New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-02-05
! PATHETIC BETTER.

| -
Ths following portion Of letter, addressed to Gov
McRae of Mississippi, really touching and wethink
the boon entreated for ought to be granted by the
Legislature There is history connected with it we
/ propose briefly to rehearse which may not be unin.
teresting TO our readers.
Many many long years ago, when the writer's youtn
was in its first flush, and when the future was looked
upon but harbnger Of new pleasures and fresher
joys, Tilghman M. Tucker was elected Governor OF
Mississippi, Richard Stanford Graves Treasurer and
the whole State ticket-al Democrats were tnum
phany chosen to the posts for which they had been
nominated by the dominant party.
Graves was a young man Of more than ordinary
| ability and more than ordinary vanity. He was
arrogant aud presuming, yet when closely pressed
was capable Of defending himself plausiby and
vigorously. His ambition was Of the vaulting de-
scription. He could not afford to wait, notwith-
standing the Democratic party had advanced him
more rapidly than was usual The Treasurers Office
rather fretted than gratifed him, and as long as
he remained in office, before his exposure his longing
gaze was continually the Executive chamber
in the other end of the capital But, there other
aspirants more influential than hmself-cool, shrewd
and cunning, of which qualities he possessed not
particle looking in the same direction, and they
very soon found means to take advantage of his in
dscretions olies Or crimes just the reader chooses
to make him victim. 5,4y
He was declared defaulter and fed the State, al
though there are many among the old citizens who
entertain suspicion that the gutier parties have
never been punished at all. This suspicion was
strengthened from the fact that, shortly after his
flight Graves made proposition to the Legislature
to settle all his indebtedness far he could and to
expose the real criminals provided he allowed to
return to the State without being subject to crimi
nal prosecution and that his proposal vehementy
opposed in high quarters, not altogether fautess in
public estimation. At all events, the proposition of
Graves was rejected and all memory of the defauter
passed out of the minds of men until last summer,
when an unsuccessful attempt was made to bring him
from Canada, where he had been residing for ten
years. under the extradtion clause in the Ashburton
treaty. Upon examination before the judicial tribu-
mails in Canada it was decided that the provisions of
that treaty did not apply to his case and he was
cordingly discharged. Sp54 8t
* e Some months ago, Gov Mcfsae received letter
from Graves, which, in special message, he trans
mitted to the Legislature on the 2sth ut We append
the following portion, and submit that it is really pa
thetic: .6
IA l5 srxcor july q 1856
Is Do not know your name address you rs do
have been near fourteen years exile living Siberia
sinks ID degrees below separated from All that Is
on sss s aa Sfes sb m Rss
have rericd the punishment have endured
my head i ssersd with trouble when
have Gp me- OF
have wife ST. born in sunny South whose relations
sss = SIC Ss
al to oow aS sS Msr s has s
prevented climate doing is upon her and she Is
q reur to her aa5se Stale sisspp . The sunny south
die. This she cannot do unless her husband is free
Graves then says, if permitted to return to the
State unmolested, he will engage to pay 81 900 pei
year until his default is made good; that he has
means which will enable him to do this, and that the
moment he fails in single payment he is " willing
to go to prison." The Governor submits his propo.
stion to the Legislature, with the remark that if it
meets the appreciation of that body, he shall inter.
pose no objection"
/ The vicksburg Wing thus concludes an article or
I the subject:
Ct, sow PsTss q a L. ii
aeabf that his experience has anght him way
hard and as none are AL syiln We hay
and isa We confess, deep sympathy q
ssS
her unfaeng devotion husband has beautifully
% s9 e Ruth and S%i ,s and No
remember Mrs Graves her few days after her
In the first flush youth, the world
her and SUMMER smile Tighten The face Of
BRIDE heard joyops laugh ringing from the lii
of youth beauty. Alas poor child, for she
chi her dream of bliss Of short duration A few month
" husband branded with felons name Tying
ayengius laws he had outraged and from that day TO his 81
has shared his exile Weary weary they been
her aud in that cold and nhosptah cline where she he
found refuge and home how her heart has yeaed for ii
sunny home where her hrisd but III
exile know For her sake then for all that noble md
wonan's love, let Graves hack. II he
funds he from Treasury well
he does no. say we'll But let him come-let VIII
gaze the home of her childhood
in DEATH let her last look be the friends and h
scenes of her youth.