The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-22
LEW is DE N T.


Sent Dent, but He il Ready 10 Fight mt Any
| Time--kici1ing Operation on a Washinzto
Sidewal.k-The Fifteenth Amendment.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 1859.
Lewis Dent formerly OF California and now OF un-
reconstructed Mississippi, becomes object Of some
interest at the present time, for two FIRST
he is the brother-inaw OF President Grant, and Sec
ond, he Is the conservative candidate for Governor
OF Mississippi. In the latter capacity he has at
tracted unusual attention or the fact that
Grant, with rigid regard to his ideas OF public duty
akin TO that displayed by Brutus OF old, has sacr
| feed private ana family wishes for the sake Of
principle President Grants public expression in
favor OF the election of Alcorn Governor Of Mis-
sisissIpp In preference to Dent his own brother-in-
| law has become matter oil common not0riety.
Not only has the President written privately to
Judge Dent, regretting the candidacy OF the latter,
but he has also taken occasion give public express
sion to his opinion In the OF authorized pub
lsned conversation, wherein he unquali1cdly in
dorsed the platform ana standard bearers of the
! radical party IN Mississippi. Some weeks ago
telegraphed you the substance OF that conversa-
ton, which must still be fresh in the recollection OF
your readers.
Judge Dent is here for the purpose OF attend
ing to some private law business having from
Mississippi a few days ago, where he was engaged
in spirited joint oratorcal trial with his opponent
Alcorn. The Judge Is not much like his senior
brother Frader ok IT, OF warlike antecedents either
in personal appearance manner. Fred is OF
ordinary stature and prone to put on airs
Lewis is quite small but, unlike most little men, he
Is modest anu unassuming There is very little
vanity about Lewis; he is very practical, good
lawyer, with 1ine practice and very much
esteemed 10 the social circle.
The Judge dropped in on your correspondent tho
a
may be interesting to your readers.
DENT ANTICIPATES TWENTY THOUSAND MAJORITY
Your correspondent, among tbs first questions,
asked Judge Dent what he really thought OF his
chances Of eection2
"My dear Str" said the Judge, al have no doubt
that l viii pc chosen Governor OF Mississippi by
1000 majority. Scarcely white man IN the State,
except the hangers-on or General Ames and few
imported radicals Will vote for Alcorn. Even some
or the very appolntees OF General Aes are secretly
Ia my favor, only refrainng from expressing their
preference publicly through fear of losing their posi-
tons. VIII get I'LL the white vote and at least one
hrl OF the coored vote, which exceeds that OF the
whites by about 5000"
"lnen you have no fear at Gil OF defeat, JudgeN
said your correspondents.
mo, sir, noe the slightest. My election is as
assured as anything OF the kind can be-" was the
answer.
GENERAL AMEs AND THE THREATENED MILITARY
INTERFERENCE.
Glow Is It about General Ames' reported threat to
use military iorce If necessary to defeat YOU for
Governors Did the General really make such q
tlredbp'
JUDGE DENr-rhere Is no question OF it. In the
presence OF members OF his own staH Anes declared
That sooner tlan allow my election ne would march
his military forces through mississippi, take them
from one place TO another, and thus overawe the
people.
REsroNpENT-Of course you have seen that
General Aiaes has denied that charger
JUDGE DIHT-ies, nave seen tine denial; but it
IS iact nevertheless, that respectable persons.
against whose truthfainess nothing can be advanced.
that Anes made use OF that threat. Those afidavts
were sent to the secretary Of War; and have no
DOUBT you viii Haa them On file In the War Depart
menL II am not Mistaken one OF the aflidavant IS Is
a member OF Ames stan; but wont be positive on
that point. an satisfied, however, that members
or his slaH would to the fact they could
assured that lalr investigation would be lnstitu-
ted But Tearing that no investigation would be
ordered, and that ,ney would only expose them
selves 70 tue hostility or their superior onicers and
perhaps lose rner positions In the bargain without
same time accomplishing any good these stan
officers prudcntly remain silent. Ames IL
scrnpuious and amDitlon3 officer. His object Is
MAKE nimseI one OF the Unlled States Senators
from Mississippi and he Will nse every means TO
conpass that end. IN spite OF all that, however,
UolnEsrospENr-w,l yon supply US with copies
OF Ilose aiidaViIs. Judses should ike to PUBLISH
them.
but you can obtain them, have no doubt from Sec
reDary Beknap.
JUDGE DENT HAs NOT BEEN CHALLENGED TO FIGHT
CORRESPONDENCE IL true that while you were III
Mississippi yoa were Challenged to ignt by OF
JUDGE DEST-No, SIT, it IL not. / have never
received anything like challenge from any Of them
some oil the discussions during the canvass have
been very warm and executing; out there has been
no violence or personal COLLISIONS.
HIs DIFFICULTY WITH POWER AND FISHER.
CORES poEDENT-Ihere Is story that your trip
TO Washington at present was promp pied by desire
10 escape IRON duel with q person whom you
severely denounced Ihe name stated, believe, Is
Power or Fisher
iuDaE DgNT-1 understand now, sir, to what you
allude. The persons you name circulated base
M rtfstA AtA4f n
special government duty had TO perform IN New
Orleans towards the end OF The last ADMINISTRATION
/ was sent down to New Orleans by Commissioner
Rollins 10 Investigate some revenue frauds, and dis
covering thai certain persons were implicated caused
tnelr arrest ana examination They were held by
tue court for trial. fellow named Penniman got
ZIP IL story that had compromised the case Ior
5000. ! retuenea ~, 70 washington ! de.
sent proper officials TO New Orleans to ascertain the
true s,atc OF affairs. These officials reported that
the charge that J had compromised was baseless
ana taat the accused still held by the court
Tie loy OF the cnaige was evident to the Commits
Sne Maa s w sns
afterwards appointei " Mr.. Deano TO some internal
revenue Office IN new Orleans, and as soon a. |
dismissal. The result was that Inc ComimissioDer
| teegraphed immediately TO New Orleans TO dismiss
| peaninan ana the latter wa5 IN point OF fact DC
prlvei oi ms onico before niyhtiai. This Is the
| cause OF lie fellows spite against me- met him
once mere IA Washington on the street, and he nad
| the mpudcncs TO cone up to me and say that he
would Withdraw an MS letters and charges against
me II woaid procure hlm an appointment NY
answer was 10
KICK THE FELLOW OFF THE SIDEWALK.
In revenge Tor this he worked up ms former charges
| against me ana sent them to Power, VINO IL rae
republican radical candidate Tor Lieutenant Governor
| o. Mississippi On the ticket with Alcorn.
STIRLING sKEfGnES OF FISHER AND POWER.
CoRREsPoNDESr-Wh IS this Fisher JudgeY
JUDGE DENr-He - the editor or the Jackson
Pkot, radical newspaper. Will tell you all about
my dlllcuty vita bQth him and Power. At one OF
| the meetings during the campaign Power, In one
OF his speeches drew from his pocket letter which
/ he said lie would read. | suspected That the letter
contained the lying stories OF fennlInan, and enter
rupted Power. said l, "Mr. Power, do you hold
yourself responsible Tor what s in tnat letter. Are
you wiling to be accountable for what 1t containss
wish 10 let you know before you read IL that you
must promise TO hold yourself personally responst-
bie.n TINS interruption from me gave rise 10 an
! exciting scene. some OF the auditors cried out.