The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-05-30
The AleOrll-AmeS Debate i'm the
Senate.

the members of Congress from Mississippi.
4 In that despatch he stated that the authori-
ties OF Mississippi were able 10 put down all
the violence IN its borders, aud that the
disorders which had prevailed were con-
I fined to one or two localities. For this
despatch he (Mr. Alcorn) had been assailed
frercely by members of both Houses of
Congress. and man now candidate for
\ the Presidency had attempted 70 eXcom-
municate him from the Republican party.
A member of the House had represented
that the negro was not safe in his life In
Mississippi and this member had protested
| to have authority for his statements from
white and black correspondents. The then
Senator from Mississippi and the very one
| from that State now in the Senate had also
aSsailed his Mr.. Alcorn's) statement. That
Senator MIR. Ames.) although protesting 10
represent Mississippi never had a residence
in TN t State. He was put down In the
Congressional Directory as having a resi-
dence in NateheZ but he never had shirt
washed in that city.
Mr.. Ames (Rad.. Miss said this state
ment was not true.
Mr.. Aleorn-Well, he has had shirt
washed there then; but did he ever have u
residence there ? | ask him now what
length of time he has ever resided in
NatcheZ?
Mr.. Ames said ever since his colleague
had been in the Senate he had talked of
nothing but himself until Tonight. and
now he had brought in him MIR. Ames.)
He Mr.. Ames1 wOul1 reply to his colleague
at the proper time.
Mr.. Alcorn repeated that Mr.. Ames never
had any residence in Mississippi. and that
lie was now holding place ia the Senate
by the grace OF this body alone. Mr.. Al
corn then Went on 10 ssiv that his colleague
had in his speech 70 which he had alluded
assaulted the people of Mississippi as mur-
derers, and had said that within three
months of the time OF his speech sixtv-eight
murders had been committed, whereas the
fact was that in that time but eighteen
murders had been committed.
Mr.. Ames Interrupted to say thar the
statement which he had produced in the
Senate was furnished him by the Au@itor
OF Public Accounts.
Mr.. Alcorn insisted that the statement Of
the Auditor of Pubic Accounts would sus-
tain what he said. He then proceeded TO
contrast the situation i'm Mississippi under
his administration as Governor. aud under
the military administration of Gen Ames
Claiming that while he was Governor. there
WAS comparative peace and TRANQUILITY in
Mississippi. and that great disorder and
violence prevailed while General Ames was
military Governor. He then sent 10 the
desk, 10 be read. letter addressed bv Mr..
AInes to {. +. Norris, a member of the Mis-
sissippi Legislature. to the effect that Cow
ernor Aicorn was in sympathy with the
Democrats, and that i'm consequence the
colored men were being murdered by the
hundreds. This man Norris was a drunken
colored barber, and this letter was an at
tempt TO stir up the colOred people The
fact was that during his MIR Alcorn's)
whole term a. Governor there were not one
quarter of hundred colored men murder
ed. He then charged that when a bill wa
pending in the Mississippi Legislature. an
thoriZing "A change Of venue in cases of
crime. by the Executive. from one county
TO another, where the Executive was sqtis-
fled that owing to local pressure a fair trial
could not be had. that the bill was defeated
by the carpet-bag friends OF Mr.. Ames co.
alesciDg with the Democrats. the obiecf Of
the former being TO get up an excuse to !
take back the State under the rule OF the
bayonet. Many of these Carpet Bagrprs I
would say at times that they were Going |
home. and wheE asked where their home
was would say Illinois or Ohio, or some I
other state. The people of Mississippi felt |
outraged when these Northern men came I
down for no other purpose but to cat IN I
their substance. Continuing his review Of (
affairs in Mississippi he said that comnara- |
tive tranquility had been the rule in Mi>Si-- /
.ippi ever since the, date Of reconstruction.
and he would now read from letter which 4
he mad received this very daV from the
Governor of Mississippi. that peace reigus
throughout that State; and for the benefit
II his Democratic friends he would read
HE concluding part of the sentence: .sGree-
ey has no strength in Mississippi outside Of
he Democrats. (LaIghter.) Violence
lad existed in Mississippi. 1T riot at
Meridian six negroes had been killed. lie
Mr.. Alcorn) had employed couDsal ~ I
prosecute the parties, but their cases were
TO the Federal courts. and there
lad been no convictions. In answer TO a
question of MIR. Pratt he said there had
been no ku hluX convictions under his AL
ninistration, nor had there been any under
he rule of the bayonet. IT. as he had
hown, peace and order reigued throughout
mississippi. was he not justified in standipr
lere and protesting against the lives and
liberties OF the people of Mississippi being
'laced under the heel OF the bavonet The
southern people will not come forward 70
lie SUI rOrT of any President who has the (
ower placed in his hands by Congress TO
eprIve them OF their liberties. He then
harged that dt the inStiration of Mr.
lines, men had been sent down to Mfssis- !
lppI 10 Sur up strife among the people {
he District Attorney OF Northern MiSSis- |
ppi, lie (Alr. Alcorn) understood was n {
clerk in WASHINGTON /
nd was sent down To Mississippi as chief [
Jerk OF the Collector OF Internal RcVeuuc [
'ho took all. he collected. This Internal |
evenue Collector had been appointed at \
ne instance of the Senator from Mississippi J.
NIr. Ames u
MIR. Ames said this was another one of the c
Use statements which had been made. n
Mr.. Acorn said lie had his authority Z
ON the member of the House from that q
strict, and that Mississippi Representatives v
ia all united in protest against the an L
ointment. He had endeavored to be court 81
'us TO his colleague, and he thought his D.
'lleague might be mere courteous in his el
sclaimers. But he had never heard any ;
spicion against the clerk of the Internal =
eVenue Collector. He believed him an u
NEST, worthy young man, but utterly I'll
lthout tile ability to cope with the very
lie bar of Northern Mississippi, and this.
held, was the great cause why there had
EN- no hu klux convictions in that dis
ct- -
Mr.. Pratt Rad, Ind.) said while in the ii
b-ku klux Committee in MisSissinui la
Il year, he had met Mr.. Wells the District t.
.torney alluded to, and he had formed th
ry different opinion ofhim from that eX- "
essed by the Senator. He (Mr. Pratt) IN
d heard this gentleman most highly spo- tn
u OF, both by the bench and bar, and in w
lei. IN an Important case, which he (Mr.
att had examined, he thought the Dis
had displayed ability of a
gh order. a
Mr. Pratt asked Mr.. Alcorn what steps
d been taken by the higher classes to put tic
top 70 ku klux disorders, and whether to
ere had been any public meetings held to 81
nounce them. lie:
dr. Alcorn said that he, as Governor. had tn
cred reward of $1,000 for the arrest On i'm
= one concerned in the ku klux Outrages: Or
i further. there had been meerinG Of NJ,
Inters in Lee county who had denounced fo
'se outrages, and ex-senator Brown, of ice
It state had written letter denouncinV mC
IN IN the strongest terms. The United re-
ties had undertaken to take away from thu
people of Mississippi the enforcement of We
laws, and had assumed the responsible So
what ne lAlcorn) argued. was that mt
people OF mississippi should be held an
ponslble Tor the preservation of law and the
Ter, and II they showed themselves in
able of maintaining peace and order. EN-
a let them be remanded to the rule of ia,
bavonet. at
Ir- Pratt quoted from the testimony of IN
that In LauderdaIe ana w., % ao,',i the
much hu hlux outrages prevailed. and M
colored people were very much intimf- -
ed and kept from going to the polls, and Oh
{ MANY of the cOlOred nennln had heen ~