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Eutaw Ala. Sept. 1. 1868
Mr R A Wilson
Sir
This county is in a bad state. We have no Sheriff and can get no one to sue. Threats are made that Mr Davis who was appointed some two months ago to collect the taxes of '67, shall not be permitted to collect them, or rather that they will refuse to pay any taxes whatever; and defy him to get taxes out of them. Davis will probably resign. The taxes of 1868 have not been assessed. Davis was elected tax-collector last election. Judge Miller [Probate Judge] has a hard time of it & is much discouraged. 
Yesterday the Democratic Central Club met in Eutaw; & many from the county congregated here. About 3 P.M. a lot of drunken rowdies congregated Milers office & made threats & cursed most boisterously; growing worse all the time. Miller anticipating an attack on his office closed it and went down to our house. Several men followed him on horseback & abused him & his clerk nearly all the way down. I remained in my office until evening & was not interfered with. We are perfectly powerless here. We cannot do a thing if all the counties are like this; & [if] Governor Smith takes no steps to enforce laws & keep order shortly his state Government will slip out of his hands before he knows. Pistols were fired yesterday all over town;