The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-06

down one Law or the law destined for the
protection Of one man or one class OF men
IN community necessarily levels all law
Ii i ike Ere which consumes all IN It's
path. When, therefore, responsibility l.
to be affixed, shall We seek the cause or
content ourselves with describing cOuse
quences only? Governor Ames had,
either ignorantly or wilfully, built up
condition of animosity and antagonism
between the white and colored people of
the State cf Mississippi dangerous TO the
safety and peace of both, until excite
ment had usurped the place of reason,
aud force, with its remedies, had in some
few localities taken the place of law.
There Is no evidence that Governor
Ames sought to exercise any of the civil
powers intrnsted to him for the pacifca-
ton of these disord rel localities. As
usual, his recourse was had to the armed
power of the Federal Government, and
his correspondence with the Attorney
Central and Secretary of War are wei
known to the Senate and the country.
Failing in establishing, and being un
willing to allege, that condition of af-
fairs within the State of Mississippi
which alone under the Constitution of the
United States authorizes the armed ins
tervention Of the Federal GOvernr ent.
the scrRpIes of the President and his e..
gal adviser, Mr.. Pierrepont, withheld
troops from the aid of the Republican
party in Mississippi At page 2 of Cor
ernor Ames' testimony he testifes as fol
lows:
''In view Of that state of affairs | ap.
piled to the President of the United
States for the protection of the United
States, which was not granted. Subse
quently, the Attorney General, l pre-
sumo at the suggestion of the President,
sent an agent and two detectives at my
request.
We may pause here to consider thi:
new feature in American government.
There is no such power known to the
Constitution or laws of the United States
as the employmentb by the Atlorney-Gen-
eral of the United States of detectives
to inquire into and report the police con
dition of an entire State. The Governo
of the State confessed by his application
that there was no one capable and sufh-
ciently reliable to judge of and repor
upon the true condition of aff airs in hi
own State; AMI three men, entire stran
gers to the people of Mississippi, were
sent among them to examine and repnr
whether state of affairs existed which
would authorize the interposition of tn
Federal Government by force of arms il
the local disorders of that State. Wha
possible authority can be urged for thi
attempted delegation of the highest di;
cretiCnary power vested in the executiv
OF State?
About the 9th or 10th of October, Mr.
Chase arrived in Mississippi, and tool
up his abode in the gubernatorial man
sion with Mr.. Ames He has been e1
amined as a witness before the commi
tee, and his testimony will be found a
: page. Whatever may be the opinion
! of the irregularity of his mission --nd it
want of constitutional or legal warrant
all well-meaning men will concur in
sentiment of satisfaction that he vi
e sent. He states that he found the Stat
r of Mississippi in state of profound an
. dangerous excitement, the two race
armed, ready and liable to collision .
: any moment, the State adiaiD sStratIo
totally without influence or power to re
+ strain the passions of either side. ID
discovered that the Governor of th
State had not even a personal acquail
e tance with the leading and most inhqeI
= tial white citizens who were leaders
the Democratic and Conservative organ
r zltion, and his first effort was to briu
, them into amicable council and persona
acquaintance with each other. Is,
l page )
s The result of his offices was to produ'
y an agreement anomalous in America
n history and highly suggestive of the stat
of affairs into which Governor Anne
, maladministration had brought the Sta
+; of Mississippi. There was commits
g of the leading white citizens of HinC
: and some of the adjoining counties he
: on the 10Th of October, 1875, to who
Mr. ]. Z. George and others, who hs
n Just had an interview on the subject
political affairs with Governor Anne
s stated the result OF such interview, th
he had received information that it wou
e be agreeable to his excellency Govern
re Ames to have conference with some
the citizens of the State in relation to Il
present condition of affairs, and in accor
N ance Herewith he had arranged for
interview, which had just taken plaC
The citizens attending were, Josh
Vi Green, d. Shelton, E. Richardson,
lie w. Robinson, II. Hilzheim, Z. ]. VIII
ton, Frank Johnston, J. G. Rietti, Re
( ert L. Saunders, General Robert Lowl
: w. L. Nugent and J. 2. George.
: The interview had been full and fra
L on the part of the citizens and the &C
es ernor, and the governor announced
= Colonel A. 7. Morgan's refusal TO go ba
to Yazoo county he had abandoned I
le purpose of sending him there with t
Il companies of militia, one white and {
at colored, which had been his original p
pose, and that he had also countermand
iis an order for guns to be shipped to 0
ID Soto county.
After this conference ensued betwe
rs the citizens and the governor in relati
Ii to the disbanding of the militia. ]
he citizens, in response to fears expires
he by the governor that peace and g
"a order would not be preserved, and t
If. colored men would not be permit
de to vote as they pleased, assured
Id governor that there was no other de
20 among the whites than that peace sho
lle be preserved, the laws enforced,
IN fair election had that the lead
to whites had all along inculcated IL
Ias and they also assured the governor
he they would pursue this cOuse until
ON election, and would, both by precept
of example, do all in their power to preze
oa- peace and good order and secure
yer election.
nd The governor said his whole objec
nd calling out the militia was to pres
es, order and suppress disturbances;
ing he was originally opposed to arming
He militia, and under all the circumsta
riff as be deemed it was forced to do 50 /;
! of In view of the statement Of oitizens
hat was willing to meet their views as fs
'ey- be could, and to this end he prom
de- that he ;Ssanld order all the militia
,es, panies which had been organized TO
the perse and go to their homes with
Al