The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-08-24
Another Card frOm ahe Smperfms
tendenf of the Lunatfc
ASyKwm.
From the Leader.

rom the Leader.
AUGUsr 18th, 1871.
MAJOR J. L. WoFFoRD, EDITOR CoRISTH
NEWS:
My Dear Sir-In speaking of the late ru-
mors affecting the manager ent of the
Lunatic syinm. you say:
The institution over which DR.. Compton
presides is public institution. The people
are interested in its management-the
character and morality of the officers con-
trolling il and wi hen an officer. especially the
chief officer. is charged with grave offence
they have a right 10 demand that they be
made fully acquainted with all the circum-
stances connected with the investigation of
the charge or charges preferred"
do not propose 70 argue against the
proposition which you lay down. excep
simply to say that the work of looking after
the welfare of the public charity over which
preside, has been delegated by law to a
Board of Trustees consisting of five gentle
men. with the Governor as ez-o1icio chair
man. Whether it is important that the
public should be made acquainted with all
the prurient details of the investigation was
matter for that board to determine. i
could only ask an investigation. In a re-
cent card TO the public stated. After three
months or more of Investigation and con-
sideratIoD in their report TO the Governor.
they say that the rumOrs of criminality
were not sustained by the evidence which
they were able to procure. In the meantime.
| was Informed that the Grand Jury of the
county of Kinds investigated tie matter
and they failed to find proofto justify them
in finding a bill"
1 will say further, that Immediately after
the report of the Trustees was made 10 the
Governor, | requested him TO publish it.
which he declined e do. And fuHher still.
before preparing the card alluded To (the
Governor being absent from the city,, / APP
piled TO his private secretary for a copy OF
the report (having never seen il but a mo-
ment). so that l might be accurate in my
statement of facts. The secretary Informed
me on the next day that he could not find il
among the papers to which he had access. |
then wrote the card, and submitted il To
three members of the board. who endorsed
the truth of my statement touching the rIl-
mors or charges which had been made. |
gave that card TO the public. But The CLA-
RON, in its zeal for the Institution p saw
proper To appear dissatisfied with it, and
Insisted upon the publication of the report
OF the Board of Trustees, when the editor OF
that paper must have known that he report
was not under my control. As soon. how
ever, as the Governor returned, / applied to
him again for the report, with view to
publication, and was again met with a refu-
sal together with a rcproot for having no
ticed the matter III card. The REPORT is
the property of the Governor. and if there
are matters contained in iL extraneouS To the
charges under investigation, the pubic j.
respectfully referred 10 him for knowledge
of them.
l will state further, that, at the time of
closing the defense, L asked permission of
the board To exhibit the testimony. pro and
con, copies OF nearly all OF which were ia
my possession, TO the committees of the two
houses of the Legislature, then in session.
on Humane and Benevolent Institutions
In Conclusion, L need scarcely say To those
Who know me, that had the Board of TruS-
tees failed to eXonerate me from the charges
Implied iii The runOrs, my unconditional
resignation would have gone promptly into
the hands of the Governor. Ii pride had
not impelled me To this, positive knowl
edge OF the fact that | would have been in
stantly removed, would have forced it.
If the Governor is censurable for with
holding the report of matter, the control
of which the law had placed with him aud
the Board of Trustees, he is responsible
The victim OF the trial 1 cannot be so held.
VIM. NJ. COMPTON, Sup't.