The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-20

&
bility of many of the fatal hlunders Of
the present State Administration, and al
the same time give the real causes of our
defeat. Gov. Ames was inaugurated in
January, 1874, under the most favorable
auspices His address promised economy
and reform, and was well received BY the
whole country. Even our political
opponents, in a state of disruption, many
Of them having voted for him, expressed
a willingness to support him in all that
he had promised and advised. ButInstead
Of Encouraging every Indication of return
ing friendship, his cold indifference drove
them at once into a direct antagOnism.
He seemed to contract his views and
narrow his circle of friends to a few
confidential advisers, as it were, close
corporation of mercenary men, who knew
but little of the wants Of the people of
the State and cared less-men who have
no indentity OF interest or sympathy in
common with the people of the State.
And to deal plain must call names
"A. r Howe, and few lesser lights.
if possible Raymond, the State printer
and chief clerk in the Treasurer's Office,
lobbyist around the Legislature, especial
y on the printing bills, which pay him
nearly $50, 900 per annum, when $780,
600 would be too much. He leaves his
printing Office in the hands Of another,
i Is said, at salary of 81 800 in cur
rency, and takes a clerkship in the office
Of the State Treasurer at 81, 500 in State
warrants, worth IS or so cents on the
dollar. This he could we'll afford, be-
cause he handled the funds of the State,
and if he cashed his own warrants, he
makes nearly $4,000 per annum on
that, and there was nothing to prevent it,
except his known honesty. There has
been much complaint of this yet it is
persisted in to this day. But the Treasu-
rer's Office is to change hands, since the
special election to fill the vacancy, and
his Office as State printer is about to
expire, and now he wants to be postmas-
ter at Vicksburg. l regret to add that
he is so degraded, that the charge of
corruption and bribery is no offense to
him, and it comes from various sources.
Morgan, who is sheriff of Yazoo coun-
ty, has long been refugee from his coun-
ty, chairman of the late State Conven-
ton, and husband of very respectable
colored woman; who, when State Sena-
tor, offered in writing to sell his vote for
81, 1000, and Raymond refused to pay it,
saying that he had already paid him
5000, and that was enough for that vote.
A. r. Howe, ex-county Treasurer and
ex-member of Congress, who took from
the Treasury of Pamela county, through
an ignorant colored board of supervisors,
and now unlawfully retains, the sum of
So. 1851, Il have a certified transcript
of the record, and which he does not
deny but refuses to pay This, in brief,
is a small part of the record of three of
the Governors confidential advisers,
friends and counsellors, and he must
have known their character all the while.
TAMPERING WITH THE BENCH.
Through these and other friends, he
had very full control of the Legislature,
and could prefer almost any legislation
that looked at all plausible either for the
good of the State, the good of the party,
or for self-aggrandizement, and the sequal
has shown how he used that power The
first session of the Legislature passed
with but little or no reform, and we felt
sad. Under the Constitution and Laws
et9 the State, he was required to appoint
~ IsnaHceIr iIrs, Will, Lne sauVIee and con
ser of the Senate. This, of course,
should have been done during the session
of the Senate; but for some reason, best
known to himself, he refused to do it,
but waited until the adjournment and
then made the appointments in vacation,
and this was set aside by the Supreme
Court, (see Brady agt. Howe, 40 Miss.
Report, p. 607, the court holding that
the appointments should have been made
during the session of the Senate. 1t was
manifestly his duty to make the appoint
ments during the session of the Senate,
and to have sent them in for confirmation,
as the terms of Office expired long before
the next session. But the Governor, in
his desire to control the judiciary, as
well as the executive department of the
State, resorted to the expediency of
making the appointments in vacation,
and then holding the appointments over
them in terror until the next session of
the Legislature, and if they did not please
him in their DEGREES, ETC., he would with
hold their names, Gas he did in one case. }
thus making the Judiciary of the State
subservient to the Executive, In violation
of the Constitution, (see Art. Ill, Sec.
and 2, and he actually removed Chan
cellor Drenam, as believe, because, in
a case of habeas corpus, he refused bail
to the Governors friend, Morgan, on
charge of the murder of Hillard.
In his selection of men to fill these i'm
,,1-+."t o,,, i"dicial positions, he did not con-
fine himself to the legal profession; made
some good appointments it is true but
| in two or three instances he appointed
men who had received law license only 8
| few days previous for the purpose of be.
ing appointed, who had never had cast
in court, totally ignorant of the law ol
practice, who did not know a plea in bal
from demurrer. In one case a MAJ
notoriously venal and corrupt, and in an
Lother case for the avowed purpose o
giving strength to his friend Howe fo
Congress and that Chancellor to secur
the sending in of his name for confrma
Ition, appointed Howe's brother clerk Q
. the Chancery Court, and clerk of tn
Board of Supervisors of Pamela county
for the express purpose of preventing al
Investigation of Howe's Indebtedness t
Pamela county. In one case, he appoint
4 ed Mr.. Peyton, son of the Chief Jui
: ice, and then refused to send his nam
( % the Senate because he decided a cai
!, contrary to the Governors wishes, an
I bending the trial Of this case he sent fc
e he Chief-Justice and desired him
ontrol the action ofhis son, the Cha
ellor. This aroused the honest indil
J. ration of the Chief-J ustice, and brol
Up the friendly relations between then
The Chief Justice then dealt him wei
nerited castigation, which resulted
he Withholding of the name of youI
Mr.. Peyton from the Senate.
q BLOODY BLUEDER AT vICKsBURG.
In December, 1874, troubles grew |
inVicksburg. Indictments were pen
inr against two or three of the eoun
officers; complaints were made as to t
SEerifPs bond as Tax Collector.
wss ill-treated and forced to res;g