The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-22
MCCLELLAN, THE ALLEGED BRITISH
sJBJECF.
jackson Clarion.1

Representations having been made tt
the British Minister at Washington tina
Mcclellan, who was killed in the KEN
per affray, was British subject, tn,
Administration was requested by him t.
inquire into the facts. Hon. Luke Lea
United htates District Attorney, was in
structed by the Department of Justice t.
make the necessary investigation, ant
Mr., q. K. Chase was commissioned b.
the President to take part in the inves
tigation. They have visited Kemr,ee
county, and conducted the inquiry, a,
we have the best reason for believing
In a fair and impartial manner. The
citizens OF Kemper extended every cour
the investigationc-
Touching the citizenship Of McClel
| Ian, it was ascertained that he was borr
| in Scotland and came to the UniteC
States In 1848; that after residing liz
| Maine and Alabama about six years, he
| took up his abode in Kemper county
Miss. that he was never naturalized
that he pursued his avocations in KEN
per, made money, and acquired consid
cradle property in real and personal
estate, and declared his intention, when
| purchasing tract OF land some yeare
ago, to make it a model farm and spend
the remainder of his days upon it; that
during the late war he volunteered
with other Mississippians, in the Con-
federate service, and served at Bowling
Green sixty days; that he afterward
worked as O mechanic in the Confeder-
ate shops at Mobile, and that, while
thus employed he, with other workmen,
was at times called out to perform mill
tary service; that he claimed exemption
from said service as British subject,
and laid his complaint before the Brit
ish consul at Mobile; that the consul
refused to interfere in his behalf on the
ground that by voluntarily enlisting in
the military service Of the Confederate
States he had forfeited his right to Brit
ish protection.
In reference to the affray in which he
lost his life, 1t was ascertained that he
was not summoned by the Sheriff on
his posse Gas first enormously stately,
but that his participation on the side of
the Chisholm party was entirely'volun-
tary; that he armed himself with a
shotgun and made defiant remarks and
threats in regard to the other party, GO
ing SO far as to say that it was time to
begin the shooting, and the like; also,
that if the crowd killed the prisoners
there would be enough Of the friends Of
the latter left to Waylay and kill their
slayers, and that the officers would be
taken off first, etc. In the melee he
was killed, how or by whom is not
stated. It can we'll be imagined that as
he had armed himself for the affray,
and assumed the championship OF one
of the parties, he was liable to suffer
the consequences, which he had shown
himself willing to do, as he was a
warm friend of the Chisholm party and
unquestionably brave to rashness.
We presume the District Attorney
and Mr.. Chase will report the facts
touching the alleged British citizen
ship Of the deceased, but the statement
that they will declare him a British
subject is simply preposterous. 1t is no
part OF their duty to pronounce an opin-
ion on the subject. They will leave that
part of the matter to be determined by the
representatives of the British Govern
ment and the United States authorities
at Washington. We will add that there
can be but one conclusion, and that is
the one announced by the British Consul
during the war, viz: that Mcclellan
forfeited his claim to protection as a
British subject, and so it will turn out
another case OF Much Ado About
Nothing.