New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-05-29
MISSISSIPPI.
now WE ARE GOVERNED IN MISSISSIPPI.
lRRnM Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENTl

HOW ARE GOVERNED IN MlSSISSlPPI.
IFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT
BOLIVAR. Miss, May 16.-Having read an article in
THE TRIBUNE, on the Virginia Election" which
seemed to me to evince spirit in the right direction
toward the unOrganzed States in the South, and as
there seems to be general willingness of the press
to publish information in regard to those districts
have thought few items upon hOC gorerned IN
Mississippi, might be of public interest
The State of Mississippi under the direction of Gen.
Giem. had recovered degree of quiet and indus
trial prosperity in advance, probably, OF any 0ther
Southern State. The freedmen had been induced to
90 to work. the levees put in course of construc
ton and fair crop was raised and realized after
two successive years of failure and losses The period
was marked by no bloody turmoil OF embttered con
tention Of races, although the freedmen were prln-
cpally the voters in every election, Before the ad
iournmeut of Congress, act was passed upturnlng
this state of things by requiring the vacation OF all
the civil offices of the State and military appoint
ments thereto. In other words, period similar
TO that through which Tennessee and Arkansas have
passed was inaugurated, preparatory to the con-
terminated civil organization of the State. This
would SEEM in the absence Of any public reason the
mandate of caucus at Westinghouse party ext
genev. But it is not my purpose to touch upon the
political bearings Of the measure. To show An IN
industrial interests of large district will detail
the following facts The Counties OF Bolivar w ASH
ington, and Issaqucna-three riparian counties OK
tending from ETiars Point, below the tennessee me
To yi,ksburp-comprise an area of the richest ana
most productive cotton lands IN mississippi ING
Legislature of 1906 Incorporate act reorgahzeu
the old Board of Leyee Commissioners IN these Cohn-
ties for the purpose OF recOustructlng the leNecs
which protect these bottom lands from Overflow Inc
Board went into operation raised the funds ana hEe
rebuilt or repaired the most important parts oil the
whole line of the levees The following extracts from
A report of S. G.. French, President of the Board
made the 18th of April last, will give some idea oil the
nature of the undertaking. and of the important m
teress impcrilcd by an act OF Congressional mill
tary caprce: In Nav 1868 Major-Gcn. Gillem, com
mandng the Fourth Military District rendered me
the services Of number Of conycts then IN cortne
ment in the State Penlentary. They were received
| and placed on the Leyee and kept at work nntIl
the last of October. Under contractors, since then
there have been constructed and received 80 goo
cube yards of embankment. Ihe entlIe
b GrSln d and md thirty miles That portion
of this State known rs tho YazOo BASIN aud wnere
once the ocean spread out widely forming an ihlahu
bed of its mother Ocean-cOntaIns about three million
three hundred thousand acres Of land. These lands,
richer than those of Egypt or Holland, free from
drouth aud heavily tnbeled, we desire To protect
| from inundatiOn, aud make them productive Our
eyees now constructed preclude any disastrous over
! flow 10 the BASIN by checking the main volume Of
water, yet more than half of these lands and the
cotton they produce contribute nothing toward
bnilding them Under ordinary culture,
bUOOOO acres OF tins land devoted 10 COTTON Woulu
yield like number Ot bales of cotton, and this, at
present prices would bring III return about SOOOOOO
in gold"
derived from county taxes IcyiedO cents per acre
on land and cent per pound on cotton. On the nth
day of April, when the Hood waters were nearing
high watcr-mark and much alarm and anxiety were
felt for the safety of the new cvces, an AID OF Cen
Ames the District Commander arrived IN treenylilc
the of the Board ACCOMPANIED by z young man
of the Board to turn over all books funds, ~c., O
the Office to him. although giving no bond or surety
for the sate-keepug Of the Next, order was
issued directing the members Of the Board 10 discnn
tuue the exercise OF their offices Seeing tins might
mt an end 10 labor on the lcyces aud destroy the
efficiency Of the Board in the existing emergency, the
Jackson and explain matters 10 Gen. Ames. com
muncaton was presented TO him ON behalf OF inc
Commissioners, ia which they ask;
Whatever your opinion OF the legal question
Are or are We not part OF that class OF officers
intended 20 be embraced III the Act OF congress
may be- there IL another view OF tue subject OF niue
greater importance than that becg $50 u may DO
fraught with uTfpdrdble Injury Ia the community
With the present high stage of waters OF tho Missis
sippi River the continued rains, the vast pccnaty
interests rislScd behind the lcyees, amounting 10
MANY millions OF dollars the hopes OF a community,
the support Of thousands Of Freedmen and the
families are involved IN the expcdency II mol cI9c
exposure that they or may be- subjected 70 w de
cariug the offices vacant having none 10 acI III 'Do
hour OF danger to avert 1t. ,.
Therefore in the name OF common humanity
and as "A citizen Of that community and al their hO-
citation ask you 90 defer action IN tins particular
until the waters may have subsidized"
The appeal was of no avail, We were leit ior TWO
weeks--Iip to the time left Mississippi any
Board. The new levees were slougllng very badly,
and the danger of break and overflow increasing
hourly. Myself and neighGors on the river, WIN WIN
great eXertOn, and by paying laborers ONT OF our
own pockets succeeded IN repairing the leVees III
front of ns Others did the same No Thanks today
IL there is no overflow 10 the Board To whom we had
paid heavy taxes for our protection or TO Gen Ames
who seized possession OF them.
There is 10 oath attached 10 the Office OF Leyee
Commissioner any more than 20 that OF u President
of Railroad Company or Director OF bank; and
il is the hight of absurdity 10 interfere and remove
old and experienced citlzens-nen ldenthea WIN
the leyee system for years who know every ioOt OF
the line-its weakness and strength-to make way
for q stranger who comes qualified only WIN mill
tary order. No charges were made against the mem
beers of the Board IL is 90 be earnestly hoped that
the President will take some early action looking
to civil organization In the State, Mississippi
has no national representation or oilicial channel
through which TO give expression 10 the wants and
grievances Of her people-no appeal from tho local
rule of Lieutenants. Many the petty annOyances
they must suffer in silence. What would "A commu-
nity of the State of New York think Of government
that should send them citizens of Missouri Georgia
to exercise the functions Of Sheriff. Tax Assessor aud
all local Offices of trust, under only military response
bility 10 "A distant Department. Nay: III Mississippi
by the organization OF the counties there IS an Elect
i've Board of Police which has the power to levy all
the ordinary county taxes at discretion. These
Boards are now filled with military appointments
with men, in instances who have none, or barely
a temporary interest in the county. Planters
&c on short notice, and to have their
orders promptly filled; vet postal facilities
are interrupted for weeks at O time by default of
contractors who still receive their remuneration
from the Government. An enlightened Emperor
Will somehow always have sympathetic ear for
the grievance of his people and goes direct TO their
assistance. In q Republic whole communities
are consigned 10 o military regime, without re-
dress appeal This Is terrible schooling to the
South, fraught with no good TO either race.
Allow me to correct an erroneous idea, which is
generally prevalent that the interests of the land
al of tbo frop N ip nta0