The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-04-13
The Case OF RHissHssiPPI Stated
JAcKsos, Miss, April 9th, 1871.

ministration. Having no political or per-
sonal interest in New York, / concluded
not 10 withdraw the attention necessary 70
an acceptance of your tsunt from the pass
ing and anxious duties BY which i am sur
rounded here. On reconsideration, h0w-
ever, feel that the misrepresentation 70
which you give publicity, finding, AS they
do, an echo in high places demand correc-
ton at my hands as a duty TO my State
The SANDERS put upon this people before the
whole country, threaten consequences SO
grave that L must pray 10 you 70 permit me
% give them through your columns an
The Auditor of Public Accounts of this
State has placed before me = list of all the
claims allowed. and paid since March, 1869,
for CoroneT's inquests. Assuming the in
quests therein set forth 70 represent so many
murders, / find that the number committed
during General Ames' Administration OF
Military Government.beginning with April,
1869, and ending with March, 1870, counts
up sixty-two. Still taking the tnquests as
representing SO many murders, find the
number committed during my administra-
ton of civil government, beginning with
April, 1870, and ending with March, 1871,
counts up precisely the same nnmber-six-
ty-two. / may observe that General Ames'
assignment 10 duty as District Commander
having taken place in March, begin the
count OF murders in his year with April
and my Inauguration as civil Governor hav-
ing taken place also in March, begin the
count of murders in my year with the same
month.
have shown above that civil power has
been fully as effective as military power Ia
the suppression OF violence, on "A COMPARE
son of the year succeeding General Ames'
assignment TO duty with The gear succeeding
my Inauguration. But my inauguration
does not designate the time of the inaugu-
ration of civil government. The work OF
giving shape 70 that government by legisla-
ton aud OF filling that shape out by APPOINT
ments to office, interviewed. Embracing as
this did, the selection and confirmation OF
twenty-five hundred officers throughout the
State, IL was, OF necessity, work OF time.
The judiciary was not completed until July.
The Courts were not fully organized until
the close OF the appointments To CIerkships
and Shriefalties in the same month. AT
that time it was that, the military appointees
having been set aside as such, their places
In the public service were occupied all over
the State by officers of the civil govern
menr.
The Military Government was not dis
placed in this State, therefore, until July,
1870. Though civil government assumed
the reins at that time, the violence that pre-
vailed during the period of the bayonet ran
on, naturally, to u greater or less extent in
to the period of the law. The change from
one to the other cannot be held TO have as
serted itself at once; for it certainly must
have required some time OF transition to Oh
tain, in the popular mind, realization of
the fact OF change in a form so decided as
TO arrest that Impotence OF military rule
which took expression in popular passion.
In Justice to the cause of civil government
in Mississippi, therefore submit that, al
lowing even two months for the transition
in the minds of the people from military
power, the working results of the civil gov
eminent can be ascertained fairly hut by
comparing the six months OF Its actual rule
with the corresponding six months of the
rule of the bayOnet. On this ground OF JUS
tice and reason i present the facts OF the
two years embraced in the Auditors return
If inquests in the following detail, viz:
April TO September Onclusive), 1869, 81
murders.
October, 1869, to March, 1870 Qnclusive),
Al murders.
April to September Qnclusive), 1870, 43
murders.
October, 1870. to March 1871 (nclusive),
10 murders.
The foregoing analysis shows an extraor-
binary aggravation of. violence in the last
half year of the Military Commanders
actual rule. Ii shows also, that after his de-
parture the aggravation went on under the
rule OF his appointees and did so with an
impulse which bore it forward in its bloody
work for short period after the restora-
ton of civil government. But the transition
from a government of force to a govern
ment OF law hav ing been fully passed, the
half year of the full and free operation of
law shows most gratifying falling off in
deeds of violence. While military power in
Mississippi is seen in the above statement Of
official facts, to have been descending by rapid
strides in the development of anarchy, ctvH
power in Mississippi is seen in that state
ment, to be ascending by rapid strides in the
developement of absolute repose.
The facts offered here are addressed to
your judgment and conscience. They are
cited in proof of the conclusion that, in the
eal.mnies put upon us, this State has been
made the subject of gross misrepresenta-
tions. With this proof thus made. let me
now ask who is your authority for most of
the scandals which has recently found ut
terance upon men and things in Mississippi,
in the columns of your journalY If you
give me the name of your Jackson CORE
spondent, think ! can show you that the
public has been cautiohed against him in
the newspapers of Memphis, Little Rock
and Vicksburg, as swindler. And IL that
evidence as to character should not be sulli-
cient to convince you how unworthy his
statements are of any credence, think |
can place you in possession of documents
that prove him, in his attempts TO corrupt
this Legislature, 10 be an arrant sharper
and knave. Though the statements of such
an individual be worthy of any notice as re-
Elections upon a man of honor. the New
York Tribune is certainly not the journal
in which they would be looked for as accus-
atoms of Republican administration.
The libels uttered on this State through
the vehicle of a letter read in the National
Senate from member of the Legislature.
were not verified to before the public by
the writer's name. Why was the name
withheld? An excuse to the effect that the
mans personal safety demanded would be
perfectly puerile; and in the eyes of all men
who know the present temper OF our people,
cannot save that withholding from being
set down as a self-impeachment of the
writer's truth At this point that letter has,
think, received all the attention TO which
IL Is entitled but If any concurrent proof In
the case be necessary, 1t may be found in
the baseness which it puts in evidence when
dragging in even false light before the
Senate of the United States, a business
proper to my private life.
Mr.. Higgins is an Assistant Assessor of
Internal Revenue. He Is stationed in one
of the counties of Mississippi bordering on
Alabama. Besides being an officer of the
United States, he Is also an officer Of Mis-
sissippi. He is. Superintendent of the
Public Schools OF his county. Much dis
atisiaction-rghtly or wrongly / do not
pretend to say-prevaiIs amongst the peo-
pie with his administration of their school
funds. They protest Yehementiy against
the taxation for which they hold him re-
sponsible. Now, Mr.. Higgins proceeded 70
q certain part of his school Jurisdiction to
transact some business connected with its
schools. Having stayed the night previous
to the transaction of that business at a
country house, he was seized by n body Of
armed men. They insisted that the school
taxes of the County were exorbitant, and
that he was the person to blame for the fact.
They demanded that he pledge himself TO
cause those taxes to be reduced; and on his
refusal to comply with that demand, made !
him the subject of cowardly violence.
While such a crime as this Is disgraceful to |
the State and TO the administration, and |
while 1 am determined to leave no agency |
of detection at my service unemployed In |
bringing the perpetrators of IL to Justice, |
protest earnestly against any attempt TO |
deceive the Government by making that /
crime appear TO be one coInmitted hpon an 1
officer of the Federal Revenue, rather than
- u reAIy %As, POn az ouSTI Vi the state /