The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-03-03
"LEAvENwoRrH, Aug. p, 1867.


"We, the undersigned. were juryman ia
the case of the State of Kansas, vs.. John IL.
Morris, in which one Hiram Il. Revels was
complaining witness. Said suit was insti-
tuted by the said Revels in the form of a
criminal prosecution, for an alleged libel in
charging the said RevelS with embeZZling
the funds of his church; with falsehood and
hypocrisy, in a certain phamplet entitled
a Humbug.'
The defendant (Morris) took the ground
that the alleged libel was true. and proved to
our satisfaction that the said Hiram Revels
had embeZZled certain funds belonging to his
church, and has been guilty of falsehoOd, and
had unnecessarily forced quarrel on the
said Morris, thus compelling him to act in
vindication of his own character.
"In short, we found that the alleged libel
was true, and that it was published for good
motives and justifiable ends, all of which it
was necessary to prove to secure an acquit-
tai in a suit for libel.
JAMES CURRAN.
s'ABEI. ARMSTRONG,
A. J.. RUsHMORE,
Fl. MARKsoN.
81. B. FLUNo.
This statement of one-half ofth Jury who
tried me (some were out of the city. others
could not find in the limited time had. but
all that | found readily signed it, seeming
glad to unite in an effort to rid this city of
his baneful presence) was taken to the clerk
of the court. who certified that the above
named gentlemen were iurymen in the case
Estate of Kansas VS.. John III. Norris" and
the case was tried on the 2lst and I'D days
of June, 1867, and that the jury returned
verdict of mot guilty as concerned the de-
PENDANT. John IL. Norris He then fixed
the seal of the court to 1t.
E. NJ Rankin is prominent and wealthy
citizen of this city. Ill. Markson Is Deputy
Collector of Internal Revenue, j. b. FlunO,
keeps the European House, &c, DC
This document, with others, impeaching
Revels was forwarded to the Missouri Con-
ference of the A. MI. E. Church, and they re-
moved him from here, sending him to Louis
vile, Ky.
1t is a popularity of this case that my
cause is SO strong that it seems improbable.
The thoughtful reader will ask, how could
anv man of common sense, being guilty.
force quarrel and then appeal to a court ?
or. in other words. how did it come to pass
that | accused him of stealing, and yet he
unnecessarily forced a quarrel upon Nor
ris 20
NV answer is. that Revels has no common
sense: that he is the strangest compound of
malignant cunning and plausible depravity
that ever saw.
had for years helped the church in her
financial operations, aud bad handled thou
sands of dollars of her funds. | commenced
to suspicion Revels, and feared to be impli
Gated with him, and | own TO little preju-
dice against stealing.
/ expressed my suspicious privately to a
few but did not accuse. Hearing of this,
Reyels asked for an interview. which took
place in the presence of two trustees of the
church. In this interview. Revels eVlnced
a very concilatory disposition, owned that
he had made misStatements about the imam
eial affairs of the church. and had thus rem
dered himself liable to suspicion; but went
on to give me an explanation that was so
skillfuliy contrived it really threw me into
doubt. and, being related by marriage, and
1 for many other reasons not wishing to quar-
rel with him; and, in any event, having
averted suspicion from myself, L gave him
/ the benefit of the doubt. and fully, frankly
/ and unequivocally disavowed my suspic-
| ions; told him that / thought had wrong
/ ed him in expressing those sentiments, and
] promised to right him.
This proceeded to do; but before could
see all the parties To whom had expressed
my suspicious l heard that ReVels was
| going to denOucne me through the press. l
sought him, proved by two witnesses that
| had in good faith been exoneratlng MIN,
| pointed out to him the folly of appealing TO
| the press. then offered to write joint card,
and, finally, begged him. if he would 60 70
the press. to leave the door open for an hon.
orable adjustment. He would neither De
connselled nor persuaded, and the next day
sunday, March 3lst- 1867, his Gard TO the
| nuhlicr appeared in the Conservative
| In this article he ignored the dRaende non
ordble had made. and asserted that nae
/
on to abuse me in venomous manner.
/ replied gently; eXonerated him &C q
public meeting; induced Influential friends
Of our race to intervene in the interest OF
peace. and invited him to dinner. &c. But
while was thus vainly laboring to piacatf
him, he was secretly getting out circulars
against me.
The secret of his publishing his card ane
! and persistlng in the quarrel was Inas rs
thought me estopped by my disavowa OF my
! suspicious from making any defense.
In the end went back to my nrst suspic
, ions; investigated, found what 1 sougnt
} and published little pamphlet. de sues
me, and employed two able lawyers to alu II
| the prosecution.
But the foregoing facts, added to that 9th
J err material fact, that he did steal the none,
/ of the church, justified the Jury in acquit
} ting me, and in saying that he ssfo reed
{ quarrel on Morris"
) And now this malicious fool, after beinl
. morally branded by judicial verdict, an
. kicked, by successive stages. from here :
l Mississippi, has. by some evil genius, bee
: elevated to the United States Senate there {
5 he the bane Of his race and the reproach {
/ republican institutions. - 81. 81 -
D John Randolph, assafltng the characte
. but conceding the ability of Henry Cla'
. said: He shines and he stinks. and b
stinks and he shines. like rotten macker'