Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-04-11
Ths Administration for the Year Endlng on
the lst instant Summed Up.
S5ms Strong PolHts Against Military Gov-
ergmsHt-Ths Appeals Policy
Sustained.
JAcEsox. -. April 5. -.

JACKSON, Miss, April 5, IS7I.
Editor Of the Nelg York Tribune.
You challenge me to reply to
certain structures Of yours on me and
my administration. Having no pOlit-
ical or personal interests in New York,
I concluded not to withdraw the at
tentiOn necessary to an acceptance of
yCur t8unt f1Om the pressing and 8uX-
iOus duties by which l am surrounded
mere. r On reconsideration, however, l
ieel that the Misrepresentation to
which you give publicity, finding, as
they do. an echo in high places, de-
mand correction at my hands as a
duty TO my State.
TIE ISLANDERS PUT UPON THIS PEO-
PIE
before the whole country threaten
consequences so grave that / must
pray you TO permit me to give them
through your columns an authOrita-
tive correction.
The Auditor of Public Accounts Of
this State has placed before me a list
OF all the claims allowed, and paid
since March, 1861 for C0rOuers' in
quests. Assuming the inqUests there
in set forth to represent go many MUIR
ders, I find that the number commit
ted during Gen. Ames' administration
of Military Government, beginning
with April, 1863, and ending with
March, $50, counts up siXty-tWO.
Still taking the lnqUests as represent
aug so many murders, l find the nu M
Der committed during ,admiuistra-
ton OF civil government, beginning
with April 1870, and ending March
1871, counts up precisely the same
number-siXty-tWO. I may observe
that Gen. Ames' assignment to duty
as District Commander having
taken place IN March,
IBEGIN THE COUNT OF MURDERS IN
THIS YEAR WITH APRIL;
and my Inauguration as civil Cover
nor having taken place also in March,
1 begin the count Of murders in my
year with the same month.
I have shown above that civil
power has been fully as effective IS
military power in the suppression OF
violence, on a comparison Of tie gear
succeeding General Ames' assignment
10 duty with the gear succeeding
my Inauguration. But my inaUgura-
tiOn does not designate the time of the
Inauguration Of civil government.
The work OF giving shape to that gov
ernment by legislation and of filling
that shape ont by appointments to
Office, interviewed. Embracing, as this
did, the selection and confirmation of
twenty-five hundred officers through |
out the State, il was, Of necessity, a |
work Of time. The Judiciary was not |
completed until July. The courts |
We're not fully organized until the 1
close or the appointments to clerkships /
and shrievalHes in the same month. |
Al that time it was that, the military I
appOintees having been set aside as 1
such, their places in the public service |
were occupied all over the State by
OFFICERS OF THE CIVIL ILGOvERNNIENT /
The Military Government was not |
displaced in this State, therefore, |
until July, 1870. Though civil gov
.ernmeut assumed the reins at that |
time, the violence that prevailed /
during the period of the bayOnet ran /
on, naturally, TO a greater or less /
extent into the period of the law. I
The change from the one to the other 4
cannot be held to have asserted itself /
At once; for IL certainly must have 4
required some time of transition to /
obtain, iu the popular mind, a realiza-
ton OF the fact Of the change in q form /
80 decided as to arrest that imp8tience /
Of militaryTu which took expression /
in popular passion. In justice to the /
cause Of civil government in Mi5sis-
sippi, / therefore submit that, allow 4
ing even two months for the transit 4
tiOn iu the minds Of the people from 4
military power, the working results /
Of the civil government can be asCer-
tanned fairly but by comparing
ths six months Of its actual 4
rule with the corresponding 4
six months of the rule of /
the bavonet. On this ground of JUS
tice and reason / present the tacts Of
the two years embraced in the
AUDIToR's RETURN OF INQUEsTs
in the following detail, viz:
April 20 September (inclusive) 1859,
II murders.
October, 1869, to March, 1870 (inclu-
sive), al murders.
April % september (inclusive), 1907,
43 murders.
October, 1870, to March, 1871 (inclu-
sive), lg murders.
The foregoing analysis shows an eX-
ELMLIh AaEAAlA eaHEAea y 4AlADAA VI hAgANAAAC
i'm the last half-year of the military
comm9nder's actual rule. 1t shows,
also. that. after his departure, the az I
gravatiOn went on under the rule of
his appOintees; and did 50 with an
impulse which bore il forward in its
bloody work for q short period after
the restoration OF civil government.
But the transition
FROM A GOVERNMENT OF FORCE TO
A GOVERNMENr or LAW
having been fully passed, the half
wear OF the full and free operation Of
law shows 8 most gratifying falling Of
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
10 the development of anarchy, civil
power is seen in that statement to be
ascending by rapid strides in the de-
velopment Of absolute repose.
The facts offered here are addressed
VOur judgment and conscience.
10 are cited in proof Of the c0nclu-
NC tiasS at, in the calumnies put /
s.' slon u. this State has been
5sde The sHbjegt Of gross
- a
thus made, let me NV 80 = ate le,.l
your authority for most 81 w soau
dals which have recently fOL a9 gtu5L-
ance upon men and things In ~ tssi1s
sippi, in the columns Of your jOurna.:
If YOU give ne the name of your Jack
son correspondent, i think I can show
YOU that the public has been cautioned
against him in the newspapers Of
Memphis, Little Rock and Vicks-
burg, as
A sWINDLER.
And If that evidence as 20 character
should not be sufficient 70 convince
vOu how unworthy his statements are
Of any credence, / think / can place
Won In possession of documents that
prove him, in his attempts 70 corrupt
this L Legislature, to be an arrant sharp
er and kuave. Though the statements
OF such an individual be worthy Of any
notice as reflections upon man OF
honor, the New YORK Tribune IS GER
tsiRly not the journal in which they |
would be looked for as ACCUSATIONS OF
q Republican administration.
The hbels uttered on this state
through the vehicle OF q letter feaQ (
in the national Senate from a member /
Of the Legislature, were not verified
before the public by the writer's name,
Why was the name Withheld2 An