The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1876-03-04
Repsrt Of the Anes impeachment
Committee.


Mr.. SPEAKER:-Thc undersisn-
ed, special Committee appointed
under q resolution Of this House,
adopted on the 9th day ofJanuary
last. to investigate the official con-
duet of his Excellcncy, Adelbert
Ames, Governor Of the State of
Mississippi, aud to report the re-
suit of such investigation back to
this House, beg leave to submit
the following report:
For thirty-cight days your Com
mittce has been diligently and in
dustriously engaged in the dis
charge of the duties dcvolvcd up
on it by the adoption of the reso-
luton aforesaid. It has sat from
three to five hours every day, and
has examined iifty-fvc witnesses
thirty-six Of whom arc classified
as Republicans, aud nineteen as
Democrats. At the beginning of
the investigation, your Committee
directed the Republican member
thereof to inform his Exccllcncy
Governor Ames, Of the points on
which witnesses were being exam
incd, from day to. day, touching
his Official conduct, and to request
him to send in to the Committee
the names of such witnesses as he
might desire to have summoned
and examined in vildication of his
Official acts. Your Committee
states, with pleasure that this re-
quest has been complied with, and
quite a number Of witnesses have
been summoned and examined at
the instance Of his Exccllcncy, tho
Governor, and in fact, all whose
presence before, and examination
by your Committee was requested
by him, have been summoned and
examined fully, with the exception
of ono whose illness after he was
summoned, prevented his attend
ancc. The testimony taken has
not been OK partc, and witha view
Of developing but one side Of tho
case, but your Committee has, in
fairness and justice, cndcavorcd to
reach a conclusion fully justified
by the proofs on both sides, and
impartial as between the people Of
the State and his Exccllency the
Governor. Your Committee has
considered It a question Of too
much importance to admit Of Z
hasty or superficial examination
and in pursuing this inquiry, it,
! members have cndeayorcd 10 divest
themselves Of all partisan feeling
and political and personal prcju'
dice, and to kesp steadily IN view
the ouc great object to be attained
by this investigation, that Is to as.
certain whether the official conduct
of Governor Ancs has furnished
the people ofthe State with grount
which would justify md dcmant
his impeachment. How far YOU
| Committee has succeeded in cxclu
ding from their deliberations al
improper influ cnces, and in basini
their report upon the .imprcgnabl'
foundation of truth, as Furnished
by the testimony, they submit Il
the judgement Of this House ant
to the arbitMment Of an impartia
public. Tho conclusion reaches
by your Committee has not bee
sought, or desired, but has bee
forced on them by convictions 0
duty, and gladly would the
have arrived at different. concl,l
sion, for the honor of tho State an
its chief executive officer, If tn
i testimony in the case had justiflc
them in doing SO.
Your Committee, therefore sui
nit that Adclbert Amcs, Govcrno
/ Of the State Of Mississippi, shoul
!, be impcachcd and removed fror
! office for his official misconduct !
: the following instanccs:
f /. In refusing to execute IL
laws by failing to remove W. n
Conner, Sheriff of Noxubcc count
q from Office in August. 1875,
}, which time he was reported to hi
e as a defaulter, holding twenty tv
), ), thousand dollars (s22, ,OO) Of publ
i money. and refusing to pay ov'
Il the same to the county ofNoxub'
!c 2. In refusing to execute the Law
= = in the case Of M. l.. Holland, Sta
Treasurer. who was reported
10 him by the Attorncy-Gcncral
Df the State in the summer Of 167
to be IN office and in charge Of 4
State Trcasuary without havil
'r given bond and securities, as I
law requires.
8. In calling for United Stat
troops in January, 1875, and cal
. ing A. J. Flanagan, Sheriff Of WI
: rem county. to be elected from
office by said troops and anotl