The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-02-27
Report Of Vieksburg Committee,

WASHINGTON, February 26.-Repre.
sentatiyes Speer, Of Pennsylvania, and
o'Brien, OF Maryland, OF the Mississippi
Special Committee, have united in re-
port concluding as folloWs; r &
From q review OF the testimony We
briefly state our conclusion;
Fist-That in the city Of Vicksburg
and county Of Warren the white citizens
pay about pinety-nine per cent Of the
taxes, which have grown enormously op'
pressiye, and that the negroes chiefly as.
sesS, collect and disburse them,
Sscond-That tho debt OF the city,
which in 1860 was $4,000, Is now
81 100000 as far as can be ascertainod;
that II has accumulated to this sum by
reckless and improvldent legislation by
Republican officials, and Is a grievous
burden imposed on population Of eleven
thousand people, less than half Of whom
arc white people,
Third-That corrupt and Infamous
ring, composed Of negro officials, have OK.
listed In said city and county for several
years, who by forgeries, pCculatiOn and
systematized frauds on the revenues, have
impaired the public credit impoverished
tho people and augmented the taxes to
rates resulting In practical con6SCation,
Fourth-That Peter Crosby, the shcr-
if and Tax Collector, was q political
and personal friend Of corrupt officials,
and by his power In summOning juries
their conviction was rendered practically
impossible; that the Sheriff admitted 10
bail his political friends, when charged
with the groSsest otenses, ON bonds ut.
terly worthless, which was tho chief im-
pediment to the administration Of justice
In the courts,
Fifth-That Judge Brown had publicly
declared that the prosecution Of Cardoza,
the leader Of the ring, for malieasAnCe in
Office, was persecution, when no honest
man In Vicksburg Of either party doubts
his guilt and that by bis partizanShip
he had destroyed public confidence In the
tribunal over which he presided.
Sixth-That tho Taxpayers League
was organized irrespective Of parties or
cOlors, and that It's sole object, as stated
In ih constitution and declared in its
meetings, was to secure capable officials
and honest government.
Seventh-That thSbOnds Of Crosby, US
Sheriff and Tax Collector, were utterly
insufficient, II not absolutely worthless.
Eighth-That the Board Of Supervisors
were advised Of the utter insulEicienCy Of
Crosby's bonds, but corruptly declined to
compel him, as the law required, 10 give
0.aa.I nt,,l ,,ikEatank kadAa
Ninth-That tho time having arrived
for the collection Of taxes, the Taxpayers,
having no adequate remedy, were justi.
ed In their demand for CrOSby's resigna.
ton, and that his resignation was voIun.
tary and not tho result Of violence or
threats.
Tenth-The conflict OF December 7th,
resulting in the killing Of two whites and
twenty.iour colOred persons, was solely
and wholly caused by an armed attempt
Of the negroes Of Warren county to In.
yade ViGksburg; that this invasion was
melted and instigatcd by Peter Crosby,
and that Crosby was advised and encour.
aged to take this course and was promised
aid In It by Governor Anles,
Tenth-That the defence Of the city
was made under the direction Of the May.
or, and all the preparations and the con.
duct Of the citizens were justified by na.
tnre highest law-scli-p preservation and
they acted In defence Of their families and
their homes. Any other course would
have been cruelty TO the families Of both
races, for, as Gen. Packer testified, It was
mercy to the women and children, white
and black, that the negroes were prevent
cd from entering the city.
Twelftli-That the purpose Of the In.
vadcrs was only limilOd by the will Of
their leaders, and that II they had sue.
ceeded IN entering the city they would
have been assisted by large number OF
we'll armed and thoroughly organized
negroes In tho city who werO ready to
operate with them.
Tkirtcenth-That there Is not and has
not been any organized resistance at
VickSburg on the part Of tho whites to
lawful authority, but, on the contrary,
the white people, owning nearly oil the
property and paying nearly all the taxes,
are sincerely deslrOus Of preserving peace
and good order; their interests, social
and business, give strength to this desire,
and the patience they have exhibited un.
der accumulated wrongs and ontragcs,
such as the citizens Of Northern city
would not tolerate for day, Is the mar.
vel Of our civilization.
Fourtecnth--There Is no White League
or any political organization in MisSisSip.
pi whose object Ia to deny 10 the colored
men, because Of their color, or for any
reason, any rights or privileges guaran.
teed by law, nor Ia there any other pOliti.
cal organization Of white MEN which has
any other object than to secure the elcc-
tiOn Of honest and capable officials.
Fifteenth-That tho call Of the Cover.
nor on the President for military aid was
based on partiAah statements utterly dc.
void Of truth. Al the time the call was
made ViCksburg was IA quiet and peace
able as any city Of tho sumo population
In the United StatcS, and has 40 remained
to the present hour.
Sixteenth-AiLer Crosby's resignation,
Flanagan was elected Sheriff and took
peaceablo possession Of the Office. Whether
he or Crosby was the legal Sheriff was q
question for the courts alone 10 deter.
mine, and yet In shameless disregard Of
the civil laws and rights Of tile citizens,
Flanagan has been marched out Of the
Court House by United States soldiers al
the point Of the bayonet.
Seventeentli-That tic condition Of Mis-.
sissippi Is indeed deplorablc. With a
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