The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-10-16
More about the Credit MObfIier
MmiquiGy known as the Gen.
eral Railroad BflIs 1Dd aBae
Operations of Glae Men
Who are Leading the Auwe~ &aaE.

To show the sort of material the Ames
organization are seeking 10 put in posses
sion of our State government, we have
published the evidence that the concoc-
tors of the scheme issued Railway stock
to purchaseable members OF the Legisla-
ture in shares of one hundred dollars, on
such main lines of road as they were able
to make appear was most valuable, be-
cause most likely to be speedily built.
OF these the Mississippi Valley Railroad
Company" and the ''Gulf Coast and
Northwestern Railroad Company aP-
peared to have been the favorites.
The General Railroad Bill which the
corruptionists were engineering through
the Legislature waSintended to place the
whole State under an act Of Incorporation
whereby every railroad which might be
found necessary for long period should
be owned and controlled with the e1cla-
sire right in the incorporators, 50 that no
company could hereafter proceed to build
road or any portion of the same, with
out first buying from this company the
charter for the line. 1t was estimated
by the conspirators that the franchise
would be worth a half million Of dollars.
On these two Roads, it has been seen
that stock was issued to a number of
members of that body, besides lobbyists
whose services had been procured.
Among the rest, stock was issued to A.
K. Davis, the candidate on the Ames
ticket for Lieutenant Governor, TO the
amount of one hundred shares, fifty in
each, representing 800 per share, two
thousand dollars, which the Gorporators
doubtless made him in his credulity and
inexperience, believe was equal to cash.
unsuspecting victims should derive profit
from their debauchery. Having imposed
on Davis, they now intended to swindle
him, and to this end procured from him
the power of attorney which we have
published, by which it will be observed
j. +. Richardson, the lobbyist, secured
to himself by an authority declared to
be ''icreuocoble," the right to vote the
stock ''in any election Of officers or for
any other purpose actatcrcr connected with
the interests Of the road, for Il period Of
twelve months. 1t Was, no doubt, the
purpose Of Richardson, French & Co. ,
(the same French who j. Chairman of
the Amca Executive Committee and the
accredited head OF the Ames party J.,
within this twelve months to vote the
stock SO As to place it out Of tie reach of
Davis, and to secure all the profits to
themselves, leaving poor Davis and his
companions with nothing but their un-
fortunate records.
1t is matter of history that the bill
was defeated. 1t was known that Gov
Alcorn, by the skillful use of ''secret SER
vice money" captured the papers expos
ing the plot, After this the bill was de-
feated by the veto, and the support it
received from number of Republicans
(some of whom acted from honest con-
victions and others from dread of the
papers in possession Of the Executive)
joined to the united support of the Con
servatives, the conspirators again rallied
and passed another bill, much less objec-
tionable than the first. This they sought
| +O mako aocanfa h1a tn tho Governor aS
we learn from his address, he having said
to French, when approached on the sub
ject, and when assured that they could
and would frame bill which would OBJ
viate all his objections, that if such bill
could be framed, he would approve it.
This last bill came to him on the eve of
the adjournment Of the Legislature in
June, 1870. The Governor laid it aside
for examination, and then sent it TO the
ensuing Legislature without his approval
Pending the measure, Richardson, the
lobbyist, wrote his famous letter to his
''friend" promising that he could make
il pay all around"
Mississippians stand to your guns and
be ready for the battle at the polls on the
4th of November next.
TIE AMES CREW
| The Chairman of their Executive
Committee.
/