain order

and prevent the Negroes from being trampled upon

or an altercation with said parties and those

who have been hiring said Negroes. Notices have

already been stuck up forwarning persons from hiring

Negroes or they will be prosecuted by the parties.

In reviewing the above the substance is that the negroes

are maltreated and in the threats and menaces put forward

by certain parties I think that any civilian would

run a serious risk either in protecting the negroe

or upholding the law therefore I would respectfully

ask that a squad of soldiers be immediately

sent to the county. I will not enumerate the recent

murders of Negroes Several I have been told have been

murdered within the last few days and more will

be murdered if not be protected also the civilians will

I believe from threats be assassinated if they try to