New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-26
Tho Impeachment of Governor Ames.

of impeachments against Governor Ames,
have prepared their report, which was to
have been submitted t. the Hsuse for ac-
ton yesterday. Mr.. Frederick Parsons,
Republican, has submitted an elaborate
minority report. The following is the re-
port of the majority:
Mr. SpEAKER-The undersigned, special
this House, adopted on tho sixth day OF
January last, to investigate the official con
duct Of his excellercy, AGelbert AMes.
Governor OF the State of Mississippi, and
to report the result of such Investigation
back to this House, beg leave to submit the
following report:
For thirty eight days your committee haF
been diligently and industriously engaged
in the discharge Of the duties Levol, ang
upon it by the adoption of the resolution
aforesaid. 1t has sat from three to Eve
hours every day, and has examined ftty-
five witnesses, thrty-six ct whom are CLASH
fed as Republicans and nineteen as Demo
Gratis At the beginning OF thu investtg2
ton YOUR committee directed the Repubii-
can member thereof to inform his eXot'!en
cy, Governor Ames, OF tie points on wr:ch
witnesses were being examined from dag
to day. touching his official conduct, and 70
reGueat him to send in to the committee tho
names Of such witne sses us he might dc
sire TO have summoned ard examined II
vind!cat:on Of his official acts. Your con-
mttae states with pleasure that this re-
quest has been complied with. and G. 4lte q
number of witnesses has been summoncd
and examined at the instance OF MS excel
leucT, the Governor, and, II tact, All whose
presence before, and examination by y1ur
committee vas requested by him, have
been summoned and examined fully, WIKI
the exception of one whose illness after lie
was Summoned prevented has attendance,
The testimony takeI, has not been e1 par5o,
and with view Of developing bnF one side
of the case. but your commlttee has. II
fairness and justice, endeavored to reach
conclusion fully justified by the proofs on
both sides. and impair tai AS between the
peorle OF the State and his ezceiiepcy the
Ggyeruur. -FOUR committee has considered
it q question OF too much Importance 10 Gd-
nit .! a hasty or superficial eXanInGtioN
Aud ia pursuing this inquiry, It's IL II be.s
have enlieayored to Givest themselves OF al
partisan feeling and political and personal
prejudice, and to keep steadily il view tho
one great object to be attained by thus In
yestigatiou, that is, TO ascertain WEcthe:
the othcial conduct of Governor Ames has
furnished tie people OF the state VITA
crounis which would justify and demand
his impeachment. How far your committee
has succeeded il excluding from the.r de
liperatioDs al improper influences, and IN
basing their report upon the impIegHahle
foundation of truth, as fnrnlshed by the
testimony, they submit 20 the Judgement OF
this House and to the abitrament OF an iiu-
partial public. The conclusion reached by
vour committee has not been sought or de
sired. but has been forced on them by con
victions Of duty, and gladly would they
have arrived a: different conclusion Ter
the honor Of the State and its chief cAoca-
tive officer, if the testimony II the case had
justified them in doing so.
Your committee, therefore. submit that
Adelbert Ames, Governor OF the State or
Mississippi, should be impeached and re
moved from office for his Ctficia; III ScouGucG
in tie following instances:
l. In refusing to execute the laws by iaIl
ing to remove W. NJ. Conner sheriff @.
Noxubee county, from Office III August,
1875, at which time he was reported TO him
as "a detaul,er, holding $4,000 of pubic
money, and refusing to pay ever the same
to the county OF Noxubea.
9. In refusing to execute the laws IL the
case of NJ. l.. Holland, State Treasurer
who " was reported to him by the Attorney
to be in office and in charge of the STATE
treasury without having given bond eua
security. as the law requires
3. In calling for Unitod States troops II
January, 1875, and causing A. j. Flanagan
sheriff OF Warren county. to be elected iron
his office by said troops and another mar
installed in his stead, in violation ot Il;
constitution and laws OF the State
4. In permitting II. Cassidy. Jc, chaocsi
lcr Of the - district, and j. B. Deaac:'
district attorney of the - district, K
change Offices, in violation OF tie c0astt.u-
ton and laws Of the State.
5. In permitting the cony!cts II the p2ci
tentiary. BY contracts approved by nlm' 1
be leased out to his partisan friends. Mccsrs
French & Jobes, in 1875, without ray Q
cor spensatiou, when the same convict
were leased 10 other parties within Ner'
short time, by French & Jobe-, ioc Z isT9
SUN Of money.
G. In the removal OF ". 3. pevt { Al
cCilor OF the sixteenth district.
{. Ia the removal OF y. A. D.tLna1
chancellor OF the twelfth district.
s. In the removal OF Inouas Christian
| chancellor OF the fOuith district.
Q. IL the appointment OF G. Cuilers, i.
! G.. Abott. J. ID, Barton and William Bret i
| chaucellors of their respective districts.
| TO- Ia his abuse of power and violation
Z! law in directing Peter Crosby's return :
| y!cksburg, in December, IS. /, ard III SUE
!
| pDasessiGn of the office of sheriff OF "
| county by force Of arms, whereby q c0ui.!c
| between the races was brought on, G'
| much blood was shed, and many Lives We
! lost.
! II. For his official acts in arL1iag tie mi,
| tia of Kinds county 10 September and .
| hor, 1873. in time of ps ace, ard especial.
| for detailing Charles Caldwell's coilpan
| com posed OF colOred, to escort arms 70 La
| wards Depot, said company being o.hcere
| bv and the rank and file composed CT co
| ored men known to have participated /
! the Clinton riot aud causing them, arnIe
| and defiant, to parade the streets CT Cht
| ton. going to and returning from Edward.
| Depot. with the deliberate intent to Great
| disturbance and plunge the country in
war of races, with all its attendant horrcri
| In support of the foregoing specification
( your committee is of the opinion that th
proof will chow that the judicial depas1
ment of the State government has not ont
been tampered with by his exceilency, ou
that he has sought to paralyzs to thwar
to emasculate and to render it entirely sut
servlent to his will.
That his excellency has failed and ri
fused to execute the laws by action !
some instances, and by the removal of oil
ce,s in others, whenever his personal
partisan interests would be promoted ther
By. That be is responsible for the coniii'
between the races at Vicksburg, IN DeceU
ber. 1874, and for the loss OF human LII
which then and there occurred, and that
would have been responsible fcc a create
loss Of life in Kinds county in the fall {
1875, but FOR the timely interference OF pr
dent and discreet persons to prevent ii
same.
Without attempting to analyze, to clssslf
to condenee or to recite any OF the tes'
mcuy in this report. your committee her
VITA submit it to the House for its canGi
conscientious and impartial judgment,
obedience to the terms OF the resolUtlt
under which your committee was appointe
Your committee recommend tie adoptio
of the resolution here with submitted.