The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-26
Blanks of all Descriptions,
From the Jackson Clarion and Standard.
Gov. SharkeY.

UONs SRdEAcys
Below we insert letter from Gov.
5harkey, m reference to his testimony
before the reconstruction committee
We have no doubt that the Governor
has been unduly censured on account
IF this testimony. It is evident that
ne 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, itcould 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 pa
per.
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 Mr..
Stephens, of Georgia. Mr.. Stephens,
however, exercised the privilege of cor
recting the report of his testimony be-
fore it was given to the press, pre-
caution which our Senator did not take:
WASHINGTON, May 5, 1866.
Editors of the Standard: 1 have
just received your paper of the Oath
ult., which contains criticism on my
testimony before the Reconstruction
Committee, which / think, is by no
means warranted even on the testimony
as you have given it. It seems that it
is not at the North alone that my tes1
timony has been made the object of
criticism. I certainly have made no
effort or expressed an opinion in favor
of disfranchising anybody, Ny testi-
mony is very differently reported in
different papers, and it would seem
that the most imperfect report that I
have yetseen has fallen into your hands.
You probably have not q third of the
testimony.
When | was called before the COM
mittee, my testimony was taken down
in very hurried way by clerk. He
promised me that it should be drawn
out and that should have the oppor-
tunity of correcting it, and I insisted
that I should have that opportunity be-
fore it was published but | never had
I know not why, Mr., Stephens and 9th
ers had copies furnished then a aoe
rection.
I was asked as to the ar M
the Governor and other of ers au4
gave them. But in speaking of the
: Judges and the Attorney General,
added, "but I must do them the justice
to say THAT they are now as loyal al
!. any men," These may not be the pre-
else words used, but certainly the sub
: stance. And so I am reported IN ev
: cry paper that have seen but yours
/
And you win see that IN accordanc
: with the previous statement, that ther
2 was not one disfoyyaf man in fifty
: do not think that 1 expressed tn
regret attributed to me that the gov
! ernment was not in the hands of cor
! servative men, for / considered all {
- them loyal. 1 may have said that
:, regretted their election as secession
: ; lists, as it was known I did, on accou1
: of the effect supposed it would. hay
: in producing prejudices against tt
: South; and the result has been ju
what 7 supposed it would be, as yc
would soon discover if you were -
j. In this brief note I cannot un
at further corrections or explanatie n
v Your obedient servant,
d. w. L. SHAI