The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-06-14
'0rrespondcncc Cincinnati CommeIciaI
The Mississippi Murders.

. dAAH = 1870
Mrs Chisolun, in a letter giving som,
OF the details Of the Kemper county mas
sacre, says that the British subject. Mc
Lellan, who was killed, bad always re-
fused to be naturalized and become a citi
zen Of the United States, because IL wa
not strong enough to protect It's citizens
Now that Mcclellan u in his grave. butch
cred by the mob at the time Of the gen
eral killing. there Is grim irony In ths
old Scotchman's objection TO becoming 4
citizen OF the United States. Living ia
Mississippi he had ample opportunitie,
10 see al what cheap rate human life
Is held, and he had no inclination 10 be
come a citizen. This man does not ap
pear TO have been especially obnoxiou.
to the mob; he was killed because he
would not get away from the Jail door
and allow Chisolm and his family TO be
slaughtered. Upon being ordered "a
stand aside, he replied that be had been
put there by the Sheriff 10 guard the
jail. and he would do il with bis life
Then he was shot down like a dog. and
the way cleared for the massacre Of the
family None Of the other guards seem
10 have made show Of defense.
Surely the old Scotchman's objection
to becoming a citizen Of the United
States seems well taken. The graves Of
the Chisolm family Is a monument 10 the
fact that this Government does not pro.
tect its citizens or attempt TO punish
murderers. IL IL a month now since the
sla ghter. and nothing u done about H.
Tae local authorities will not do any.
thing. md the General Government can
not IL u contrary 10 the Constitution.
I you know. Can we wonder that McLel
u a. a n 4 Al. -
I Government which neither protects its
I citizens when alive, nor Furnishes their
mu .derers when dead
I IL is said that the British Legation at
/ Washington will demand OF the Govern
ment an investigation OF the manner of
McLellan's taking OF hope they will
/ Imagine such a massacre in England aud
nothing done about ~
The kemper county murderers will
never be punished. II it rests with the
local authorities to do IL. you may de.
pend upon that. Outside pressure may
compel feeble attempt az getting the
matter into Court. but IL will come to
nothing Whatever j. done II anything.
will be- Tor effect Punished the murder.
ers never will be in the world Governor
Stone does not think best To str up"
the matter. lie knows very we'll that 10
would be impossible To bring the mur.
derers TO justice. when the local authori-
ties and public sentiment are In sympa-
thy with them.
What is termed the dangerous class"
in Mississippi !, Ia. ge. r. at -. the 1m
be who cary pistols. and DEFY Law, a. d
shoot I'd . ab. ant make mobs. rnd set
tie private quarrels with the hot gun. j.
large. than convenient Tor the we'll mean.
ing portion Of the community TO control
The Democrats upoa the Senate lnvesti.
cation Committee who investigated
Mississippi matters yeai ago. found
this out. The lawlessness bought TO
their attention was more than could BE-
accounted for after making all possible
allowances for the provocation OF "Ras'
cal rule They, OF course, charged al
they could against that, but t.ere was
still smart chance leit over, which
could be accounted for only by the disrc
gard Of law. and pistol practice Of the
dangerous classes" In all kirdncss the
Democrats Of the committee in their
minority report warned the citizens that
they must either control this class or BE-
controlled by them. In the light Of the
Kemper county massacre Il is not diff
cult TO see who is on top. The DANCE.
Gus classes administer law with the shot
gun.
There was no political necessity or e..
cuse for this last massFc e. PTeyior
massacres in that quarter have had the
show Of justification in this, that Repub
lican rule was unpleasant. But Republi
can rule is abolished in Mississippi, the
party stamped out. mainly with the shot
gun, impartial suffrage destroyed. and
the Democrats have everything their own
way IL Chisolm had done anything de
serving p isLment you may be sure he
would have CAUGHT II from the local au
t.iorities, whose hostility 20 pronounced
and active Republicans Is shown in the
massacre OF himself and family. Had he
been any wise instrumental in the assas
sination OF Gully. which was made the
prctext for exterminating the family. he
could have been punished o. the whole
local government machinery was in the
hands oi his bitter political enemies.
The charge that he "instigated" the
assassination Of Gully. bears upon It,
face the evidence Of having been trump-d
up. as an excuse ior mob violence. Gul.
IS friends have the Courts aud the
whole legal machinery. ~ shown by the
fact that no steps are taken against the
mob OF murdvfers.
And Chisolm. while at home. and 10
Jail. aud with bic dying breath. protested
that he was innocent OF the charge o.
''insugating' the assassination OF Gully.
that he knew nothing Of u. aud had me-
connection with Il ia any shape. form o.
fashion.
IA j. said by the Mississippi papers. the
most OF whom seek TO excuse this barbar
/ ors hatchery. that Chirolm. while In ofiic-
as q Republican official, was corrupt. and
/ had used bis Office 10 make money, &c
| Now. the truth is. Chisolm bad demand
l ED and c0uttrd investigation lie did
/ not move outside Of Kemper county. or
SEEK TO escape investigation, even at the
hands OF his bitterest Democratic enc
mie. Had he been guilty Of wrong doin =
in Office. punishment would have been
easy. as his enemies would have only been
too glad 10 make him suffer. having. ne
they did co,aplete control OF all the
legal machinery.
The truth -. the most that can be said
against Chisolm Is that he was an 100.
noxiOus Republican" lie believed In
the equality Of men before the law. and
was a Trojan worker for the Republican
party. which is supposed TO be the party
committed 10 that doctrine. The Demo
cratic party. as at St Louis aud else
where, commit themselves TO the doc
trine Of political equality. but 10 is al /
lie. and the pledges are made only 10 b.
violated whenever the carrying out o
the doctrine would cndanger politica
supremacy.
. In the notorious Mississippi election o
? l775. when the majority was run over b,
: force. aud the shot gun substituted 70
: argument. Chisolm stood up unhincl
4 "a l..
/ spvaking. facing the world the devil. "a
q Democracy and the shot guns without
! sign Of fear. He was, indeed, YER