The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-10-25
Gov. Stones Dispatch so Aurorney-
General Taft.

sOv. stone Dispatch 90 Attorney
General taft
We have heretofore published the dis
'ateh Of his Excellency Gov. Stone, to
dr. Taft, the Attorney-G General, request
ng to be furnished the names, dates and
'laces of alleged outrages, reported to the
Department of Justice. The suhioiued
ePly of the Acting Attorney-G G neral
viii show our readers how anxious Re
publican officials and orators are to do Jus
ice to the slandered people of an entire
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. !
Washington, Oct. 9Th, 1876
His ErceUeney, j. u. Stone, G~oreraor Of
the State Of Mississippi, Jackson, Miss.
SIR-Your telegram of the 4,h inst.
addressed to the Attorneys General. has
been received. Ii deals with a matter in
which the gentleman holding that Office
was acting unofficially, and in his capaci
ty as a private citizen. l would. there
fore, have retained the telegram without
action until his return, except that in
connection with remarks upon an address
made by him as you say at Cincinnati.
on the 2Sth ult., you ask that, az d simple
matter Of justice TO Mississippi, he shall
giUe you the names, dates and places Of
torongs alleged to hare occurred, reported to
the Department of Justice.
In the absence of the Attorney Gener-
al, thus much of the telegram requires
an answer from me. make no question
as to the sincerity of your assertion, of a
disposition to suppress violence in Missis-
sippi. But is it not an inadvertency to
suppose that the Attorney General of the
United States holds any such relation to
the Governor of a State as renders il
proper for him to make an official com
munication of the nature indicated
above?
Upon consideration it appears to me
that there is no such relation between the
two Offices.
very respectfully,
Your ob't sv't,
S. F. PHILLIPS,
Acting Attorney-G General.
This evasion called from his Excellen
cy the following reply. Although writ
ten two weeks ago, neither the Depart
ment of Justice nor Nj. Taft has We
granted Gov. Stones very reasonable anC
respectful request. The "Departmer
of Justice" seems to US a misnomer:
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, }
JACKSON, MISS, Oct. 10, 1876.
Hon. s. F. Phillips, Acting Attorne,
General, Washington, d.. c.
SIR: Your communication of the 6tI
instant was received by to-day's mail.
My telegram of the 4th was not ad
dressed to 1.-The A%ttorney.G eneral," bu
to "AttOrney-G General Taft" the men
ton of his official position being intende,
mainly as desriptio personG. Still, as b,
had condemned Mississippi upon report
made to him as Attorneys General,
must confess l did not regard the gen
tleman holding that Office as acting
altogether unofficiall-, and in his ca
pacity as a private citizen" And as h
gave to those reports, which only becam
known to him in his official capacity, Al
Importance which they would not, proba
bly,, have possessed otherwise, l did no
suppose he would refuse my request 70
information upon the ground that he wa
"acting unotficially, and in his capacit
as a private citizen" Nor do | We
think so, but trust he will recognize tn
fairness of my respectful request Of tn
4th.
1t may be " an inadvertency to suppos
that the Attorneys General OF. the Unite
States holds any such relation to tn
} Governor of a State as renders it prope
for him to make an official communics
; ton of the nature" requested in my tel
/, egram. In my desire to obtain the il
formation asked, l never gave a though
{ as to whether there does or does NJ
exist any such relation. There can ce.
tainly be nothing improper or undignifie
even in an "oticidL communication "
E but Mr.. Taft may exercise his pleasure
+ ard give the information in any way h
may think proper. shall be satisfied i
acting unOficially, and in his capacit
as a private citizen" he would give the il
| formation ever in his public speechei
, All wish is the names, dates and plact
Of alleged outrages, because, as GoYernt
: of Mississippi, I am able to execute Ii
law, and am determined to do so. | hay
q no preference as to the mode Mr.. Ia
r may select, should he be kind enough
in any capacity. to comply with my r
quest. l am not willing to think NJ
~ would do injustice to Mississippi, an
refuse to correct the wrong, erther =
: cause he did the injustice 'unotficialll
and in his capacity as a private citizen.
! or because it is "an inadvertency to sul
pose the Attorney General of the Unite
. States holds any such relation to Il
+ Governor of a State as renders it prop
for him to make an official commune
D ton" which might place it in the pow
: of the Governor tq prove that %iniustiC
had been done his State, that charg
had been made for political effect, ar
that a high official "acting unoficially
had condemned neither justly nor a,
visedly.
. You say you "make no question as
the sincerity of my assertion of a disp
sition to suppress violence in Mississi.
! pi." In that sentence, you do me inju
tice, evidently unintentionally. | us'
no expression in my telegram whic
could lead you to infer that violence e.
|, lists in Mississippi. L asserted that Mi
sissippi is quiet and orderly, and that
s am both willing and able to execute Il
laws, and conserve the public peac
! The object of my telegram was to asce
tain the information upon which N
Taft bases his charge that violence do,
exist in this State.
This is not designed as an "ofici
communication" to the Department
: Justice. L shall be grateful, thong
for the information asked on the 4th, 1
matter by whom or in what mode fu
nished. am, sir,
Very respectfully,
Your obt. sv't.,
NJ STONE