Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-10-19
Letter from Captain willis.


Letter from Captain willis.
Editor Of the Herald:
In your issue of Tuesday appeared
communication from Jas. VI. Gibson,
Jr, headed, The E. .. Willis and Mer.
chants Lien Law Question, containing
several dirty, low, flung reflections upon
me, aud assuming to give some reasons
why the cestui que trust law should be
abolished. The public is not interested
in the personalities INDUCED in BY
lUdS about 10 sag the gentlemdn-but
the question at issue between us is one
in which this community has vital in
terest.
The law protects the merehan; who
advances supplies to make the cotton
crop, as we'll as the landlord who fur.
nishes the land, and gives them lien
on the cotton which the tenant Is by
this aid enabled 10 produce. 1t would
DO easy to show that this law has been
of great benefit 10 the tenants and 10
the land owners; but that is not the
question here. II Is the law, and many
tenants having, in violation of that law,
traudulently and secretly removed
the cotton, subject TO the merchants
and landlords lien, in the seed,
and sold 1t 10 men willing TO make q
dishonest gain by this nefarious traffic.
Capt. Forlson, q planter interested In
this subject, published some "sugges-
tions" asI 10 the remedy for what no
reasonable man can deny 10 be great
evil. Thercupon this youthful genius,
fresh from academic pastures green,
and partaking so far Of the rerdancy Of
the pastures as 10 be Ignorant Of the re-
spect due others, thrusts himself be.
fore the public with no legitimate criti-
cism of Capt. Fortson's suggestions, but,
with fippant ridiculc Of the author,
pours forth perfect didrrhea of an.
digeSlGd cords about the "ceStui que"
trust law, (whatever that may be- and
the bare footed tendntIy. |, being a
sufferer from this rascally traffic, re-
piled saying that Mr.. Fortson stated
'acts, and giving one instance Of the
swindliug perpetrated by these phildn-
thrOpic buyers Of stolen cotton; also
stating that this was serious matter
and limiting that the men engaged in
the suppression OF this illegal business
were in earnest.
Mr.. James NJ. Gibson, Jun, or "Jr.,"
as he prefers 10 have II written, de-
nies, by implication, that !.e Is de,
fender Of seed cotton buyers. lie tays,
iu your issue of Oct, Cd, "The starving
negro looks around HIM, sees his bare
foot and hungry, ragged children,
knowing the cold, pitiless winds will
soon be upon him, he, for self.preser-
vation Is an instructive law OF nature,
takes his cotton In the seed and sells
it," Here is the justification Of the
seller, (or rather oil that even q lying
fancy can suggest by way Of ustiflca-
tion,) 10 men wEC think Il no more
criminal to buy seed co:;on, than It is
for The merchant or furnishing "mou.
led men TO charge six dollars ior a
barrel Of meal, selling for cash at two
dcia and .eventy.five cents" Here
Is the defense Of the buyers, by assum.
ing that the suppller does a moral
wrong 10 off,et II with the moral
wrong and lega! crime Of the buyer Of
the stolen property. II will not avail
him 10 say that he did not intend 1t in
that way; it means that, not more nor
less. Ii James NJ. Gibson, Jun, or
"Jr," cannot understand his own pro.
duc,ions, (perhaps that would be ask.
ing too much Of him. | would suggest
that he takes his own advice aud do
what he falsely accuses me of doing
that is, get some one 10 write them for
him.
Whether the law 10 secure rents Sn
advances to produce crops shall be re-
pealed, is a question the people and
their servants, the legislators, must set
tie. had no hand in making the law
but It Is certain that the traffic in seed
cotton is dishonest, and that It is Grim
inal. Judge Young, in his recen
charge to the Grand Jury, stigmatizej
both seller and buyer as there's.
had supposed no sane man would
take any other view Of the matter, an(
am only sorry TO see that there is {
man who, though not insane, is such {
fool as to expect honest people to sup
port his contrary view, or TO believe
that the majority Of our community car
be deceived by such phRdathropI'
t,Cdddle.
Some people might suppose tina
this self.constituted law.giVer of War
rem county Strutted before the public
to air his hybrid rhetoric, and be char
. itably disposed to dismiss hin
with the advice, "confne yourself
young man 10 your poetry" (so.called
; where the rhyme may compensate fo
the want of reason. II, however, thl
t respectable people who know Jas. N
. Gibson, Jr., or Jun, say truly, he de
. serves some sympathy, for his father
1t is currently reported, has been en-
!, gSged In this illegal traffic.
] shall not be likely to trouble tn
: public further with this matter, or 4
a claim more Of the valuable space o
the HERALD. Jas. n. Gibson, Jr., o
Jun, has placed himself on record q
the advocate Of thieves.
Z. B. WILLIS.