Obadiah Warner, Greenville Ga
Apr 13th 1868
to Hon Hiram Warner, Washington CityDear Sir
As it is about a week since you left home, I suppose a letter will be acceptable by this time. Ape and I got back all right so for us I could see, about half an hour by sun. The horse don’t seem to be any worse from the trip. Ape took him to town and had his shoes taken off. Coldwell made at least a two hours speech to a large crowd of negroes on Tuesday. I was present a short time. He seemed to have them perfectly under his control and got loud cheers from them whenever he desired which was pretty often. On tuesday morning his effigie was swinging by the neck on one of the trees in the Court house yard. I don’t suppose it had any effect only to make the negroes stick closer to him. After this speaking was over they made a nomination for the Legislature that is for Representatives Dr. Smith of Grantville being already a candidate for Senator, Peter Chambers & Bill Hall were nominated. They for some cause was left off. From what I could gather Coldwell insisted upon the nomination of Chambers, and I suppose Gresham engineered for Hall. I don’t know what they will do. Some who pretend to know, say that he will be an independent Candidate and that on the day of election his name will be on the tickets and run through with Hall and Chambers in that way be tricked out of his election. This may be so, but I should think that Coldwell would be a man they would not like to offend in that way. No county officers were nominated. I suppose Gresham will fix that up. After the negro meeting was over, the white folks had a meeting. I do not know what was done as I was not present only that they nominated George Perry and Dr Taylor of Luthersville for Representatives, and I believe they both accept–
During the evening an unfortunate affair occurred in front of Williams’ Store. It seems that Willie Hussey had a quarrel with a negro man which I believed once belonged to Wm N Forest, in the course of the quarrel the negro cursed Hussey, when Hussey fired at him with a pistol two or three shots, and instead of killing the negro he intended, he killed a negro boy about grown who once belonged to Efraim Moffett, a very well dispersed good negro. I inderstand Every body seems to regret it, and think Hussey to blame. Hussey has left for parts unknown. The negro lived but a few minutes. There is a garrison of about a dozen soldiers here, will stay it is supposed till after the election. They reached here on Tuesday evening of the meeting, so that they must have left Atlanta before the difficulty took place. Alexander the candidate for Congress, Dr Miller and others have an appointment to speak here on next Saturday the 18th Inst. We are all well. Frank commenced planting cotton on last Saturday. We had a pest the other night that killed everything in the garden, but peas beets onions & the fruit is not seriously injured. Write as soon as you recieve this. I hope you have written upon your arrival at Washington.
Yours Truly
Obadiah Warner
Hiram Warner was a Representative from Georgia born in Williamsburg, Hampshire County, Mass., on October 29, 1802. He was appointed by Governor Jenkins as judge of the Coweta Circuit Court and served from 1865 to 1867, when he was appointed chief justice of the State supreme court and was subsequently elected and served until 1880, when he resigned; died in Atlanta, Ga., June 30, 1881; interment in Town Cemetery, Greenville, Meriwether County, Ga.
