National Republican., 1875-09-11
THE POWIRs OF TIE GOVERNOR IN
MISSISSIPPI.

elf prayers ana petltl0nS are OF no avail 70
stay the bloody hands Of these White League
ruffians, let sterner measures be adopted. The
State of Mississippi has q Republican Gov
ernor. and State officers. Gen. Ames is, by
virtue of the constitution, commanderin-chief
Of the militia and the guardian OF public well
fare. If need be, let him organize one hundred
thousand men TO put down these murderers.
If there is particle of manhood In
these prosecuted men let them defend them
selves. Let them, If necessary, carry the war
into the enemy's camp, and compel recog-
milton Of their rights. With the machinery Of
the State at his disposal, Governor Ames
should see to this. If he fails to protect the
people who elected him he Is unfit for his
place ."-ChioG9o Inter Ocean, 8th.
at is stated that some fall to see why
Governor, having a majority of the population
Of the State over which he is executive In &C
cord with him, and nearly all the militia un-
der his control and loyal to him, should call
upon the United States to interpose the Fed
eral forces to put down local troubles which
should yield to the powers at his command. -
Esening Star "netcs" columns.
A little solid information on this subject
will evidently be of use at this time, for on
one so vital there seems to be good deal
of unnecessary ignorance. Last fall Gov.
Ames issued proclamation Of peace. 1t
was disregarded by the rioters Of Warren
county. He then convened the State
Legislature in special session, and informed
that body Of the unlawful opposition to
State authority which then existed. At
the same time he informed the Legislature
that there was no organized militia or State
forces within the State Of Mississippi, and,
moreover, that not single dollar had been
appropriated for the equipment or expense
of any military force for any purpose what
ever, and he asked the Legislature to take
measures providing for the suppression of
disorder, and for the preservation OF the
peace in manner BETTING the dignity of
the State.
The Legislature met; . discussion at
once sprung up upon the organization and
equipment Of militia force as the only
proper measure for the emergency which
then existed. This proposition met with
q most determined and vindictive opposi-
ton on the part Of the Democratic msm-
bers, and the Democratic press throughout
the State bitterly opposed 1t. This united
opposition, and the failuse Of few Re-
publicans, not as courageous as they should
have been in its support, accomplished the
result the White League Democracy de-
sired, and no action was taken, and the
Governor was left powerless to quell in
surrections or to preserve the peace. The
regular session OF the Legislature was to
meet the following Qast january In the
meantime affairs quieted down, and when
the measure Of providing for militia
force came up 1t met with the same fate it
experienced in the special session, and by
the SAME means; but il should be remem-
bered that the few Republicans who op-
posed IT were opposed to the State admin
istration generally. The Legislature ad-
journed, and the Governor was again LEFT
without an authorized militisman or mill
tary force Of any kind in the State to meet
such an emergency as the present resist
ance to State authority in Hinds Warren
and Yazoo counties. II Is true that Coy.
ernor Ames is by virtue Of his Office
commander-in-chief OF the militia; but
there is no militia. He cannot order un-
der Arms forces which do not exist; and
when the Inter Oesaa advises him to cor
ganize 1000 men TO put down these
murderer" the adviser forgets that he
has, under the situation in which. he has
been purposely placed BY the Demo-
cratic part Of the Legislature, with
the aid of its veek-kneed Republican
allies, no moro power TO do ii than 9
private citizen Of that State; and whsn
other persons speak Of nearly all the
militia" that Ii under his control, they,
toe. are laborin2 under the same delusion
"A singular one under the circumstances.
The dispatches uniformly agree that the
State power is totally unable TO suppress
the riots, and In such an emergency the
Governor takes the only course lsft to him,
and calls upon the authority Of the United
States TO suppress them, and TO stop
series of Wholesale murders. It Is impor-
tant also in this connection to remember
the fact that the White League Of Vicks-
burg on the Sd instant seized one hundred
stand Of State arms while on their way
from jackson to Greenville, which, added
to the number Just previously seized, made
over four hundred in their hands unlaw-
fully. These arms had been order ID &,
jackson by the Adjutant General of the
State in pursuance Of the Republican policy
to call in all State arms to the capital.
II has been stated that the enforcement