Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-21
ESTABLISHED MARCH 30. 1886.

Mes1fS, Osborn, Alc0rn and AmeS taking
part in the discussion, the main feature Of
which was a eolloeuy between the two Mis-
sissippi Senators, Alcorn charging Ames
with not really being resident of the State
aud with assailing It's people as murderers,
in q former speech be having said sixty
eight murders were committed within three
months of Alcorn's administration as Gov
ernor, when but eighteen were committed.
Mr.. Anes said ever since his colleague
has been in the Senate he had talked OF
nothing but himself until tonight, and now
that be had brought in him (Ames) he
would reply at the proper time.
Mr.. Acorn contrasted the peace which
prevailed during bis term as Governor with
the VIOLENCE and disorder when Ames was
military Governor, and claimed that there
had been no Ku-KluX convictions under
his administration nor under the rule of the
bayonet. He protested as ea,Iss the
lives and liberties of the people of Mississippi
being placed under the heel of the bayonet.
The Southern people won't come to the
support of any President who has power
placed in his hands by Congress to depIive
them Of liberties.
Mr.. Pratt followed, reading from the tes-
timODy of Gov. Ames before the sub-Ku-
Klux Committee to the effect that the pas
sage Of the Ku-Klux law had most salu-
tary effect in Mississippi.
Ames VS.. AicOrn.
Mr.. Alcorn concluded with an earnest
appeal against any further suspension of
the habeas corpus, and the expression of
his belief that if the bin passed his State
would be lost to the Republican party.
Ames said when my colleage was not
pronouncing the pronoun |, when he not
talking of his plantation when he was not
misrepresenting Mississippi he assailed him.
My colleague, said Ames, went TO Mis-
sissippi before l did. lie was
one of the chivalrous spirits, but
| am only from Y Yankeeland, and fought
my way down to Mississippi, when the fact
is he has been repudiated by ali parties.
He (Ames) had, as Military Governor, tried
conscientiously to do his duty and to pro-
tect her colored people from outrage and
oppression, and he had punished perpetra-
tiOn of crime.
Mr.. Alcorn interrupted to say that he had
served eighteen months in the Confederate
army instead of three.
Ames said that his colleague owed
everything that he was to the carpet
baggers whom he was constantly assailing.
He had endeayored short time since to
induce the Senate to believe that the
revenue officers in North Mississippi were
corrupt. He (Ames) would say nothing
as to the revenue officials under President
johnson, but he would say that the revenue
officials in Mississippi under President
Grant were as honest and as competent as
those in any other State.
Mr.. Alcorn said that heretofore there was
not revenue official in Northern Missis
sippi that was not defaulter.
Mr.. Ames said he would aIlude to another
misrepresentation of his colleague. When
the civil rights bill was under consideration
here, his colleague stood up and smOte his
heart and declared that the people Of Mis-
sissippi did not want q civil rights
bill. They had one of their own.
A civil rights bill had been pend
ing in the Mississippi Legislature, it
had not passed, and When the Legislature
had adjourned 50 or 60 Republican mem
bers had signed a memorial asking Congress
to pass Summers Civil Rights bill, and at
the Convention recently held in Missis-
sippi, which elected delegates TO the Phila-
delphia Convention, resolutions were
passed asking the passage Of the Civil
Rights bill. -.--
Mr.. Alcorn said he had been informed
that this resolution passed the convention
when great confusion prevailed in the
closing hours Of the convention, and when
not dozen people knew what it was
about.
Anaes said he was not prepared to
believe the statement of his colleague,
Ames then charged that his col
league was ipursuading the cell
ored people to accept separate schools.
They had been deprived of equal advan-
tages of education. He also charged
that the Unionism of AIcorn was feigned
and that he had no real regard for the
colored people. Speaking for the Republi
can party of Mississippi, he (Ames) claimed
that they did want the Ku-Klux law, and
that they did want the passage of she pre-
sent bill.
The Senate then at midnight adjourned.