The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-10-24

ing to be furnished the names, dates and
places Of alleged outrages, reported to the
Department Of Justice. The subjoined
reply Of the Acting Attorney-General
will show our readers how anxious Re.
publican officials and orators are to do jus,
tice to the slandered people Of an entire
State:
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
Washington, Oct. 9th, 1876. I
His ErceliencH J. NJ Stone, Governor OF
the State of Mississippi, J ackson, Mss.
SIR Your telegram of the 4th inst.
addressed to the Attorney. General, has
been received 1t deals with matter in
which the gentleman holding that Office
was acting unonicially, and in his capaci
ty as a private citizen. | would, there.
fore, have retained the telegram without
action until his return, except that in
connection with remarks upon IN address
made by him as you say at Cincinnati,
on tho 2Slh ult., you ask that, as simple
matter Of justice to Mississippi, he shall
gire you the names, dates and places OF
iorongs alleged to hare occurred, reported to
the Department of Justice.
In the absence Of tho Attorney Gener.
al, thus much of the telegram requires
an answer from me. make no question
as to the sincerity of your assertion, of II
disposition to suppress violence in Missis-
sippi. But is il not an inadvertency to
suppose that the Acknowledgement of the
United States holds any such relation to
the Governor Of State as renders it
proper for him to make an official COM
munication of the nature indicated
abovey
Upon consideration it appears to me
that there is no such relation between the
two Offices.
Very respectfully,
Your ob't sv't,
S, +. PHILLIPS,
Acting AttorneY.General.
This evasion called from his Excellen
cy the following reply. Although writ
ten two weeks ago, neither the Depart.
ment Of Justice nor Mr. Taft has yet
granted Gov Stones very reasonable and
respectful request, The department
Of Justice" seems to us misnomer
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
JACKSON, Miss, Oct. 10, 1876.
Hon. s, +. Phillips, Actmg Attorney
General, Washington, ID. {.
SIR: Your communication of the 9th
instant was received by to-day's mail.
My telegram of the 4th was not adj.
dressed to 1.-The Acknowledgement" but
to " Acknowledgement Taft, the men,
ton of his official position being intended
mainly as deSriptio persoa9. Still, as he
had condemned Mississippi upon reports
made to him as Attorney General, |
must coufess | did not regard Z" the gen
tleman holding that office as acting "
altogether unotiicially, and in his ca
pacity as a private citizen And as he
gave to those reports, which only became
known TO him in his official capacity, an
Importance which they would not, proba-
bly,, have possessed otherwise, | did not
suppose he would refuse my request for
information upon the ground that he was
"acting unotiicially, and in his capacity
as u private citizen" Nor do | yet
think so, but trust he will recognize the
fairness of my respectful request of the
4th.
1t may be " an inadvertency to suppose
that the Acknowledgement of the United
States holds any such relation to the
Governor of State as renders it proper
for him to make an official communica-
ton of the nature requested in my tel
egram, In my desire to obtain the in
formation asked, | never gave thought
as to whether there does or does not
exist any such relation, There can GER
tainly be nothing improper or undignifed
even in an "oGicidl communication " !;
but Mr.. Taft may exercise his pleasure,
and give the information in any way he
may think proper, shall be satisfied if, |
" acting unoficially, and in his capacity
as a private citizen" he would give the in. |
formation even in his public speeches. |
All | wish is the names, dates and places /
OF alleged outrages, because, as Governor
Of Mississippi, | am able to execute the