By the Rev.  B.A.  Imes.

From the bluff at Memphis we look across the river, where along the western shore stretch the forests of Crittenden County, Arkansas, and Marion, about fourteen miles from Memphis, is the county-seat.  The story of the recent banishment of fifteen prominent colored office-holders, professional men and farmers has gone to the world.

The whites, well armed, took their game by surprise, bagged and shipped it without bloodshed.  Now the “empire is peace” they say, although for a time terror reigned among the startled colored people.

With a Negro population six or seven times as large as the white, it is not strange that the County Court Judge, the County Clerk and his deputy should be Negroes, nor that they should aspire to other places in public life.

Unfortunately, as all witnesses agree, Judge Lewis and Clerk Ferguson were given to drinking habits, which brought them under accusation before the courts for drunkenness.  It was probable that they would have been convicted; but without awaiting the tardiness of the law, a shorter process was found.

In palliation of their hasty banishment it is claimed that anonymous letters were sent to some of the leading white citizens, warning them to leave the county.  These letters it is asserted—­not proved—­must have proceeded from Clerk Ferguson’s office, although not written by himself.  The object was to intimidate those who would be most efficient in convicting and deposing the unworthy officials.

Furthermore, there are two opposing factions of colored Baptists at Marion, and it is surmised that one of these factions, regarding these prominent characters as their enemies, had something to do with the letter-writing in order to bring down wrath upon them.  Still another theory is, that the whites have only been awaiting their chance, and taking advantage of favorable conditions, knew when and whence the said letters would be issued.  It was all arranged beforehand.  At all events, the time was very short, after the delivery of the letters, until Winchester rifles and shot-guns were in the hands of some scores of white citizens, and fifteen Negro men, including Lewis and Ferguson, York Byers, a deputy sheriff and well-to-do farmer, Dr. Stith, a successful young physician, and others, were speedily sent across the river to Memphis.

Clerk Ferguson found himself surrounded by a squad of these brave men, who, with rifles presented, demanded that he sign without ceremony a resignation.  He signed.  Byers escaped through the swamps, made his way to the river, and came to Memphis in a sorry plight.  The other victims were put upon the train with orders to go and never return.  Byers was to be violently dealt with, had they caught him.

Sandy S. Odom, living on his farm about six miles from Marion, I am informed, refused to leave his home, when waited upon and ordered to go.  Said he.  “All I have is here—­wife, child and farm—­I can’t go away.”  For a time his pluck seemed to be respected.  His fault was that of being a friend of the Marion officials.  He had once served at Little Rock as a legislator from his district, but, like Cincinnatus, had since resumed the plow.