Smyrna times., 1863-06-18
Communicated J
VOmmuhlcaied)
Investigating Committees Report.

/ appointed by that most honorable body, the
Legislature, OstehSibly for the purpose of en-
qllring into the military interference with the
election ON the 4th of Nov. last but really to
subscrve the interest of the Tory party in the
State, has, much to the satisfaction of the I'm
on party, made its appearance. The thanks of
the Union portion Of our population are GER
tainly due to Mr.. salisbury and his fellow mem
bers on the Committee, for the great service
rendered them by this report, and they should
be none the less grateful because it was done
without the knowledge of those gentlemen.-
Had this Committee been composed as other
committees and had the investigation been
more searchingly on the Union side, we should
have had much more to be thankful for, and
and nothing of which to complain. But as it
is, We must say few words Of the formation
of this committee, its style of investigations
and its report.
Conceived in iniquity, and from its inception
the very impersonatiOn of injustice, the ex-
pectations first formed of its future proceedings
have not been in the least disappointed. Com
posed of men of the Tory party alone, with a
chairman whose political feelings towards the
Union party are of the most vindictive and un-
ScrupulouS nature feelings which, for aught
we know, find responsive chord i'll the hearts
of all others on the committee, we were we'll
satisfied that justice might as soon be sought
for in the archives of Spain during the Span
ish Inquisition, as in the proceedings of such
a committee. Had not respect for justice die
tated the propriety of placing some one Of the
Union party among its members, We should
have thought that for an old and established
precedent would have had the effect. But both
were disregarded and the committee formed
as would best subserve the purposes for which
it was intended; which all know to have been
the interest of the Tory party. So much for
the formation of the committees Now for its
proceedings. No one can read its report and
not be struck with the partial manner in which
the evidence is taken Indee.l, the nyestiga-
ton is not one which behind the formation Of
the committee for injustice, it rather exceeds
it. One hundred and twenty-four witnesses
were examined; something more than one hun
dred being members Of the Tory party. The
questions propounded were such only as suited
the purposes of the committee, and iDforma-
ton voluntarily offered, in some instances was
refused. The report lays some stress upon the
fact that six or eight only out of all the witnes
ses examined venture the opinion that troops
were necessary to preserve order at the last
election and amends this by saying that most
of these were actuated by position, or motives
of self interest. When we consider that not
more than twenty Union witnesses were exam
ined, and of these half only asked their opinion
in this respect we can easily and very satisfac-
tOrily account for what they seem to regard
of so much consequence. The wicked and ma
liciOus effort ON the part Of this Committee to
represent certain citizens who acted as provost
mar>hals as men of vindictiye natures and dcs-
titute of all principle, should sufficiently satisfy
the people of the antmuS of the men compos-
ing it, and should convince them that any one
SO ready to proclaim his fellow citizen scoun-
drel. upon testimony entirely one sided is ent-
tied TO the confidence Of no honest man. Not
withStanding such an effort was made to vifv
! these gentlemen, the evidence will convince the
unprejudiced that they were men of good hon
est character, but ardent in their loyalty to the
Union cause. And herein lies the secret to
some Of the testimony sworn to by witnesses of
the Tory party with regard to these officers
| they detested them for their unflinchinp firm
ness to the principles they avowed. We do
not doubt the truth of the statement that they
were not such men as majority of SOME of
the Hundreds would have selected, well know
ing that wherever the Tory party predominated
an officer from the rebel army would have been
much preferred. 1t is proven by Mr.. Charles
Wright, Democrat, Of Seaford, that the pro-
vOst marshal of that Ilundrcd-Mr Rhodes
Hazzard-was not as active On that day as he
had seen him at other elections that Mr.. Haz-
zard is a positive man, but not an active OF
violent partiZan. The same is testified to aof
Mr. Ellegood, Provost Marshal for BraOdkiln
Hundred, the testimony being also given by an
opponent. We might cite other cases of precise
ly the same nature but do not deem it necessa-
ry. 1t is too apparent that the only reason
these Provost Marshals are represented to the
citizens of the State in so false light, is be.
country, and their earnest efforts in its behalf
If this is crime sufficient to brand men a.
felons, and the same will apply to devotion tc
party then justice will not have been satisfied
till every leader of the Tory party in this Stat:
shall have suffered an ignominious death.
A point dwelt upon at some length by thi.
Committee in their report, is that the troops
present at the election :" were not used for the
purpose for which they were profesedly asked
and professedly SENT but for the benefit of one
political party to the prejudice and injury of the
other, and to prevent, instead Of insure, q fail
and impartial ele6tion'f- To BE- sape ltbe,
could find plenty Of men from their own par
ty to substantiate this aId they did sdo it, t.
their own satisfaction, We suppose But know
ing full well what Tory evidence is worth VIZ
are satisfied it will find no one in the Unior
party SO credulous as to credit it, and feel con
v;noad fhaf Gonna man uho hapa All No.,