The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-12-17

ty. Moreover, after this action, at Ieas
eight of the sureties of the new bonds
applied to the Board by written conmu
nications to be relieved as such suretIes
and although two members Of the Boarc
twice called meetings to take action In the
matter, no quorum could be obtained
and it was well known that neither illness
nor disability prevented the attendance Of
the other members. 1t was generaIiy
believed that the failure to act was due tc
the influence of Crosby and the indicted
officials who were interested in keeping
him in Office. After this. Crosby, on the
7th day of November, 1874, published a
card in the Vicksburg Times, stating that
he would not further attempt to give his
bonds, and would hold his Office until
ousted by judgment Of the Supreme
Court.
This, then, was the condition of affairs
in our county government on the Znd Gay
of December, 1874, viz: That the State
and county taxes amounting to about
per cent. on the value of property were
aboat to fall due; that thes Sheriff, to
whom they are payable, was lnsolvent
and without sufficient bonds; that the
Board of Supervisors, though importuned
to do so. had failed to take the measures
requ red by law for the protection of the
people; that valuable public records and
papers, necessary as evidence to the con-
i viction of Cardozo, Davenport and Dorsey
on the indictments found against them
had been stolen from the courthouse. OF
which the Sheriff is by law the keeper !;
that Crosby, the Sheriff, was known to be
the intimate personal and political friend
of these caiminals, and, besides being
charged with the important duty of sum-
monine the iuries by whom they should
| be tried, was the custodian of the records
/ furnishing the evidence of their guilt, and
had failed to protect the same from larce-
nv and spoliation; and that to all appear
ances these officials seemed banded to-
gether for mutual protection, and In the
strength Of numbers and mutual cOunte-
nance, were defying the laws OF the State,
and prostituting their offices to their private
ends.
| In this state of affairs all confidence in
| the integrity and competency of these
| officials being destroyed, mass meeting
| Of taxpayers Of the county was held in
Vicksburg on Wednesday, the End day
of December, 1874, (this date is impor-
tant, Vat which a committee was appointed
to wait upon Crosby and Davenport and
the Board of Supervisors, and demand
their designations. This committee found
only Crosby and Davenport, by whom
they were Informed that they would give
their answers in half an hour. Failing
to receive their answers within this time
the taxpayers proceeded in a body to the
courthouse to repeat their demand. There
they found Crosby only, who, upon de-
mand made, (unaccompanied by any
threats or exhibition of violence), placed
his resignation in their hands Davenport
had in the meantime absconded, and has
not since been seen in the county.
The courthouse and public records were
Immediately placed in the charge of a we'll
known citizen, who is an ex-officer of the
federal army, and who, upon the assem-
bling Of the Board Of Supervisors, surren-
dered the same to them as the proper Gus
tOdians thereof.
On the following day, Crosby, having
addressed communication to the Judge
Of the Circuit Court, asserting that his
resignation had been given under duress,
and that he still claimed the right to ex-
ercise the duties of Sheriff, proceeded TO
Jackson where he had an interview with
Governor Ames, in which he was coun-
seled (as he has since stated) to take the
forcible measures to reiustate himself in
office, which he subsequently adopted,
and which will be presently set forth.
At this iuncture Governor Ames issued
a proclamation in which the taxpayers,
who had taken the proceedings above set
forth for their protection and security,
were denounced as riotous and disorCEerly
persons who had combined together with
force and arms, and expelled from his
office the Sheriff of Warren county, and
compelled other county officials to flee for
their lives, and that their object was tn
deprive cOlored men OF their civil and
political rights, because of their color, and
this, notwithstanding he was fully advised
of the real condition of affairs in the cOun-
tv,a and ofthe true character Of the proceed
ings CT the part of the citizens above men
toned.
Contemporaneously with this proclama
ton of Gov Ames, a printed hand bill,
over the signature Of Peter Crosby, APP
peared upon the streets of Vicksburg, and
was extensively circulated among the col
ored people of the county, in which the
taxpavers were denounced as ''mob" of
"rnfians," "barbarians," and political
bandtti," and which, in high inf immato
nv language, called upon his friends to
snpport him. This hand-bill Crosby has
since stated was prepared for him by a
colored Republican in the office of the
Secretary OF State at Jackson.
On the day after its appearance in
V cksburg, Crosby published card in the
newspapers of the CITY stating that his
object in publishing the said hand-bill,
was +" not to direct abusive language
against anybody, but t. set himself right
before;the people, TO whom he owed every
thing, and that he did not see it before
publication" This proclamation of Gov.
Ames and the hand bill of Crosby appear
ed on Saturday, December 5th. Abont
the same time O. s. Lee, Added Camp
to Gov. Ames, and A. @. Packer, his
Adiutant General of Militia, appeared in
Vicksburg- upon what business it is not
certa nly known But it is known, from
statement made by 0. S. Lee, Abide
Camp to two of our prominent citizens,
that P. G.. Hall, a colored captain OF
militia, of violent temper and bad charac
, ter. received orders from Gov. Ames to
hold lis company of militia in readiness,
which orders were not transmitted to him
| through Brigadier General Furlong, who
: is the commander of this Militia District,
and who is an ex-federal officer and a
: Republican. It is also known that nc
} orders were given to any other militia COM
: pany.
e Determinea to exhaust every possible
e means of protection afforded by the law,
i and ignorant of the violent measures
contemplated by Crosby and his confed