The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-03-23
An AbsurdL.etter.

AiAlOeA AAiCHu Vi TIE OONeFuOF, Is III the
execrable taste of many of the produc-
tons Of the eminent functionary. 1t
was written in reply to frank and courte-
Gus letter of Col. Horn explaining the
deplorable condition to which carpet bag
cry had brought affairs at Meridian and
pointing out the inevitable consequences
which would result from the wicked in
huences which Radical officials were ex-
ercising over the passions of evil dispos-
ed negroes. The well-meant letter of
Col. III. was answered in the strain here
following, and quick upon its heels the
demon of discord did its work of fire and
blood as predicted.
In justice, let us further add that the
Governor supplemented this letter by the
appointment of new Mayor and Alder
men who are well qualified for their
places and who command the confidence
as they will receive the support of all the
good people of Meridian. Even Col.
Horn, Notwithstanding the ill-tempered
infiction Of his Excellency, delivers him
self from the temptation to rejoin in a
similar spirit in view of these appoint
ments, and magnanimously exclaims
''hurrah for Acorn:
LAKE HOUSE, CoAHoMA Co., MIss.l
Feb, "A, 1871.
! DEAR SIR On the 10Th inst, l left Jack
| son for my plantation in this county. | am
/ here fora brief period looking after what has
/ eff me he of
| the sweep of tornado. On the day of my
| departure General Stafford placed in my
hand your letter of the 18th inst. | take the
| earliest spare moment since its receipt to
make the acknowledgement.
Your appeal to me is so fervid in its tone
| that it may be supposed to have been writ
ten in spirit somewhat defective in ''the
judicial" calmness. When you tell me that
Mr. Sturges is, 'now every day putting at
hazard the peace of this (Meridian) COM
munity," | suspect that you have allowed
yourself to be carried by your warmth into
some of that extravaganza of language
with which certain editors thrOughouG the
State see proper. now days, to deal with
great practical questions of the public good.
The Executive owes the public service
the duty of giving certain support to his
officers. When the respect and encourage
ment due such officers have been degraded
into abuse and menace, the Executive owes
it to Vigor of his administration to be slow
and cautious in accepting accusations
against them. TOUR knowledge
affairs must have made you aware that i
cannot, under the circumstances, take any
official action on such loose charges as those
brought in your letter against Mr.. Sturges.
II he be guilty of any serious wrongs in his
office, let those wrongs be embodied in the
form of charges and specifications. and let
them be set forth in memorial of several of
your citiZels, or sustained by the affidavit of
one or more of your citizens. Brought thus
before me in regular and authoritative way,
| Wi the CHARGES INVESTIGATED.
and if | find them sustained. shall at once
remove Mr.. SturgeS from office.
The intention of your letter should be
very sorry to have any cause to question.
But must impress upon you the fact, that
while you may not be aware of it. the letter
betrays a great deal of what will, | trust.
pardon me in my anxiety for good feeling
amongst the people OF the State, for declar-
ing to be very improper feeling. When you
say 1--WE have reached the limit of endurance
beyond which we cannot hope TO control |
those who feel that his conduct is unendu- |
rable," you surely have not had the temeri- |
ty to address me, as keeper of the public |
peace, in the language of menace. You are !
certainly too respectable man to commit
such an outrage.
Your letter speaks somewhat lightly of
bloodshed. 1t refers too freely to Danger /
of collisions between our citizens. l am |
weary of all this sort OF trifling with DANCE |
rous things. When these evil occurrences |
shall take place in fulfilment of so many |
4
and feel quite at ease on the subject, in the |
consciousness of my power to deal with |
them in such an effectual way AS shall put |
a summary stop to their recurrence
The excitements as to wars of races, col |
lisions between the whites and the blacks, |
&c, &C. are taken at their proper value |
amongst ourselves. Now having ceased to |
have any effect whatever on the political
opinions our own people, have no other
effect than that of misrepresenting us
abroad. A few lawlesS men are found |
amongst us here and there, but you may |
rest assured that white and colored, the
great masses of both races in this State, are /
men who abide the law. While evidence |
comes to me from all other quarters of a |
general return to the good old spirit of Or |
der and obedience, L regret profoundly to |
find some painful exceptions TO that happy |
state of things in certain places on the Dor |
der of Alabama.
Outrages in two or three of the eastern |
counties are said, by the citizens, truly or |
otherwise, to be committed underline facili- |
ties of escape from Mississippi by bands of |
Alabamians. The twenty armed men who |
recently invaded the State TO remove, by /
force, three or four of its inhabitants from |
your own city of Meridian, are said, with /
every appearance of truth, to be citizens of |
Alabama. They are reported to me to have |
coolly awaited the train for two or three |
hours after the commission of this violence, |
and to have held their prisoners in broad !
day Wight. awaiting the arrival Of the train |
under display of force which l am pro- |
foundry ashamed to say, was not met by an |
armed force, white or colored, in manful |
discharge of his duty by the sheriff. Now, !
no twenty armed men would have dared to |
intimidaGe thus, or having succeeded in in
timidation thus, the population of the city |
of Meridian, If there were not amongst that |
population very considerable number OF
men in sympathy with those plratlcai lnva-
ders of the soil of Mississippi. This hH-
initiating reflection leads me to fear that the |
good people of your city are confronted in |
their midst by an unusually large proper |
ton OF men of violence, and points there
fore to the inquiry. whether much OF the |
be referable in all fairness, to his zeal tor an
enforcement of the law? am no paFtizan |
of the man of color. l know no mans
complexion in the discharge of my duty
If were so false to my oath of office as to
permit myself to be governed by my per-
sonal feelings in my Official capacity,
would naturally lean the balance OF Justice |
to nv own race. / trust, however, snail
never be guilty of any such wrong. But
the citizen of Mississippi, no matter what
his color, no matter how lowly his condition, |
shall receive from me all the protection that
can be afforded him by the power of the |
government. This fact shall seek before
have done with it, to impress upon the re-
cent invaders of your city. Ii Mayor Seur-
oes EARNED every negro who would stand
IN and shoot" and he did so in organizing
special police to repel band OF outlaws
who had taken armed possession OF MS
city, SO far from considering that he had
done wrong in that act, / should hold it my
duty as Executive of the State, 70 bestow
on him INV most profound acknowledge
ments for his courageous discharge OF his
duty.
1 am, dear sir, very respectfully your
j. L. ALcoRN.
Col. A. G. HORN, Meridian, Miss.
>,