Daily Mississippi clarion and standard. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-05-17
GOV. sHARKEY,

Below we insert a letter from Gov.
Sharkey in reference to his testimony
before the reconstruction committee.
We have no doubt that the Governor
has been unduly censured on account
of this testimony. 1t is evident that
he has not been fairly reported, and
that he was misunderstood by the par
ties who originally gave his testimony
to the press The testimony, as it
reached jackson, looked rather awk-
ward, but this arose chiefly from the
want of completeness and the misun-
derstanding of his meaning on the
part of the reporter So far as this
journal is concerned, it could at no
time take issue with the Governor
with any other than feelings of the
profoundest regret. This can be said
with equal truth of the Standard and
the Clarion before their consolidation
into one paper.
From later advices as to the real
character Of Judge Sharkey's testimo
ny we can assure our readers that it
was substantially in unison with that
given by Mr. Stephens of Georgia
Mr.. Stephens, however, exercised the
privilege of correcting the report OF
his testimony before it was given to
the press, aprecaution which our sen
ator did not take.
WASHINGTON, May ), 1866.
Editors Of tie Standard :
l have just received your paper OF
the oath, ult., which contains a crit
cism on my testimony before the Re
construction Committee, which,
think, is by no means warranted ever
on the testimony as you have given it
| 1t seems that it is not at the Nortl
alone, that my testimony has beer
made the object of criticism. | Ger
tainly have made no effort or expressed
an opinion in favor of DISTINGUISHING
anybody My testimony is very diff
fereutiy reported in different papers
and it would seem that the most i'm
| perfect report that l have yet seer
has fallen into your hands. You
probably have not a third of the ties
| timOny.
When l was called before the com
mittee, my testimony was taken dow
in a very hurried way by a clerk II,
promised me that it should be draw
| out and that | should have an oppOr
tunity of correcting it, and l insisted
that l should have that opportunity
before it was published, but l neve
had, I know not why. Mr. Stephens
and others had copies furnished then
| for correction.
was asked as to the antecedent
of the Governor and other officers
and | gave them But in speaking o
the Judges and the Attorney Genera
| added, but | must do them the jus
tice to say that they are now as loya
as any men" These may not be tn
precise words used, but certainly tn
substance And so / am reported il
every paper that | have seen but yours
And you will see that this is in accoro
with the previous statement, tina
there was not one disloyal man in fiji
ty. | do not think that / eXpresse,
the regret attributed to me that tn
government was not in the hand
of conservative men, for | cOnside
them all loyal. | may have said tina
l regretted their election rs secession
lists, as it was known | did, on &C
count Of the effect supposed it woul
have in producing prejudices agains
the South and the result has been jus
what | expected it would be, as yo
would soon discover if you were here
In this brief note | cannot undertak
further corrections or explanations.
Your Cbedient servant,
w l. SuARKFY