Southern telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1834-1838, 1837-11-28
From the Vichsburg Register.

Lynching- The Grace A6air.--Somc state
nenis arc going tho rounds of the newspa-
pers which seem to have originated in this
city, relative to the Grace affair that occur
red here, II few weeks since, which arc to-
tally false and exhibit the character Of the
citizens Of Vicksburg in most unjust and
unwclcome light. Almost every paper
that VIC take up contains an article headed
''more lynching at vicksburg.' aftributing
three cases to us. ('Yicksbnrg and its
vicinity instead ofone, and giving features
to the ono that actually occurred which the
truth does not warrant. That a case has
but recently occurred here VIC regret and
confess with modification and shame
Nine tenths Of tho citizens of the place OPP
pose and dcnounce it heartily and earnestly,
and we arc certain that a system Of outrage
and violence which may ut its own caprice
degenerate into "A slcmoniac revenge, de-
stroy the peace and subvert the foundations
Of society is NO LONGER TO BE PERMITTED up
on any pretext in our midst. But heartily
as we abhor the internal Lynch code, the
execution Of which, nothing short of the
last extreme can SO much rs justify, we
wish the facts as they merc,to go forth to the
world undistorted by. malice and unpcrvert-
ed by vindictivc spleen. We have once
stated tho important facts of the case alIud-
ed to, accompanied with comments too mild
for any other than highly cxcitable state
of the public mind, when violence could
only bcgct violence. and when some Of per-
haTs more prctcnsions than MORT had avow-
| cd it as their remedy to "LyNCu THE LYNCH
ERs." We were equally opposed to the
outrage and to the remedy, regarded it as
our duty to aid to qucnch rather than to add
fuel to a fame which might be as terrible
in its ravages as undying in its nature
While therefore we were gratilied to sec The
determined and rcsolntc spirit which every
where pcrvaded this community to pnt
down such on,rages at all events, we could
not hut regret that the facts Of the case
should be distorted and the public mind de-
cievcd as we'll as inflamed by Remuneration
which would have been mainly just when
applied to the facts as they were. With the
source whence these misstatemcnts oriyin-
afed we have nothing to do. 1t is cnoloh
That they have hecn made and quoted in
several respectable journals of the country.
VIC VIII now give statement Of the facts
as thoy arc and were, as they have no, been
and will not be questioned in this city on
any respectable authority.
Grace was taken before magistrate If
this place IN the evening Of the 9th ON the
charge of giving free pass to slave. the
property of one of our citizens, with view
OF aiding his escape from the state. Ue
was put upon his trial and it came OUT n
evidence that he had given a pass to this
slave, signed as is supposed with ficiitions
name. The negro was found upon a steam
boat then lying at the landing, bis pass cx-
a'nincS.. Grace suspected, and the servan,
delivered t,l,is owner. Search wns. bore.
upon nude 1t tho house Of Grace. where :
nOnhcr Of passes were found in the sane
hand writing signed in the same m,,rner
and deposited in box or drawer kent /, |
SAID Grace. The hand writing was n,ovo.l
to hc that Of Grace and these papers ,,,.,s.'
complete with the exception Of ! bisnn1
space lett IN each fnr the insertion &c =.
name ofanyslavc. The character oc ~. -,
was suspicious, be was much agita,e,I !, all. ~,
'''a. g now evidence came Out. and -
uouo' was lett npon The mind of the nau ~
tra'e orany persons who witnessed ,ho ,s;,
Of his guilt. s'eu nc 'rlal