The United States Senate (44th Congress, 1st Session, 1875-1876) appointed a select committee on 31 Mar. 1876 to investigate fraud, civil rights abuses and violence surrounding the Mississippi election of 2 Nov. 1875. The scope of the inquiry was...
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The United States Senate (44th Congress, 1st Session, 1875-1876) appointed a select committee on 31 Mar. 1876 to investigate fraud, civil rights abuses and violence surrounding the Mississippi election of 2 Nov. 1875. The scope of the inquiry was later extended to include related incidents at the Louisiana-Mississippi border. George S. Boutwell, senator from Massachusetts, was chairman of the committee. James Redpath of Massachusetts, a noted abolitionist and journalist, was clerk of the committee. The committee's report was submitted and published in 1876 as Mississippi in 1875: Report of the Select Committee to inquire into the Mississippi election of 1875 (Report, 44th Congress, 1st Session, Senate, no. 527). The collection, dating 2 Sept. 1875 to 22 Aug. 1876, consists of correspondence, telegrams, notices of public meetings, sworn statements, witness lists, committee notes, and newspaper clippings concerning the events under investigation and the work of the Select Committee, particularly its efforts to obtain witnesses for hearings in Washington and Mississippi. The bulk of the collection, dating Apr.-July 1876, consists of letters addressed or forwarded to Senator George S. Boutwell from Mississippi residents and officials affected by the events. Other recipients include Senator Oliver P. Morton and James Redpath. Prominent correspondents include Benjamin F. Butler and Adelbert Ames. Many of the documents are of a confidential nature. Some are transcript copies provided by correspondents.
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