Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-04-24
A strange aud 1'ouchinE story.

n StrAuEc uuu LoucHlhE story
We take the follow from = late nuuber
Of che Vicksburg Wing:
RfcHAhp STAUnTon GRAvKs.-Aimost
half generation has passed away sinsa
the name Of every one. In connection Wild
the magnificent embexzlcment which lie
owner perpetrated on the treasury Of His.
sissippi. Our older citizens will remer.
Der Richard s. Graves az the dashing. de-
faulting treasurer. who came into Office
with Goyernor Tucker. He was one Of
those who WAS borne into power on the
wave Of Reputation, and the fruit was
what might have been expected. The BIZ
Ibie teaches us that We cannot pluck "6ge
| from thistles.' andif the tax payers &c
Mississippi obtained any 6gs from this re-.
lpudiating thistle. they we've arsuredlySoe
bitter and unsayory flavor. as
The memory of Graves was suddenly
revived last summer by an unsuccessful
attempt 10 bring him from canads. where
he has been residing for the ten years past.
under The extradition clause Of the ASKS
burton treaty. He was arrested. and af>
ter an investigation before two of the ju-
dicisl functionaries of Canada Il, WAS dee.
cided that the Ashbnrton treaty did not
meet his case. he was accordingly dis.
charged.
On Monday last Gov. MeRae sens
special message 10 the Legislature. in,
which he embodies letter he received
some months since from Graves. In that
letter the defsuIting treasurer makes the
following touching appeal: Is.
I" Sine coz, July esd, 1856.
'''tt To He Gopernor OF MiSsfssippI:-As'
| do not know your name address you,
as do.
/" have been near fourteen years an,
Exile. living in this Siberia OF America.
exposed TO this terrible climate. where
the mercury often sinks TO 30 degrees be-
low zero. separated fion all that is dear
to me on earth. Surely this is sufficient
punishment for al my previous acts
even i'll had been living in Russia my Of.
Tense would not have meritrd the punish
inert have endured. 80 'o
"You surely cannot (after fourteen
years of punishment. when my head 10
siIvered with trouble and age. when my
children have grown up around me I'M
conscious of their fathers misfortuhe.)
wish to degrade me any further.
have wife. sir, born in the sunny
South, whose relations reside ia Madison
county who is most anxious TO return To-
her native State, She nobly deserted
her parents. her home. her MI. 10 follow
her husband into exile. Her punishment
has been greater than mine |: she at least
is innocent but this has not prevented
the climate from doing tie worst upon her,
aud she is gradually sinking into The
grave oil she asks is to be permitted 10
return to her native State; Mississippi
to the sunny South to die. This she can.
not do unless her husband is free"
The fact disclosed in the FIRST line fuFs
nishes melancholy commentary on the
vanity of earthly glory. Here now is our
friend Gov. M6Rae, who has presided
with grace and dignity over the State Of
Mississippi for nearly three years; and
} yet the /" sounding trump Of fame" has
failed 70 proclaim his name to the benign.
ted dwellers in the "Siberia Of Amerieal''
Well may the Governor exclain. 1" all Is
vanity II
Graves then proceeds TO say that, 10
permitted to return TO Mississippi, untno-
Tested. he will engage to pay The State
. $4,000 per annum until his defaul. 10
: made good, and the moment he fails in .
, payment he is" willing TO go 20 prison r
, He states that he has means which will
enable him to do this. snd that hs 10
: anxious 10 effect the arrangement"
The Governor admits bis pf6position
, to the Legislature. and says that II II
meets the appreciation Of that bod be
"shall interpose no objection" s.
We observe that the subject! mattsr has
/. been referred 10 a Select comimittee, and
9 We confess that We shall be grati6ed Il
the Legislature will allow Graves 70 re.
, turn 90 his old home. We doubt not his
experience has taught him tia. "ths way
: of The transgressof Is hard" and az 'none
are all evil" We have as little doubt that
he will return better as well as "tads
der and wiser man" q