(POLITICS--DEMOCRATIC PARTY.) Turner, Smith. Letter regarding formation of "The White Man's Party." Small 4to leaf, written on one side to a Mr. Davison. Front Royal, VA, 22 January 1868
In this "chatty" letter to a Mr. Davison, the writer says "On Monday the political meeting for the purpose of organizing the White Man's Party was quite largely attended. The County Committee was appointed and [starts?] next Saturday to commence their work. It consists of S.D. Boyd, R A. Fennel, Samuel Hickman, Col. King, W. Kendrick, L. E. McKay, Dr. Walton, Ed Massie, Ed Bowen, R. K. Turner, J.R. Jackson & Thos. [ ? ]. Love to al the family, [Smith Fesser ?]. The so-called "White Man's Party" came about as a reaction to the gains of blacks in Congress following the Civil War. Meetings like the one described here sprung up all over the South as the new Democratic Party came back into power, sometimes by the ballot, and in other case by the bullet. By the 1880's, Congressional seats held by black Republicans were largely lost to white Democrats in the "redeemed" South.
