New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-22
THE LETTER.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OFFICE,
JACKSON, Miss, Nov. "a, 1873.

To Hts Erceilency u s. GRANT President OF INC Cnted
States.
SIR: Mississippi, with Republican majority two years
ago of $4,000. has just gone Democratic by an over
whelmng majoritysay 1000 This no less aston
shng to the Democracy than it sad to the Repubii
cans and nasmuch many have undertaken to account
for our defeat and contradictory statements have been
made the real cause, think ii proper TO write ana
give you plain and unvarnished statement OF affairs
here and while it is painful to give the whole truth yet
II will in some degree relieve me- legal adviser from
the responsibility of many Of the fatal plumbers
of the present State Administration. and at the
Gov Ames was inauguraed in January 1874. under the
favorable auspices His address promised economy
ana reform and was well received by the whole country
Even political opponents III state OF dSlupOh'
many of them having voted for HIN, expressed Wiling
ness TO ppOrt him In all that he had promised and al
vsed But instead OF encouraging every Indication Oh
returning friendship his cold indifference drove then AT
once into "A direct antagonism He seemed 10 cohtiaC
his views and narrow his circle OF friends 10 lew conn
Dental advisers as ~ were GPse 81 T ns ~ Of The
people of the State and cared ess-inen VINO nave no
identity of interest or sympathy IN common WIN inc
And to deal PLAIN must call names-A II. Howe and
few lesser liz ITS il possible Raymond the state Printer
and chief clerk the Treasurors Office lobbyist al 0und
the Legislature especially on the printing blls, Nhlcn
be too much lie leaves his printing Office In the bands
of another. II is said at salary OF 500 III currency,
and takes cerkshp in the office OF the state Ifeaser
al 81 800 state warrants worth 20 or 50 cents on me
dollar This he could well afford because he handled the
funds OF the State, and If he cashed bis own warrants
he makes nearly 10000 per annum on mat ana mere IL
nothing event 1t, ex,elt has known honesty. iefe
has been much complaint Of THIS yet is persisted III 10
this day. the Treasures office ia tn change LANDS
since TIE special election TO III vacancy ana BIS One
as state Printer is about to expire, and now ne wants 10
he postmaster at NlckSburg regret 10 aga lhat nv Is 80
degraded that the charge Of corruption ana DDsy 10 no
Morgan Is Shcrin OF faz0o County, mas lode Dech
refugee from his county, chairman oil the tc Siats
Convention and husband OF very Icspeetlole ooIsu
woman who. when State senator, offered N wflhg ~
sell his vote for 5000. and Raymond refused 10 pay H.
saying he had already paid HIM $780, and that was
enough for lnat Noie ,r- , 90. ,o,,or ~,
Congress- who took from the treasury OF Pamela Conn,y
through an ignorant coored Board of sIperys0rs and
certified TRANSCRIPT Of the Tccord and which he does not
deny, hut refuses To pay This IVA bT!e Is sinai part 81
vsers ends. and eounselors and lie must aye known
their character all the while
TAMPERING WITH THE BENCH.
Through these and other friends he had very full con-
troll of the Legislature and could procurs almost any
legislation that looked at all plausible either for the good
of the State the good OF the party or for seagcrdp
dzemen and the sequel has shown how lie has used ta
power The first session Of the Legislature passed WIN
but little or any reform and VIC FELT sad Under the Con-
stitution aud OF tie state he was required to a
point 20 Chanceors with the advice and consent OF Inc
senate This Of course should have been done during
the session OF tho Senate but for some reason best
known to himself he refused To dot but waited un the
adjournment and then made the appointments In Vdca
ton. and this was set aside BY the supree CTn ee
holding that appointments should have been mace
he
duty to have made the alolhtntn'S uuIinS ~" ,
of the Senate, and to have sent ihen III IOr ION
Drmatiun IA tho terms OF ONCE expired lohs pcIoIe
the next ,sson But the Governor ID ms nesire 10 cor
trol the judiciary well aS the executive department
of the State. resortcd TO the eXp'diency oi making ho
onpOntlucts in vacation, aud tAcn holding the appoint
lnuts over them in terror until the next session Oh l
q IS &C. he could withhold their names (s he did IN
one cascl, thus making the Judiciary OF me state s
ton (sre Art H. Sec and 20 and he actually removed
FtfaaIh uII tn A.
Morgan on charge of tie murder Of one HlIlaid.
In MS selection Of TO MI these important judicial
positions he did not confine himself To inc lcga proIe
sion; made good appointments IL Is uuc pnt III
two or three instances he appointed men VINO had re-
pose of being appointed, WHO had never had cse ~
court, totally ignorant OF the law or the pIae'G, VINO
did moi know a plea in bar from "A demurrer In one
case VIGOROUSLY vena and corrupt ana IN aio'nGl
for the avowcd purpose OF glvhg slcT,n 70
cure , Uowe' brother clerk OF the Chnnccry Court
AMI cerk OF the Board super isors OF Pamela Comfy
for the EXPRESS purpose OF preventing an .csu-""h
OF IIOwes Indebtedness TO PahOa County i 1e c"ad
he appointed Mr. PeytOn son OF the ChlcfJus'lc' anu
then refused send his name 10 the Shae pec'so Nv
decided contrary to inc Governor ",soS a'u
nee and desired to control the action OF MS son. the
Chancellor. This aroused the honest 1lgna0h Oh i h
tween them The ChieiJustico heli dealt mn noi
of tle n ame OF young Mr.. Pcyton IRON the senate
BLOODY DLUNDFR AT vICKSBURG.
In December, 1874, troubles grew up III Vicksburr
Indictments pending against two or tree OF inc
county officers complaints were made as 10 the Sheh
bond as Tax Collector lie was illreated ana ioiccu W
resign There was much confusion and anarchy. Inc
Sheriff fed to Jackson for advice aud Instructions dsre
garding his resignation under duress do not know al
the advice the Governor gave him, but the presumption
Ia that he received advice as he returned ana hc nc
notified the colored people by circulars 70 uone 10
to do, and nearly 100 lives were lost ID the hSh now
far the Governor is responsible for these ii'cS or
II,
has charged him In the papers with the use OF language
well calculated nature produce riot and blood
sned and he has denied it, and do not think he
will Since that time hc has conferred or advised
law his legal adviser. speak OF this TO say that will
not be held responsible before the country for any of his
plumbers.
REFORM TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT.
In January. 1879, the Legislature met (after short
extra session in December 1874 and then the friends Of
economy and reform hopeful OF some legislation
that would give relief the people and to the party
record that could DO defended before the country.
The taxes high, especially as the property was
in tbe main upprOductive and relief asked for by
the whole people few Of us were In earnest III our EN-
asies foI good and honest State government much
60 that ON the 10Th OF February last wrote an open
letter 10 the Hon. A. Warner, prominent Republican
In o'at I REGARDED as the duty OF the party III the
Jrcisature The lower House lnd0rseO my lelter ny
resolution and promised to act upon It's suggestions
ADVISED a liberal aud honest policy, polluted out the
danger of defeat il pursued the course OF other nou
erp States and predicted the result tha nas ehsoeu
begged The party redeem IT'S pledges II ~ would pro-
tract lease OF power; declared tnat ~ uen,
in my power induce tho proper action on inc Pr, VI
tho Legislature. pointing out the means ~ "'on "a
neuses could be cut of and the taxes reduced
advised a reduction the matter OF pubic
The passed bin and the Governor vetoed
H. Raymond was state Prnter.) advised reduction
in the salary Of County superintendent OF Educatlon
The Legislature passed the bill and the Governor sot9e
e. I advised q change IN the Constitution 80 as 10 give
us biennial sessions of the legislature hs wond save
n.tforw and the Governor had advised IL IN his hfst
mess,gc The resolution passed the lower House and