The Journal of Negro History
Chapter 232 : NEGROES IN POLITICS IN ARKANSAS DURING RECONSTRUCTION In the const.i.tutional conventi

NEGROES IN POLITICS IN ARKANSAS DURING RECONSTRUCTION

In the const.i.tutional convention of 1868, there were 8 Negro delegates, that is, J. W. Mason, Richard Samuels, William Murphy, Monroe Hawkins, William Grey, James T. White, Henry Rector and Thomas P. Johnson. (_Proceedings of the Const.i.tutional Convention of 1868_, pages 2 to 5.)

Negroes in the Arkansas Legislature: Session April 2 to July 23, 1869, and session November 17, 1868, to April 10, 1869, were seven Negro members of whom J. W. Mason, the leading Negro in the Senate; W. H.

Grey, leading Negro in the House. (_Daily Republican_, Oct. 1, 1868).

In the Legislature of January 2 to March 25, 1871, there were eleven Negro members: J. W. Mason and J. T. White in the Senate: J. M.

Alexander, Austin Barrow, Conway Barbour, John Webb, Adam Johnson, Jeff Haskins, A. Mays, William Young, Carl Pope, A. J. Robinson, E. A.

Fulton in the House. (_Daily Republican_, March 25, 1871.)

In the 19th session, January 6 to April 25, 1873, the last session before Baxter called his special session, something less than one fifth of all the members were Negroes. I have been unable to ascertain the exact number in this session, but from the standpoint of numbers, I would judge that there is no great difference between this session and the previous one. _The Arkansas Gazette_ of January 12, 1873, says of the Negro members: "There are a few men among these colored members who are bright and intelligent, and much superior to some white members, but as a rule, this is not the case."

(Signed) THOMAS S. STAPLES, Hendrix College Conway, Arkansas

NEGRO MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE DURING RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD AND AFTER

_Senate_

Year Name County 1880-1888 H. W. Chandler Marion 1881 T. V. Gibbs Duval 80's Joseph E. Lee Duval .... Thomas W. Long Marion 1881 Robert Meacham Jefferson 1881-1865 Daniel C. Martin Alachua .... G. W. Proctor Jefferson 1863 John E. Proctor Leon 80's Egbert C. Sammis Duval .... John Wallace Leon

_Representatives_

Year Name County 1885 Edward I. Alexander[7] Madison .... Josiah Armstrong Columbia .... Henry Black Jefferson 1879 Kellis B. Bonner Marion .... James Dean Bryant Monroe .... William Bradwell Duval 1881-83 Joseph N. Clinton Alachua 1881 Wallace B. Carr Leon .... Lucian Fisher Leon .... John Ford Leon .... Samuel Frazier Leon .... Robert Gabriel Monroe .... Alfred Grant Duval 1881 David E. Jacobs Marion Before 1881 Isaac Jenkins Leon .... A. J. Junius Jefferson .... Thorns W. Long Marion 1889-91 George A. Lewis[8]

80's Joseph E. Lee Duval .... Samuel Petty Na.s.sau 1881-83 (about) A. B. Osgood .... Charles H. Pierce Leon 80's Riley E. Robinson Na.s.sau .... Henry St. Clair Hernando .... John R. Scott, Sr. Duval .... I. E. Purcell Putnam

_Representatives_

Year Name County 1889-91 John R. Scott, Jr. Duval .... Charles Shavers Monroe .... Rev. Catherine B. Simmons Duval 80's Peter Okes Jefferson .... W. G. Stewart Leon Before 1881 John N. Stokes Leon .... N. Trenton Alachua .... Josiah T. Walls Alachua Probably before 1881 R. W. Was.h.i.+ngton Jefferson 80's George W. Wetmore Duval 1881-83 W. A. Wilkinson Marion .... George W. Witherspoon Escambia

Joseph N. Clinton was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, November 4, 1854, and was reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended the Inst.i.tute For Colored Youth and then entered Lincoln University, where he was graduated in 1873. He then taught school in South Carolina, Maryland and Florida. In addition to being a member of the Florida Legislature, 1881-83, he was clerk in the United States Land Office of Florida. He was Inspector of Customs at Pensacola, and for fourteen years held the position of Internal Revenue Collector at Tampa.

H. W. Chandler was Senator, Marion County, 1880-1888. For sketch of early life, see Simmons' _Men of Mark_. He was delegate to the National Republican Convention 1884-1908. He was Inspector of Customs at Tampa from May 1908 to December 1913.

George H. Mays was marshal of Jacksonville. This was an elective office. The position made him head of police force with appointive powers.

James Dean was County Judge, Monroe County in 1889, but served less than one year. He was impeached for issuing license to a colored Cuban man to marry a white Cuban woman. This a custom in Cuba. Dean was impeached on ground that he had issued license to Negro to marry a white woman. He was summarily removed without a hearing. This was said to have been a put-up job, as the man was secured to get a license.

Dean did not have a trial. The only way to get case reviewed was to inst.i.tute quo warranto proceedings. To do this, it was necessary to get the permission of the State's Attorney General to use the State's name. He was not able to do this.

Mitch.e.l.l Chappelle was Negro Mayor of LaVilla. Formerly these were two adjoining towns, Jacksonville and LaVilla. The two are now Jacksonville.

Charles Dupont was reported as being sheriff of Monroe County about 27 years ago.

In 1887 Republicans went out of power in Florida. The Const.i.tutional Convention put Negroes and Republicans out.

NEGRO MEMBERS OF THE GEORGIA LEGISLATURE, 1868-69

_Senate_

Year District Name 1868-68 ...... A. Alpeoria Bradley (expelled).

1868-69 2nd Tunis G. Campbell (unseated, 1868-69)[10]

reseated in 1870.

1868-69 20th George Wallace (unseated, 1868-69)[10]

reseated in 1870.

_House_

Year Name County

1868-69 T .M. Allen Jasper Unseated 1862-69, Reseated in 1870[10]

E. Barnes Hanc.o.c.k " " " "

T. G. Campbell McIntosh " " " "

G. H. Clower Monroe " " " "

A. Colby Greene " " " "

J. T. Costin Talbot " " " "

Monday Floyd Warren " " " "

S. Gardner Warren " " " "

W. A. Golden Liberty " " " "

W. H. Harrison Hanc.o.c.k " " " "

U. L. Houston Bryan " " " "

Philip Joiner Dougherty " " " "

George Linder Laurens " " " "

R. Lumpkin Macon Unseated 1862-69, Reseated in 1870[10]

Romulus Moore Columbia " " " "

Peter O 'Neal Baldwin " " " "

James Porter Chatham " " " "

A. Richardson Clarke " " " "

J. M. Sims Chatham " " " "

Abram Smith Muscogee " " " "

Alexander Stone Jefferson " " " "

H. M. Turner Bibb " " " "

J. Warren Glynn " " " "

Samuel Williams Burke " " " "

M. Claiborne Harris " " " "

R. B. Hall Burke " " " "

---- Beard[11] Richmond Madison Davis[11] Clarke ---- Fyall[11] Macon

_House_

Year Name County 1871 James Blue[12] Glynn 1872 " " "

1873 " " "

1874 " " "

1874 " " "

1875 " " "