The daily gazette., 1874-12-26
rAe x(skssurw 1nf.my.

From the letter of the Vicksburg
taxpayers, addressed "to the public"
we are able to get clear and concise
history of all the immediate causes
which led to the recent bloody dcings
in that city. On the I'd December the
local taxes, amounting to abouto . per
cent. on the property OF the county,
were just falling due. The Sheriff, TO
whom they were payable. was insoi-
vent, andthe bonds he had given Tor
the faithful performance Of his duties
had beel proved to be worthless. The
Board of Supervisors had refused TO
take the measures as required by law
for the protection Of the people against
this danger. Valuable public records
were missing from the county olnces,
they having been stolen by the officials
themselves, under cover of the night.
These records were necessary for the
conviction of Cardozo, formerly CLERK
of the Circuit Court, and now under
indictment for issuing forged certin-
Gates. They were also needed in the
case of Davenport, Clerk OF the Court
of Chancery, and in the case OF Dor
sey, the successor of Cardozo. as
Clerk of the Circuit Court, both
Davenport and Dorsey being under in
dictment for malfeasance in office.
Peter Crosby, the colored Sherln,
whose duty it was to summon the Jur-
ors for the trial Of the defendants
besides being the custodian OF inc
records furnishing the evidence OF
their guilt, was the well-known init.
mate political friend of the alleged
criminals. To all appearances these
persons, including the Sheriff, were
banded together for mutual pro.ec-
ton. Crosby, as Sheriff, was keeper
of the county building which had
been broken into, and the records
stolen, on the very night after he was
warned that plan for effecting the
robbery had been made. This being
the state of affairs, it was natural that
the citizens should lose all confidence
in their officials. A mass-meetlng
was held and the designations OF the
dishonest officials were demanded. On
hearing this Davenport and Cardozo
fled. Crosby rlaced his resignation
| ia the hands of the taxpayers com
mittee, but demanded its return as
| soon as he ascertained that Governor
Ames at his back. Then Ames's pro-
clamation appeared, and the redoub...
able darkey Sheriff issued kind OF
proclamation of his own, in which he
denounced respectable citizens OF both
races as mob of ruffians, j." "barbar-
ians," political banditti," etc.
These two 'proclamations" was fol
lowed by an order calling out the
militia. This aroused the whole
negro population around Vicksburg,
who formed into bands and marched
to the city. What followed after this
is we'll known.
For several years past the city gov
ernment of Vicksburg has been in
the hands of ignorant and corrupt
men, who have banded together TO
rob the public treasury. To remedy
this, the taxpayers at last had resource
to the peaceful means of obtaining in
4 functions from the courts. But this
measure was met by scheme of
violence and bloodshed, backed by the
Governor Of the State, who al! along
has been the steadfast friend OF the
thieving, usurping officials. This
!, Federal satrap is now shouting for
bayonets, and Grant will not send
them because the election j. over.
World,