Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-09

and whereas, the said Ames has direct
ed an ignorant negro, recently from the
workhouse Of the city Of Vicksburg, to
be prepared with arms and men to en-
deavor to intimidate the taxpayers Of
this city and county, and thereby bring
on conflict of races:
| Now, therefore, in conformity with
the wishes of the taxpayers of this city
and county, and at the request Of many
Of them, we desire hereby to protest that
the said Ames has no right to place the
| taxpayers Of this county in this false
| light before the people of the State and
county, and we state that the taxpayers
of this county assembled in lawful and
peaceful manner to discuss their affairs;
and having been satisfied that said off,
cials Of the county were stealing and
plundering our substance.
Second-That they had combined to-
gether and with other officials to pre-
vent each others punishment, and per-
petuate their unlawful and criminal
courses.
Third-The execution Of the law was
entrusted to these official, and they had
persistently refused to execute it, but
had by their acts and associations; ;defied
and insuIted our people already groan-
ing under unjust, unnecessary and op-
pressive taxation.
Fourth-The sheriff of his county
who has the custody Of the courthouse,
has, through his negligence and careless
ness, permitted tie destruction Of the
county records, which furnished testi-
mony of the guilt Of the chancery clerk
and others.
Fifth-The sheriff was about to collect
Al 6 81, 20, \ To
amount exceeding one hundred thou
sand dollars, and had failed notoriOusly
to give bond according to law, and had
by the aid of members Of the board Of
supervisors evaded the requirements Of
the law, by having a worthless bond ap-
proved.
Sixth-The taxpayers having failed,
after repeated efforts, to have the law
enforced, and being aware that 1t would
be impossible to convict the criminals
as long as the sheriff had the power to
pack the juries, and being satisfied that
he would so pack them to procure the
aeuuittal of his friends and fellows IN
crime and corruption, the msss-meeting
of taxpayers determined, in delib-
erRte, firm, but peacesble manner, to
adjourn to the courthouse, where they
had perfect right to go, and firmly in
sist upon the resignation Of the sheriff,
the chsncery clerk, and other obnOG-
ious officials. This they did, and the
sheriff resigned.
Seyenth-Thst no violence was offer
ed to the said sheriff, but he was told
repeatedly that his resignation was all
the people wanted. No weapons Of any
description were used or exhibited, and
the sheriff remained in the courthouse
square unmolested.
Eighth-The chsncery clerk and cor
oner fed on the approach OF the tax
payers, and no one had an opportunity
to threaten or injure them.
Ninth-Tbe Taxpayers, long ere the
issuance Of said proclamation Of said
Ames, dispersed to their respective
sbOdes, and their only desire is, that the
laws shall be executed; that the records
shall not be subjected to mutilation and
destruction by being placed in the GUS
tody Of criminals and thieves, who are
wholly unreliable and irresponsible. In
view Of all these facts, We desire to say
that the charge of interfering with the
rights of the colored people on account
of their color or race, is particularly and
especially false. Relying upon the
judgment of an impartial, honest, brave
and sympathetic people, we submit our
case.
TAXPAYERS OF WARREN COUNTY.
WARREN COWAN, Chairman.
p. W. SHEARER, Secretary.
PETER CRosBY's CARD.
The following card, said to have been
written by that indicted thief, L. W.
Cardozo, and bearing the name of Peter
Crosby, the "so-calledr sheriff Of War
rem county, made its appearance on the
streets yesterday, after the arrival OF
the cars from Jackson. This precious
document, which owes its origin to an
indicted thief, forger, and embezzler,
and which was very properly printed
in the Office Of the ''rogue's organ,n
commonly denOminated the Jackson
Pilot, was largely circulated, and pro-
duced an amount OF indignation that |
its insolence was well calculated to pro- |
woke. Later in the day, however, we
were informed by Mr.. b. b. Polk, OF
the large house of Polk, Boswell q Co, |
that Peter Crosby dIsclaimed the whole |
thing! We are not surprised that Peter |
should deny the paternity of this card. |
Fool, idiot, drunkard and thief as he is, |
it is not strange that he should decline |
to shoulder the responsibility Of de- |
nouncing this whole community as |
"banditti," ''barbarians," and "ruffi- |
ans?' Perhaps Mr.. T. w. Cardozo, the
mulatto thief who sets himself up as a |
representative of the negro race, and |
who, ashamed of his negro blood, called |
himself mexican gentleman, would |
like to meet those he has denounced as
sruffians?n Here is the card Of the |
forger Cardozo:
CITIZENS OF WARREN COUNTY.-Re-
pubIicans, black and white. Under pro-
test have been compelled to resign my |
office of sheriff. In justice to myself, |
my friends, to the party to which, by |
the dictates of reason and by the in- |
stinct Of self-preseryatiOn, / naturally |
belong-I must explain the outrage, |
which, in the face of law and in open |
violation of the constitution, L have been |
forced to submit. In view Of the conf |
dence and trust you have reposed in me,
[ avail myself OF the earliest oppOrtun- |
ity to assure you that my resignation |
was only caused by compulsion-ther re-
suit of base coercion on the part Of an |
armed mob of the most bitter and re-
lentless Of our enemies. 1t was useless
to resist under the circumstance. l stood |
alone, single and unarmed, in the midst |
of six hundred of the most determined |
and heartless political banditti that ever |
disturbed the peace Of any community, |
and by which TUffians I was command |
ed to resign my office. had no alterna-
tive but death. No one will question the
peril of my position. ] do not write |
this simply to elicit sympathy, nor do l |
do so to ju tify the step took; 1 only
state the facts, they speak for me. To |
stubbornly refuse to comply with their |
command, who will question the result? |
The blood-stained record Of this abomi-
nable party is too well known to the |
people OF the country, to the world, for
the result TO be q matter Of doubt. 1t has |
no parallel in history. yielded, / re-
signed, to whom? To court OF eompe- |
tent jurisdiction? No. To mob-law. !
But no well-regulated court In the |
country would or could support it. The
act was plainly illegal; viewed in the |
light of contract, IL is Uoid, for any one
familiar with common law will know
that any contract into which coercion
enters Is void, and this forced resigna-
ton Of mine Is certainly in the ch8rac-
ter OF a contract, and no one Will doubt
the coercion when state that openly
refused to resign before the committee
that was sent to ms-most smphatioally
refused. While, therefore, by force Of