The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-04-13

Though the Heavens Fail, Let jus
tee be Done.
The following Jackson coInmuni-
cation to the Vicksburg XeFaid is the
richest document that has appeared
in print for many years. ''You who
have tears to shed, prepare ID shed
them now"
Hard things have been said about
the Chancellor in Copiah, who is
spoken of for disappointment. We
should not be unjust even TO our me-
mics. Ifanything is due the devil,
We say render it to him.
And, therefore, in behalf of Chan
cellor E. G.. Pcyton, Jr., we scorn to
conceal the fact that q committee Of
two or three CopiHh LAWYERS has, for
months, been engaged upon an analy-
sis of the mental makeup of the
Chancellor, and that their report late
" promulgated is flatterins in IN cX-
traordinary degree, to the subject Of!
the investigation.
We have not the report before us,
but think we can give its substance.
AS a politician, they find him to be
sagacious and successful. AS a states
man they place him in the first rank.
The committee are of the opinion that
the Chancellor's support Of the Egg
glcslon Constitution. which the people
in their blind folly rejected III lS6S.and
his maintenance ofthe Reconstruction
Acts, which conferred on the militia
~ commanders of the several districts
the power to iniiict the punishment OF
death upon Southern cilizens. (at the
passage of which The people, with
strange inconsistency, groaned instead
of reioicing,) will rntitle him to a
place in history, certainly not beneath
that held by a Burke or Webster.
AS a stump-speaker, the inveStiga-
tors declare that while they wish to
avoid extravaganza, yet simple justice
to a nan of genius impels them to at
firm that, perhaps. Z. &. Peyton, Jr.
never in the worlds annals has had
IN equal. The image Of Peyton new
or presents itself TO their minds with
~ ~ UnUU reo"ui"g SorgcuIt y.
Prentiss. They affirm that the latter
undoubtedly bore some resemblance
TO the Chancellor, but they are not
able to define in what particular the
likeness consisted. But they agree
that Prentiss, though highly gifted
they confess him to have been, was
far beneath the god like Peyton in all
that contributes to the composition OF
the natural orator. Their subject i
so well known To the people of Co
piah, the committee say they viii not
multiply examples Of Mr.. Peyton's
unique style of public speaking, bat
allude to one which will suffice. In
the course Of the campaign of 1869, q
Republican meeting was held at Gal
latin. A large of blacks as
sembled in the Courthouse, and the
orator of the day was f. q. Peyton,
Jr. A few white men were present.
When the orator took the stand
his magnetism for the mass before
him was at once apparent. Although
his popularity with the negroes was
great, yet was there so much grandeur,
so much of eloqucnCc in his very bear
ing, that his audience was spell-bnund
and forgot to applaud his first APP
pearance. He combined the com
handing presence of Mr.. Webster
with the grace Of Mr.. Clay. But when
he began 10 speak, say the committee,
what pen can tell the wondrous mclo-
DIV of his voice. the ~sublimity of his
gestures, the startling effect OF his
rhetorical figures, the majestic flow Of
his periods.
1t was in the course of his perera-
ton, however, that he used language
which, in the opinion of the commit
tee, should place him in advance OF
the first orators Of ancient and mod
ern times, while his awe-struck audi
tory were on the tip-too of cXpecta-
ton, and ready to fall down and wor-
ship the wondrous being before them,
the speaker suddenly paused and
drawing his magnificent figure up to
its greatest height, he exclaimed :
"And whenI dc I wdnt no other
epitaph upon my tomb M0n these
simple WOYds-.IiERE LIES A SCALA
WAC"
The effect, say the committee, was
fearful to witness. Such shouts from
the negroes, such clapping of hands,
such applause in every form was new
er before heard or seen.
referring to the fact that Mr.. Pey-
ton was appointed District-Attorney
by Ames in 1869, tie committee re-
mark upon his abilities as a public
prosecutor. They doubt if Mr.. Writ
or William Pinckney could compare
with him in respect of forensic orato-
~. Like the celebrated Phillips OF
England, Mr.. Peyton, though q strip
ling and q tyro at the bar, was too
much for the ablest criminal lawyers.
and carried the juries by storm. An
interesting bit Of history is brought
to light by the committees report
for it appears therefrom that Presi-
dent Grant was SO impressed with
the extraordinary abilities of the
youthful Peyton, he was constrained
to tender him the position of Attor-
ney-General Of the United States,
which the grateful young man would
doubtless have accepted but for the
IutL ina lC was kiob VI SdiilCItbi aSC.
His powers were so wonderful and
irresistible that no nan escaped him
when so unfortunate as to be indict-
ed he convicted the innocent and the
guilty alike. The committee intimate
that it was in consequence of the fact
last mentioned he was transferred to
the Chancery bench, where it was
lo-ol IL, ron.nnnIanf rani,p would
do no harm.
As lawyer tho committee place
Chancellor Peyton alongside of the
late Reverdy Johnson. As a Chan
cellor his name is coupled with those
of Mansfield and Hardwick, and
Kent. The committee prays that the
Chancellor may be retained on the
bench, and express the opinion that ii