The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-01-21

speech this morning at the meeting Of the I
Taxpayers Convention, we respectfully !
ask for a copy Of the same Tor publica-
ton. Very Respectfully, etc,
, a. X. Davis, John w. {. Watson
Robt. J. Alcorn, w. K. Barksdale,
James Hill, B. D. Nabers, :. J. Ireland,
Geo. /. Potter, Geo. +. Harris, }. L.
George, Charles Caldwell, a. Warner,
c. W. Norris, Geo Buchanan, Jno- "
Williams, w. a. Percy.
vi. Psesideatand Geat1eae. Of tle Coaren-
tim.
You have taken me by surprise.
when I entered this hall few moments
AGO. II was with no expectation Of beng
called on for a speech. ! am, therefore
wholly unprepared 1t is best, perhaps,
in view of our surroundings, that shouIq
speak without special preparation.
have felt sis keenly as any Of you the
grinding, whitening, and blighting lnflu-
cnce OF enormous taxation, and / have
therefore been compelled TO think. To
say that / am in full sympathy with you
IN this movement, Is only to say that all
who suffer from a like cause must bear
portion Of each others woes.
1T Is easy enough to say what ought to
be done IN our present terribly straiten-
ed condition. 1t is not so aeasy to say
what can be done We ought to return
to more rigid rules o. ssd1ny~in our ex-
penditures, AMI IS has diready been ex-
pressed by the resolutions just read IN
your hearing, to well digested system OF
retrenehment and reform in every branch
Of the public service, both State and
county. A stranger in our midst would
be very apt to inquire why can't this be
done? The answer is an easy one, but 1t
il sad to utter it. There is a want Of
sympathy between the Governor and the
Legislature on the one side, and the tax
PAYERS on the other.
1t is an ungracious task to speak Of
ones self, and [ must crave your pardon in
advance for doing so. Whatever may be
the thoughts of the uncharitable, L know
that am not moved by egotism, or any
spirit of selflaudation.
If I had not been Governor of Missis-
sippi, or otherwise officially engaged IN
making and administering her laws, |
might have been deluded into the belief
that the present enormous rates Of taxa
tion were unnecessary to the support Of
the State and county governments But
with my experience as one Of your ser
wants, / am enabled to say that ! KNOW
they are not necessary.
1t was my good, or i'll fortune, as you
may choose to consider it, to have come
into the Legislature in January, 1886. |
found here, holding seats in one house or
the ether, such men as Sergeant, 5.
Prentiss, Adam, l.. Benjamin, Alex. q.
McNutt John A. Quitman, Samuel j.
Gholson, and many others like them. |
name these as specimens. Railroads at
this time were wholly unknown. a few
of the more fortunate members reached
the seat Of government by the old fash
Toned mail coaches, but very much the
greater number came on horseback.
Picture to yourself two honorable mem
bers setting out on a cold December day,
one from Tshomingo and the other from
Hancock, both on horseback, and bound
for this city, and YOU will have some
flea al the hardships which the stern pa
[. ace u ....., day suffered in the service
Of their country; and all this they did
for the sums named in my resolutions,
to-wit: four dollars per day for actual
service, and four dollars for every twenty
miles travel, in going to, and returning
from the seat Of government.
Now if any man can assert with can
dor that the standard of fitness and quail
ifcatiun has been elevated in these lat
ter DAYS. | will freely admit that he
may advocate an increase OF pay. But
If he agrees with me that it has not been
50 elevated, then | will be excused for
saying that, in my humble judgment, a
proper excuse for increasing the pay of
The Legislators does not exist.
| am very far from attempting to dis
parage members of the present legisla-
ton. But the most sensitive among
them will allow me to say, that | like the
quid pro quo, and if we pay more money
| want more brains.
In those good old times we got along
splendjdly with one chancellor. The roll
Of Judges was adorned by the names OF
w. l.. Sharkev. c. F. Smith, james
Walker, Stanhope Posey, c. {. Cage,
and many others of equal note. | leave
to all candid men of all parties, to say
whether the standard of qualification has
been elevated. The taxpayers know to
their sorrow that the salaries have been
greatly increased, and the number of
Judges and Chancellors multiplied in
still greater ratio.
| had the honor at one time to hold
the office of Circuit Judge My district
commenced with Copiah and ended with
Neshoba. Whoever will glance at the
map can form pretty accurate
idea rs to about how much horse
back riding | did, in traversing
that District twice a year, winter
and summer But | did it Tor an annual
compensation of three thousand dollars;
and | can now say with candor, that it
was the most lucrative office | ever held.
As some evidence that the salary attrac-
ted, and the labor did not frighten off
distinguished legal ability, l may men
ton that when | left the office, the pre-
sent Chief Justice competed for il, though
the people gave It to another.
1t is now thirty-one years, lacking SIX
DAYS. since standing in this desk, | took
the prescribed oath and was indicted
into the office of Governor. Really, my
friends, You must excuse me again for
speaking of myself. | know what was
done during my own administration and
by the suddenness Of your call you have
allowed me no time to refresh my recol
lection as to what was done by Others.
W hat has been once done, it IS safe to
say, may be done again. Our greatest
present need is a will and a cordial earn
est will. Let Us have this, and the way
will speedily open up to Us. The antag-
onism between the Governor and Legis-
lature on the one side, and the taxpay-
ers on the other, must be got rid Of Ii |
IS an unnatural state of affairs, and must
be fruitful source of mischief as long
as it exists. Capital and labor must
work in harmony, or both will languish.
Neither can prosper, for long time, with /
ont the .nnnort of the other. II Is en-