The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-23
MTS SISsIPPI.
Mississippi Finances and the Difficulties
of Running the Reconstructed
State Without Money.

~ TINS ELECTION.
have just telegraphed you that General Humphreys
Is elected Governor OF Mississippi There is no longer
doubt Of this fact although the arc all In.
His election surprises not only himself but his most
ardent friends 1t is not surprising however when
consider that he is indebted for his election TO the
army, which comprised the greater part Of the popula
tlon. and among whom the General was very popular.
GENERAL HUMPHREYS
was always IN old line wing in politics before the war;
though never much Of politician, and II nm correctly
informed, never filed high office in tho State He vas
one OF those few men, however, who combine all the
natural elements Of popularity and to whom the people
naturally look for leader In times OF trouble He was
according 70 all accounts, a bon homme or perhaps
more properly, suauler IN modo fortter in re- Whom
the question Of secession sprung upon the people,
and swept like avalanche the South he
Of s strongest opponents and Of the few who had
sufficient influence and to dare oppose the surg
ing pillows Of rebellion that rapidly enveloping
him. He was submerged with the rest When he found
himself thus engufed he into the rebellion, and
fought against his own principles, just did General
Lee and hundreds OF others. He served during the
as brisader general In tho Virginia army A evidence
that what have said regarding General Humphreys "a
true have the authority Of Governor sharkey for stat
ing that no said TO him during the war; in private
versaton:--
"My dear sir, can never build up government on
this doctrine OF secession Should we gain our indie
pendence the rotten would hold together
months
"why are you dressed in that uniform, thensn asked
"As that question of twotlrds Of the army and you
Will receive the same reply because my State Is in
bcionj was the response
Sinc6 the surrender OF the rebel armies General Hum
phreys has been resting quietly ut home and the nominal
ton for Governor was forced upon him. His reply to
the committee who waited upon him urge his accept
ancc OF the nomination was:-.I as yet unpar.
doncd rebel, and not eligible should DO clectedn am
apoogis for General Humphreys or any other rebel:
but If we must havo rebels in high positions in the
reconstructed States and representing them in Congress
let us have just such men as the in question.
JUDGE y. 2. Yi3uER
is in the city. He arrived in the State eight days
ago from Washington city, where he had several inter
nation for Governor while route home. Ho rnrne.
diacy replied that he did not want the Office but that IL
the people saw t to elect him he would consider it his
duty the crcumstances to uccopt In this letter
he fully endorsed the policy Of the President urged
the people Of Mississippi TO do nothing to lessen the
hdencc he. had repcsed In them. The Judge seems
highly pleased with the election Of General Humphreys
and has already advanced the opinion that under the
laws Of the state he 10 eligible 10 the Office He says
Truly he migiA be arrested for treason: but such
charge could not be sustained long he keeps pa
role inyolae.n Hc announces his intention to comnu.
cate Immediately with President Johnson by ecrinph
urging Tim 70 pardon the Governor elect at he may be
qualhed so that the wheels OF tho State government
may roll was favorably in presssd with Judge
Fisher He Is OF the soundes' amt most Intelligent
men OF tho stats, and win probably occupy some high
THE COMING LEurr JTURg
will be one OF the most important political bodies ever
assembled In The state The members OF that will
represent the people for tho. first time In legislative
capacity undsr the recognized government and will
have TO complete the work only Just begun by the Con-
stituiional Convention Tho first business before hem
will probably be the election Of Senator's 10 repre-
sent the State IN the national Congress- Who will be
the men favored with this honor Il IL impossible
surnisc Two weeks ago supposed that Governor
Sharkey would be one without u dissenting vote. but
since tho elections have resulted contrary u oil cxpec,a
tad
his late proclamation Ia copy of which sent you In
former letter. his election Is considered doubtful The
Governor and many of the most reliable Of the
State however, yet confident that the Legislature
will SEQ the necessity Of sustaining h and will 10 by
enac,ing Law permitting heroes TO testify In the civil
And the rests at present Az you are
well aware, the nanc affairs of the State are lust in
to raise funds 10 carry the State pay
OF the immense debt amounting already To fifteen
twenty millions Of dollars. Reputation will not do;
Miss.ssippans have tried that, would seem, TO
their hearts content and yet strange Il may SEEM
many Of them favor reputation to-day. Thoy will pro-
aid Il the rebellion but back Of that there are honest
debts that must DO paid aside from the
the national government Besides this, their public
buildings including the State Prison and the asylums
with the exception Of the Insane) all destroyed by
the war, and win have 70 be rebuilt The State House.
TO be sure Is standing but would be surprised TO
hear OF lie falling down any day who is TO 'touch the
corpse Of the public credit Of Mississippi and bid IL
rise 70 new lifef Who is to strke the rock Of the
States resources" and bounteous supplies Of
reenbacks 70 flow FORTH Something will be done by
the Legislature, but years will eapse before Mississippi
wings Of Anapcial prosperity. Oncers Of the pcnitcn
tia and the hospitals are "a be selected and ulsc State
printer. besides several minor officers, and altogether
Il win be much easier TO elect the oce however, than
70 md the wherewithal TO pay them From present
prospects the 'lobby'' will contain more members than
the body proper Upon the negro testimony question
am satisfied there VIII be terrible war Of words and
es s s
ccptng the famous 'mcinber iron Jones'" with tho
moss stringng down his back shall report his speech
p1befir q Lterain for the HrRArD Look out for
s'squslr' when the Mississippi Legislature meets.
1lH C0rOS, pTEsEyT AND PROSPECTIVE
hero. which Is being bought by spccuia.ors a. nom
thirtytwo TO thirty six cents per pound and shipped
through to New Orleans by the New orleans, Jackson
The present crop has been much injured by worms and
there will hardly be yield enough TO pay for tho pick
and cotton dealers on the prospective crop for next year
in the United States Some base ms low as forty thou
sand bales, while others, moro hopeful estimate million
bales the probable product In Mississippi the great
trouble win DO labor The negroes almost universally
refuse TO work In the swanps and lowlands where the
best crops are produced The hills and upands viii
necessarily be monopolized with grain. Az substcncs
will have TO be raised and grain viii doubtless be
high IL will DO more profitable than co,son on these
lands whore the latter does not grow to perfection
Hence the worry oqic,l conclusion Is that large Yield "
cotton IL not TO be expected Of this statc The Same -
trio OF Arsansas, Louisiana aud some portions Of other
cotton growing ditircts Northern Alabama, portion. ~
Tcnnc SOC and Georgia aud Texas II II beloved, will
yiod the largest crops of cotton next year Inc pros
pcctive high prize OF the staple however, viii Induce
great deal of energy and by these obftaclcs
may be in manner overcome. ! give the state
ments for what they worth. The government 10
now disposng Of mules at auction here through
Captain q. l.. ileaton District qunrtsrnastcr They
bring zoo prices, and tho farmers, well az many OF
the freedmen, seem TO hayo plenty Of greenbacks with
which TO purchase stock Most the planters however
have borrowed money from New Orleans capitalists on
pledge Of next year. crops and this will naturally slim
ulate them 20 cxcrton. One planter, who bought mule
for one hundred dolars made III, remark thai he usd
hnxIx ..alG
when cotton only worth ten cents p,r pound. And
yet thcy constantly growing about hard tines
THE FREEDrrv
In this State well elsewhere the freedmen havs
somehow received the Impression Christmas Tie
government Is going ~ divide lands amors laen anil
they arc looking anxioasy forward hos tho day bies
Many Of them rsfsse To make contracts fof pn' tne
than Christmas gentleman of my acquaintance went
70 or his FORMER slaves icw days Since I, employ
IL Il -