Columbus Whig. (Columbus, Miss.) 1843-18??, 1844-02-22
]. 66Obss6sgealL.
J, or1lPLE OF MISSISSIPPI.

n PEOPLEOF MlS 81
: 1,,rrzrcs:--I have been drawn
- indicate myself from a wanton,
Malignant attack, that has lately
gad s me by a Newspaper called,
Os sDrg Wing" Permit me to in.
s SUTTON of my fellow citizens TO a
III If nv defence. whilst / lay be-
n,a;rI. unvarnished stat ement Of che
Iau testimony in this matter. By
: with statements contained in the
will have the proofs that the wri-
.u;nclv and wilfully nis-stated facts,
b,oughout made representations ut
nsistent with truth. ~ - :
srrmoned by the board Of commis-
annear before them and testify at Ho-
{ obedience to that summons, Il ap-
the Goth of February before them;
IA TO testify, on the ground, that /
rsted. The Board declined the ex-
at that time; and understood that l
red to meet them again at Yazoo,
Il April and would be required to de-
interest | had, and under which l
be exempt from giving testimony.
Tvs after my arrival at home, / receiv-
ma summons to attend on Tuesday
II was Monday night when | receiv.
although seventy miles distant it re.
> to be at Hopahka next. morning
7 could moi, and did not attend; / was
10. On the 1st of April | met the
at Yazoo. old town. as had appointed
En- at Hopahka. II was on this visit at
b town, that | was served with SCI
10 show cause in May, why the fine
be made final. On the 5th of Nav
d, showed cause. and my fine was re-
had made contracts with two of the
,ents, to attend TO their claims before
n as attorney. After Col Fisher arriy-
lined the Indians and threatened them
old contracts they had made with
be interest thus had,was withdrawn
hovement of Col Fisher. Then could
objection TO testify; and / answered
hterrogatories that had been furnished
8 Board. My answers were. true:tand
testimony, which I did not Volunteer.
eh was exacted from me by legal pro-
have been;Most vindictively assalIed
khus answered,the interrogaiories pro-
10 me, 1 departed under the full per-
bat SO far as was required to:testifg,
sally discharged.
lime after my arrival at home, i re-
n invitation from one of the Comm'rs.
Gazoo, ole town again. regarded It
endly invitation, and in July / went
|The evening | was about leaving for
was served with summons to attend
ID next morning. This 10 me, was en-
matter of surprise. / went innmedi.
fore the Board, and requested, that if
Pred to examine me again they would
4 testimony that evening. That re-
IS perenap orily refused me. After the
|1iourned that day, was informed that
let of those who worked the wires, was
tuce some thirty or forty Indian wit
feady d. illeG for the purpose to testify
my testimony. The evidence haG
May before, had been on file, and they
/ time and leisure, TO train and drill the
ed savage, for such warfare. They
u by this means to get judgement
b on large mass of cases. / request
Board, most earnestly, to postpone the
bf my testimony until other witnesses
10 sustain my testimony, could by
process be compelled TO, attend. /
e names Of 9 gentlemen as witre ses,
Pnt gentlemen, and of as high moral
3 as any in the State, My request
ain most peremptorily refused. Icon.
the Comm'r. Col. Claiborne, the act
|irument in all this system Of what ]
official oppression. The, opinion |
rmed from the circumstances, was that
|aiborne was leagued with the agents to
ne down; and thereby make my testi-
Invading He on this occasion deliver
eelerbrated opinion, July 18th. req1ir-
to testify forthwith, l refused to tes-
b the Court Instantly fined me $1,000;
] have understood has been reduced to
Ihave never testified since that opin-
Claiborne's was given. Yet this impu-
pr of the Wing says stllGt in obedience
opinion of Claiborne, Mr.. Grant gave
tmony to defeat the claims" and goes
publication to detail the evidence which
S gave in obedience 70 this decision of
lalborne: Now mark the facts on re-
'bch stamps the lie on the forehead Of
red liar of the VicksLu rg Wig.
We my evidence in May, and this cese-
opinion of Claiborne was delivered in
From that period / have not testified
pm that time have regarded Col. Clai-
mthe light of an enemy, who had leagu-
h others to imPugn my testimony by In
Vldeace, and refusing nIe other evidence
am me. These are stubborn facts of
and yet this wri er in the Wing, char
league with Col. Claiborne and myself,
At the claims. AT the heading of the ar
this scandaliser, says. 1--WE ehaH not
ne bow the charge of 's.fraud and perjury
led and what is the achafacter or those
Ised the cry" As tar back as 1884 a.
mass ofsociety in Mississippi spoke the
d public opinion. and pronounced those
Frauds. As to the character of those
raised The cry" the Legislature Mis-
4 1886, on the testimony Of Judge
IN, Gen. Cooke, Gen. dale, Wa. Dodd,
Ellis, Isaac Jones and others; all then
laembers of Legislature, passed a reso-
unanimously pronouncing those claims,
AS they were ushered into light they
cen christened as frauds, by an enlight-
community. They have with the great
sing, and fed by corruption, fingered out
'tence of ten years as FRAUDS and ere
months expire they will depart as
From the time they were Matched BY
tch speculators,they have ed as frauds,
they will perish.
Iher charge against me is, that the tes-
gwen by me before the Comm rs ia
IN answer to their Undergraduates incon-
with an'afidavit made By me the 23rd
cenhQr 1924 ~ rss-.g.f gsSbs FxTfasa