The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-03-27
Letter from Col. c. n. Nelson.
LIBERTY, March Is, 1873


EDS CLARION: My attention has beer
called to an article in a recent numb Der o
| the VickSburg Commercial, which doe:
great injustice To worthy man and an eX
cellent official, ard to which justice anC
tairnt IS demand reply. | alIude to thu
article commenting on the report OF thu
Grand Jury at the recent February term o
the Circuit Court of Pike county, in which
IL is incide6tlv, If not directly. charged tina
Judge j. b. Chrisman is derelict in duty
| Is unequal to the requirements OF the time
and should be removed. SO far as the re-
port of the Grand Jury is concerned, TAXI
no issue with the Commercial L have nc
| word TO say in its defense. But that judge
| Chrisman should be held responsible for tht
utteranees Of those "dogberrys," is unfair
| 40 one will be more ready and willing &c
| right the wrong and repair the injury than
| the Editor OF the Commercial. | was in a
| position To now the ac ion of the Grand
Jury in Reference to the particular kind ofof-
| ten es referred to-Judge Chrisman's course
IN that particular, aud the circumstances I'M
der which the report was written.
I The Grand Jury was EN- pannelled under
the general law and in the usual manner.
Inc Act to suppress lawleSSneSS in certain
southern counties was not then in
force. In his charge, which was able
earnest and eloquent, the Judge dwelt at
length on the local lawlpsSncss, with which
the public prints had been lecmng,' and
warned the Grand Jurors that in this par
ticular no excuse would avail them, and they
would be held responsible tor failure to
Investigate fully every outrage brought to
their notice. During the first week of the
term, Investigations were commenced and
such was the difficulty in getting witnesses
before it, and so great their reluctance to
testify when before It that the Grand jury
was well-nigh disheartened, and when on
Monday OF the second week it became
known that a witness, on his way to the
COUNTY in Oha0 Hence to the SIIb,na,a =,
the Grand jury, had been assassinated
number of the Grand Jurors concluded that
they were powerlesS, either to punish
the guilty or to protect the innocent and
thinking that humanity required that they
should no more subject witnesses to the
danger OF assassination, determined to stop
further investigation; to make their report |
aud be discharged. Then it was reported |
that the report Wa>swritteD (unofficially) to |
Judge Chrisman. He showed himself fully |
equal to the emergency. He made no se- |
cret of his views aud intentions. He did |
not demand that any one should be indicted |
but he did demand that all cases of lawless-
ness should be thoroughly investigated and
he gave the Grand Jury to understand that
it they failed to do their whole duty in this
respect he would discharge them in dis
grace, and empannel another. He Infused |
into the Grand Jury, some OF his cour-
age and determination. Ii resumed its in
designations. hot one INSTANCE of Iawless-
ness escaped their scrutiny What they
did, neither they nor am permitted to dis
close. Arrests are not generally made durinq
he same term at tohich the Indictments are re
armed; but il the local officers OF Pike
county do their duty well and fearlessiy
as the Judge, District Attorney and Granu
Jurors have done theirs, the State docket, at
he August term, will refute fully the Sian
Ter which the Commercial finds in the weak.
and, in some respects, qntruth- i
al report of the Pike Grand Jury.
Judge Cassidy, the District ATTORNEY. :
will vouch for the correctness of this State
neat. On Friday of the second week, he
vas called home by sickness in his family.
mpOrarily filled his place. | know the
arm, stness and zeal OF the Judge and the I
Industry and energy of the Grand Jurors !
. this matter, and knowing them | cannot / +
ermit erroneous im preSsions and unjust :
npntations to go unexplained and unad- 1
listed.
Judge Chrisman has been but two months \
n the bench. The appointment, am ia n
)rmed, was not sought by him. He was r
OF my choice. But his judicial career. !,
REF as it has been, has satisfied me that !,
e is ''the right man in the right place at
le right tune" He has shown him self en-
ently fitted for the position, and is more
ian acceptable to all except the lawless.
D them already his name is a terror.
{. p. NELSON, "a