The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-07

felt deeply for the honor Of thed
and the War Department
as WE'LL I sympathized with the help
less victims of irresponsible power. l
was resolvdd to maintain the author
ity of the Department I represented.
expected their support in my efforts
to defend the one and maintain the
other. have been disappointed.
Thus far the conflict on my part has
been single-handed, and from want Of
means and political influence has been
pursued at great, almost hopeless dis
advantages.
When I preferred charges against
Capt A. for outrages at Waterproof,
they were returned to me with the in
dorsement ''that the honor of
the service did not allow charges
to be preferred against an officer by a
civilian" These charges having been
signed by an officer in the regular
army, were forwarded a second time
but were never heard Of again.
When in Washington in June last,
I tried for four days to secure an iater-
view with the President that | might
bring these facts to his knowledge.
His time was so engrossed failed to
see him and could not remain in the
city any longe; for that purpose.
In replying to a recent letter FROM
the Treasury Department calling for a
statement of the transactions IN my
Office in Natchez, after stating that !
could only reply from memory, the
records Of the office being yet in mill
tary possession, I said: Having re-
Piled to your request as fully as under
the circumstances it is possible to do
and respectfully referring to my re-
ports to the First Agency, which | pre-
sumo are on fle, permit me to say thai
it has been a subject of great surprist
and regret that the Department has 81
long submitted to the gross outragei
inflicted on It's subordinate officers
especially IN the District of Natchez
by military commanders, some of whom
have been honorably discharged, Will
charges affecting not only their char
. acter but their lives were on file III til
. War Department-charges character
t lied by those well acquainted Wit
i their nature, as atrocions beyond th
h power of language to describe, and t
; express the hope that the Hon. Secrt
s taly of4he Treasury will yet deem
due to the honor Of the Government
r the dignity of his own department an
d an act of imperative Justice to its sui
If ordinate officers, to insist npon tho
ough Congressional Investigation I'M
: the interferences of the military al
thorities with the functions of the D
! partment in the District of Natchez,
: elsewhere" AS yet no notice has be-
:, taken of that appeal.
!. I have wished much to visit Was
! ingtoi this winter that [ might a
. the Intervention Of the Senators fro
: my own State (to whom my social T
- sition is well known) J, in securing
dress for the insults and slander p
81 upon me, and the exposure and pu
s. ishment Of their authors, knowing til
an examination iato the facts III ]
case cannot be made without bringl
- to light countless acts of robbery, {
preston and infamy unequaled IN
zen history Of ancient or modern war; q
believing that the exposure and pl
the ishment of those who have abu'
the their official position to plumber q
ted crush the helpless, will do more,
lilly more, to restore the harmony and
vive the confidence of the South, 4
al all the changes of the Constitution
as sible to be made.
ing Your resolution, forwhich allow
on ag in to thank you. has afforded
iere the first ray of hope. May he
see also, that you will not only press
and resolution and the amendment,
mt will watch carefully the organiga'
7ere Of the committee, that thorough
heir impal tiaI results may be reached
rom far as in my power | have endeayo
IN to strengthen your hands, and EN-
ring you to meet the objections Of Mr.
ex- senden, for whom / have the hig
berry respect. I have cited specific acts
lson given the names Of witnesses by vi
are they can be proved; and let it {
get be understood that an impartial
vesGgation is to be made, witne
anne will swarm by thousands, and the
IN viction will force itself on the most
IONS stilsate mind that the ezasperated
and ;n0 exisfinr In the South is due