The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-06-02
Governor Stone on the Chisolm Mas
aaCrc.
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

JACKSON, May IS, 1877. }
Jerome 4. johnson, Esq, Washington, ID.
Dear Sir.-Your letter of the 18th instant
was received by to-day's mail. wish that
q larger number OF your people were willing
to hear both sides before condemning.
Since the recent unfortunate occurrence
in Kemper county april 29th) there has
been no outbreak in that county, nor any
demonstration towards violence, nor any
well-founded apprehenSions OF trouble.
visited the scene Of the trouble az soon as a
report OF it reached me, and remained there
part OF two days. made full inVeStlga-
ton, and coDversed freely with the family
of Judge Cbisolm. l afterwards visited the
Judge OF the district, who was at the time
holding court in Columbus ana oDtalned
his promise to hold special term Of the Cir
cult Court. with view to full judicial in
yestigaton. | returned to Jackson on the
7th instant, leaving everything quiet in
Kcmper, and assured by officers and citi-
zens that there was not the slightest danger
of further trouble. l started to Natchez
on the Stb, but left Natchez on the
next night, and 10y the first boat, having
received the telegram OF Captain NJ.
Shaughnessy, which has been published in
the northern journals. did not believe
the fears expressed in his telegram were
well founded, but desired to do all in my
power to convince any reasonable person
that there was no cause OF apprehension.
7 bad Just left Kemper county and knew
better than Captain shaughDessy the con-
dition of affairs there. Ten days had elapsed
since the attack on the Jail; everything was
quiet; it was not true that Judge Chisolm
and his family we're in danger from any
mob; an early judicial investigation was
promised, and was not willing, IN order TO
silence the clamors of any one, to permit
the invasion of the county by body OF
armed men, and thus give sanction TO a vlo-
lation of law. AS Captain Shaughnessy's
volunteering the necessary force to pro-
tect the widow and her family" was made
ten days after the attack on the jail, when
everything was quiet, and as eight days have
since elapsed, and quiet still prevails, l
should say 1.-THE reports heralded through
the NORTH" based solely upon his telegram,
are rather I" highly-celored." .
It is not true that " Mrs. Chisolm and her
husband were in danger Of assassination
while the latter was lying wounded at
home" It is not true that "her residence
was guarded by a mob day and night;
that ethey swore to take her husbands
life," and that "she was not allowed egress
or ingress without pass from the head OF
the mob"
No one iustifes the act by which Judge
Chsolm lost his life. Everything that is
possible shall be done to arrest and punish
the guilty parties. / do not hope to silence
the Misrepresentation Of men who are
making political capital out Of the unfortu-
nate affair. The South has been too long
the victim Of misrepresentation for your
people to become willing suddenly to hear
both sides before condemning.
The recent kilograms and articles that
have appeared in northern papers are based
solely upon my refusal to consent to an in
vasion Of Kemper county by a body Of men
from other counties. The folly Of consent
ing to such a proposition, when no trouble
was apprehended, must be apparent to every
reasonable person.
Thanking you for your kindly expressions
for our people. am, sir, your obedient
servant, j. M. STONE,
.sa..j Governor of Mississippi.