The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-06-07
Mississippi Bashi-Baz0uks.

ga Mssssippian," who speaks from an init.
mate personal acquaintanceship with Gov.
Stone, of Mississippi, in a communication tn
the Evening Star, of Washington, furnishes
the following unique defence of the Governor
for his failure to set on foot the proper official
inquiry into the murder of the Chisolm family
| by the Kemper county mob. From this COM
munication it will be observed that the sacrifice
of the lives of the Republicans, white or black,
will not be given the least consideration when
Democrats are standing for reelection in Mis-
sissippi. in order that they may continue to
revel Sin the luxury of home rule. 1.-THE writer.
who speaks with full knowledge of the ad-
ministraton of affairs in Mississippi under "a
party that assassuates and murders itself into
power" says:
know Gov. Stone well, having served sever
al years in the legislature with him. He has
not been politician. His home is at Corinth,
| where he WHOLESALERS liquors. He was elected
to the State Senate as Democrat of fair mind
and liberal views, This character he main
tained throughout his legislative career and in
several notable instances voted against his
party when the whole party pressure was
brought against him. He possesses remark
able personal independence. and I, have always
thought. a high sense of right and justice for 3.
Mississippi Democrat. do not propose to ex-
tenuate his apparent dereliction of duty in this
case, but can fully realize his situation. Few
public men care to make martyrs of themselves.
however good the cause. Gov. Stone is not an
exception. An election for Governor occurs
next November. He is q candidate for nomina-
tion by his party In this instance he became
Governor by the forced resignation of Gov.
Ames, being President pro tenn. of the Senate
at that time; now he wants to be elected by
the people. He knows that vigorous effort
to prosecute the Kemper county murder
nrfa IAf
and why? Simply because nine-tenths
of his party in the state sympathize with
those men. The Meridian Mercury, the most
popular paper in East Mississippi, in its issue of
May 4, says that 80 Of every 100 of the respecta-
BILE citizens of Kemper county indorse what
was done, and assume their proportionate share
of the responsibility for the brutal deed. The
Mercury spoke the truth and it might have said
as much for all the state, The jackson Clari-
on, the official organ of the party at the capital,
attempts to excuse the murder, and not one of
the 80 Democratic papers in the state has con-
demned it. Several cordially endorse it, as
have the proof to show Then, what is to be
done? The judges are Democrats, the prose-
cutting attorneys are Democrats and have to be
re elected next fall. The Grand Juries are
Democratic, and in Kemper county every Dem
ocrat on the Jury would either be OF the 800
armed murderers who assaulted on that
bloody Sabbath day at DE Kalb, or in full SYM
pathy with them, and would not give penny
for the life of the man or woman who dare
to testify against them; no petit jury of Demo-
Gratis in Missssppi-and they have none other
now-could be empaneled to convictsif indict-
ments were found. Nothing could be morelab-
surd than to hope for justice in that direction.
Gov Stone knows this, andihe does not propose
to urge a farce of q trial and sacrifice his hope
of nomination. "The White Liners made him
and they can unmake him as quickly Thew
run the State, its courts, Governor and all, and
now have the fear of nothing before them.
They are revelling in the luxury of home rule.
Gov. Stone is not really to blame, because he
cannot help himself. He is as powerless as a
child, in fact. Place the blame where it be-
longs; with the people who elect Governors
and commit murders with the same bloody
hands, Gov. Stone must know that as Cover
nor he is but the product of crimes The cam
paign of 1875 required over 3Oo hepuollean
and assassinates itself into power will hold by
the same method, and the man who expects its
favors must at least consent to its crimes.