Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-09-16
Political Persecution
HOW EX-UNION SOLDIERS ARE DETAINED BY
MISSISSIPPI REBELS

MISSISSIPPI REBELS.
The Memphis Post says:
" We had, some time since, in the Ara-
lanche, an exciting story about the discov-
cry and arrest of great gang of horse
thieves, near Senatobia, Miss. 1t was
telegraphed all over the country 1t now
appears that the whole prosecution and ar
rest was simply persecution Of Missssip-
pi loyalists. Near the place referred to
there lived about twenty-five families of
staunch Cnionists. Many of the able
bodied men served hoporably in the First
Mississippi Rifles The rebc.s have cher
ished the utmost malignant hatred toward
this little settlement of poor people, be-
cause of their devotion TO the government,
and have endeayored to annoy them in
every manner possible. They had little
church, Of which many were members, and
in which Mr. Philpot, formerly lieuten-
ant, we believe, in the regiment referred
to- preached This was burned down soon
after the late election in that state. \ low
vagabond was also induced to swear out i
warrant against some twenty Of them
as horse thieves. That fellow was evil
IDENTIFY rewarded for his wicked perjury
for he is said to be strutting about in good
Clothes with plenty of whiskey and pistols
when he had nothing before.
- At the late term of the Circuit Court
at fernando some sixty witnesses were
present to prove an alibi and vindicate the
character oil the accused loyaists. They
demanded a speedy trial. Their persecu-
tors saw that the foul lie would be explod-
ed, and upon himsy pretence secured a
continuance We were informed, day or
two since, that Major Chalmers, of Hern-
ando, brother of General Chalmers, and
withal gentleman, did not hesitate to say
openly on the street that " these poor fell
lows were no more horse thieves than
the-e hor9o thieves IN heaven" AS
corroborating our previous information we
find the following card in the Aualanche,
yesterday:
" HERNANDo Miss, Sept. |, 1868.
g Editors Aralanche: There have been
several notices in your columns Of the dis
covery of a great gang of horse thieves in
this county, and upon one occasion you
gave at length the names of the parties
implicated, with all the particulars of the
alleged conspiracy. We believe that these
publications, though made in good faith by
you, have done great injustice to as inno-
cent set of men as there are in the county.
The whole story is improbable in itself,
and rests entirely upon the testimony of a
single Witness stranger in the county,
and according to his own testimony, a
strolling vagabond, without occupation or
character. 1t duplicates twenty-one men,
some OF whom are new comers in the coun-
ty, but large majority of whom are
among our oldest citizens. They are all
very poor, and so far as appearances can
indicate, honest, hard working industrious
farmers
at is a remarkable fact that such is
their poverty that several of them, includ-
Ing the pretended captain of the band have
been industriously engaged all the year in
making crops with borrowed horses.
Whether they are innocent or guilty. is
a question which will be submitted to a
jury of the county at the next term of our
Circuit Court, until which time we re-
spectfully ask that it shall not be preiudi-
ced or prejudgei by er parte publications
in the newspapers.
" Re Res?@ctfully, your obedient servants.
- WHITE q CHALMERS,
Attorneys for defendants