The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-01-07
Amendments to the ConstitU-
ton To Be Reported.
NO REDUCTION OF THE ARMY PROBABLE.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

THE PROPOSED INVESTIGATION INTO THE RE-
CENT MISSISSIPPI ELECTION REASONS FOR
THE CHANGE IN POPULAR SENTIMENT AS
FURNISHED BY REPUBLIcAN-THE ABoMI-
NATIONS OF AMEs' ADMINISTRATION.
When Senator Morton's project for investigating
Mississippi up IN the Senate il is very probable
that the opponents Of the will call for all the
evidence already in the possession Of the President
in regard TO the late election in that State the
condition Of politics there which produced SO great
change 10 give State formerly heavily republican
to the democrats. Mississippi had not large
publican majority as Massachusett which quite as
suddenly went democratic IN 1874 IL had not
large republican majority New
York, which to the democrats by SO 900 in 1874
the change in Mississippi greater than that
New York IN 1875, when the riden majority was
swept away Still there was undoubtedly change in
Mississippi aud a personal friend OF the President,
cool. clear headed and strong republican. was
down there shortly after the election out
and report tho which led To this change
While in Mississippi he not only Investigated but he
obtained FROM several leading republicans in the State
written statements OF their views OF the situation
His report and the documents accompany
ing II have been very carefully kept from the
public far il is understood that they condemn in
the strongest terms the administration Of Governor
Ames Is sbGmelessly corrupt and prove that the
people OF the State would have unworthy Of
government " hey had united to put down the
msgovernment and that the honest republicans did
unite the only way rslieve themselves Of the mis-
rule Of Ames and his foIowers who had captured the
republican organization and prostitutcd it for thor
personal ends u is said that Ames unscrupulously
used the vest Instruments for his purpose. In
county the Aues candidate for the Legislature n
h.at
years, and who had been pardoned out OF prison by
Ames only two three months before he nomi-
mated for the Legislature where he was TO support
Ames for the United States Senate.
Among letters obtained from prominent republicans
OF Mississippi by Colonel Huntington, the Presidents
friend and investigator, was the following from
Judge Morris member OF the Republican State Com
miitec old and firm republican, who
been the canvass in Mssissipp in every year
since 1866 a of high character This letter
gives a succin.t account OF Mississippi politics and OF
the mismanagement OF Governor Ames. The following
is the letter ofJudge Morris
LETTER OF JUDGE NORRIS
JACKSON, Miss, Nov IS 1875.
Hon W VIZ ,Srr, ,,aos.-
nFss.. ,IRc~ ,,oe "a row. IN compliance with your
request 10 brief statement OF the embraced IN
your inquiry the train last night but my statement
mus, necessarily, for want Of time, be made breier
than should desire
States Senate become Governor lior then be
nominated equal 10 an electIonl the party in this
State perfectly united. In weeks IL divided
and It's divisions have increased and multiplied ever
since IL could have been strengthened, but II has
grown weaker and weaker, and now overtbrown, at
least Tor the present IL never while he
al ts head.
Governor Ames having been military command
during the period Of reconstruction and having
carried the principles of Grant, be naturally
placed intact with Generals Ord and GIlen carry
ing out the wishes OF Anirew johnson. The one was
hQ lpT "A In have
made him a god IN the estimation OF the coored
masses But Ames had other merits He at the
time apparently sagacious and true. The party made
him United states Senator by almost unanimous
vote but he proved himself un1t for that place. he
has proved himself unit Tor Governor aud still
unit for the leadership Of the party he has endan
gered the party many ways and at almost every step
in his administration, and It's present wreck is due to
his utter incapacty for the duties he has assumed
will enumerate only few OF HIS mistakes.
He sought from the FIRST TO place 10 Office whom
he knew or ought have known intrinscally bad
and dishonest men, and did so because they
thought TO be popular on account OF color or other adj
ventitious circumstances Instance Cardozo nom-
mated for State superintendent OF Education through
Ames influence solely because he was colored man,
although then known 70 be indicted for larceny
Brooklyn, n Y. He has. since been indicted for five
iorgeries this State Instance also his active and
persistent agency keeping John 3. Raymond ia the
clerkshp Of the State Treasury under salary Of 800
per year State warrants, when that individual
receiving not less than &lOO.000 per year public
printer for the State and himself paying 81, 500 per
year 10 currency tor clerk his own Office The
atrocities OF Raymond's occupation the Treasury for
the last years would themselves OH a volume.
HIS pay as state printer, amounting, as | have
before said about 100000 per year,
was all In State deprecated TO
an average value OF from sixtyhve 10 seventy-hve
cents the dollar Being head clerk in the Office
and the Treasurer himself being very weak and un-
suspecting person. Raymond mad vast opportunities
only for 'cashing his own warrants, but also for
speculation purchasing and ''cashing' other war
rants Besides this, Raymond has collected and re-
ceived on every bill for public printing four or i've
times what the law allows him by duplicating, trpcat-
where
This fully explained 10 you IN conversation
last night Mr. RAYMOND has thus prostituted bis Oh
portunties to plunder the State not by OF any
ability or merit OF his own, for he has none but by
means OF printing ring, as IL Is called here, com
posed partly OF republicans and partly OF democrats in
the legislature all ofwhom had shared ms profits All
this Governor Ames knew and now knows Yet &C
lively and persistenliy he uses all his influence his
favor and thus keeps him IN place
Governor Ames has since his inauguration caused the
weak and mbecile Legislature at his command to
create and has approved their creatone of numerous
Offices for themselves 70 be filled by Executive appoint
ment These Offices were in many instances
unknown 10 the constitution and unknown
10 the history OF the State the history Of any
other state and wholly unnecessary 70 the pubic
But alter thus causing their creation and
officially approving them he has appointed idle vaga-
bonds belonging 10 the Legislature to OIL them IL you
will take the trouble 20 examine section % OF article 10
OF our state constitution page 600 OF the Revised Code
OF 1871. you will see how perfectly repugnant 10 our
State constitution all this is
Governor Ames has introduced the palpably uncon-
sttutonal and metropolitan system OF appointing
and removing the Judiciary OF the State The
constitution requires that The Judiciary OF the
State, including chanceors the circuit judges
and the supreme Judges shall be APP
pointed by the Governor, 'by and the advice OF
the senate" When the Governor naugurated the
OF all the chaDccllOrs about to expire, aud
did expire within a few weeks He refused, contrary 10
the advice OF all the Intelligent republicans In the State
make any nominations The Senate was IN session
waiting for his nominations for more than three weeks
and adjourned aud went away Governor Ames then
appointed all his chancellors dd interim, and claimed
and exercised tho right TO remove them at pleasure or
retain them IN oce according 10 the extent of their
absolute and abJect obedience on the bench 10 his
sovereign Will Among other chancellors ad interim
Of Chief Justice Peyton OF the Supreme
bench. One OF these had pending before him grave
question Of constitutional law involving the validity OF
an immense franchise ana the loan" moro properly
the scangl of large amount OF trust funds donated
20 the state ~ Congress- Ames took exceeding and
unaccountable interest In this case and undertook TO
control the decision Of the young Chancellor All other
falling he sought 10 control m by direct arr
peal 70 MS father, the Chief Justice The Governor Of
the state was refused. aud the commission OF the