Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-03-18
MISSISSIPPI.
Lieutenant Governor Davis FOuRd Guilty
by the Senate.
Articles Of Impeachment Against Ames
Adopted.

Articles Of Impeachment Against Ames
Adopted.
JACKSON, March I3.-The Senate con-
cluded the trial of Lieutenant Governor
Davis by a verdict OF guilty of high
crimes and misdemeanors. The vote
stood-for conviction 81; for acquittai, 4 !;
absent, one. Every white and one col
ored senator voted guilty. Formal judg
ment will be pronounced on Thursday,
March %. Bills were passed establish
ing quarantine stations at the coast ports
and amending the charter at Sardis.
The house adopted twenty-one formal
articles of impeachment against Cover
nor Ames; ayes 20, nays 8. A bill max
ing it penitentiary offence to steal hogs,
pigs, sheep and goats, regardless of value
was passed over the governors veto. A
bill creating Sharkey county, out of pOr-
tions of Warren, Washington and Issa-
quena counties, passed both houses.
From Special Correspondent Of the Appeal
JACKSON, March 13.-It is well known
that the house of representatives of the
State of Mississippi, by an overwhelming
majority, have impeaehed Governor Ames
before the bar of the senate, of high
crimes and misdemeanors. and that his
trial on the articles of impeachment will
shortly commence. This grave step has
not been lightly considered nor unadvi.
sedly taken. 1t is not the result of haste
nor of party prejudice, but seems imper-
atively demanded by every consideration
of public interest, as well as by the die
tates of justice. The impeachment is
based upon the report of a legislative
committee appointed during the first days
of the session, who gave to the investiga-
ton of the charges current against Gov
ernOr Ames the most thorough, patient
and impartial attention. The committee
was in session thirty weight days, and ex-
amined fifty-five witnesses, of whom
thirty-six were republicans and nineteen
democrats. As each successive charge
was taken up for investigation, the Gov
ernOr was notified, and requested TO send
in the witnesses who would give his YER
sion of the matter under investigation.
He availed himself freely of this invita-
ton, and nearly one-half of the Witness
es examined were brought forward by
him. 1t will thus be seen that it was no
ex parte proceedings, but that every pos
sible source of information on both sides
was exhausted. The report OF the COM
mittee fills more than five hundred man
uscript pages, and it disclosed series of
abuses of power so gross, and political
crimes and misdemeanOrS so grave, that
upon the conclusion of its reading in the
house a republican member offered a res
olutiOn censuring the governor in the
most direct and explicit terms, which
resolution received the vote of every re-
publican member of the body. The
house at once directed articles of i'm
parchment 10 be prepared, covering elev-
en- different cases, as shown by the com
mittee. These charges and the facts up
on which they are based, are briefly as
follows:
First-Refusing to execute the laws of
the state in his failure to remove from
off NJ nf bas
county, who had been reported TO him as
a public defaulter. W. NJ. Conner was
the radical sheriff of Noxubee county,
and was a candidate for reelection. He
was officially reported TO the governor
as defaulter for the sum of twenty-five
thousand dollars. Under such eircum-
stances the statutes of the State made it
the imperative duty of the Governor 10
suspend him from Office until the defalca-
ton was settled. Instead of doing so
the governor declined to take any action,
and permitted the charges TO be with
drawn until after the election, 50 that
Corners prospects as the radical eandi-
date might not be damaged.
SecOnd-Refusing to execute the laws,
by his failure TO suspend NJ. L. Holland,
State Treasurer. Holland was the Re
publican treasurer of the State. The at
tOrney general of the State notified the
governor that Holland was in Office and
in charge of all the State funds without
having executed bond as required by
law. The law thereupOn made it Ames'
duty to suspend him. The governor re-
fused to execute the law, and permitted
the treasurer 10 serve out his term with
ont legal bond.
Tnird-Calling for United States troops
in January, 1879, and causing A. J. Flan-
agau sheriff of Warren county, to be for
chilly elected from Office by said troops,
and another person installed in his stead
During the complication in Warren coun-
ty, which followed the Vicksburg riots,
a contest arose over the sherlff7s effice,
Flanagan claimed the office, and was in
possession of it by virtue of a popular
election. His right was contested bv an
appOintee Of the governor. While the
matter was pending in the courts, Ames