The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-03-08

In the matter of the impeachment of Alex
ander K Davis, Lieutenant-Governoro OF the
State of Mississippi by the House of Keep
resentatives, in the Senate of said state, SIT
ting as High Court of impeachment
LIST. This respondent, in his own proper per-
son. comes into the said Court, on this, the 10Th
Iay of February, A. d. 1876, and for answer
and plea to said articles of impeachment, pre-
ferred against him by said House OF Repre-.
sentatives and to all and singular the several
allegations therein contained that is to say,
in answer TO the articles of impeachment
numbered, respectively, numbers one; two
three, four and five, says and protests that ne
is not guilty of the said several high crimes,
IN sdemeauors and offenses in said articles
laid to his charge, nor of any or either Of
them, any part thereof, and of this he prays
a fair inquiry and trial, under the Constltu-
ton and laws of the State of Mississippi.
ID For further answer and plea IN tins
behalf, said respondent, admitting that, as
Lieutenant-GovernOr, and while acting a.
Governor, of said State, he did, on the SAID
Thomas II. Barrentine, IA citizen of Lowndes
county, in said State, an executive pardon
for the alleged crime of murder, as mentioned
in said several articles of impeachment, he
AYERS that he did so in the exercise of his best
discretion under the powers and prerogatiyes
conferred upon him by the Constitution Of said
State; but he protests that 1t is wholly ana
absolutely false, that he, the said respondent,
ever, at any time, directly or indirectly, &C
cepted or received, or agreed or expected
to accept or receive or asked, demanded,
or desired, any bride, fee, reward or com
pensation, any promise thereof, or obll-
CATION therefor, in money, or any other thing
whatever and of this he prays fair inquiry
and trial, under the Constitution and laws OF
said State.
Sd. And for a further answer and plea in
this behalf, the said respondent says and pro-
tests that the executive pardon n said articles
of impeachment mentioned, was not in any
manner procured. induced, influenced or pro
NOTED, by any money, or other thing what
ever, paid or delivered, or to be paid or deliV-
cred, to this respondent or TO any other person I,
but on The contrary thereof. he says and pro
tests, was granted and issued by this respond
ent, III the lawful honest and Under endenl
exercise of the power and discretion conferred
upon him IA the acting Governor of the State
of Mississippi, by the Constitution of said
State; and of this he prays fair inquiry aud
trial, under the Constitution and laws of said
State,
4th. And for further answer and plea in
this behalf, respondent says and protests that
the said House of Representatives ought not
further to prosecute said articles of impeach-
ment against him, because, he says, that at
the October term, A. ID. 1875, of the Circuit
Court of the county of Lowndes, in said State,
that being the county in which the said sew
eral crimes and misdemeanors in said articles
of impeachment mentioned, are therein alleged
to have been committed, the Grand Jury Of
the State of Mississippi taken from the body
of the good and lawful men Of said county, and
duly elected, impanneled sworn, and charged
to inquire in and for the body of said county,
made and prosecuted thorough investigation
and scrltlny of all the matters contained in
said articles of impeachment; and thereupOn
said Grand Jury returned into said Circuit
Court that there was no such evidence against
this respondent as would justify an ACCUSATION
against him. All of which, respondent AYERS,
appears of REGARD aad in the files of said
Court, wherefore respondent prays judgment,
missed. A. r. DAVIS,