The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-02-12

VI NV. AuueFeon was not indicted tn
Grand jury hadrefused 10 indict him. The
: proceedings against him was called on in
formation, which Is expressly prohibited in
eases OF felony by the Constitution of the
United states, and of most of the States, ,bu
is provided tor by the law of Louisiana
Inc Information was signed and filed by a
man who was an officer of the White
) League and Identified with all the namer-
Gus crimes OF that organization. The Judge
VINO tried he cause is public defaulter for
over S600OOO. When Anderson was arrest
ed he was the acting Collector of the Port
OF New Orleans, and the arrest was made
while he was in the discharge of his duty at
the Custom House. which stands as Mr..
sherman thinks, on grounds under the sole
jurisdiction of the United States, by cession
by Louisiana; he was hurried to prison. re-
| CURED TO give excessive bail. and Filling
| 10 90 so was kept in custody and denied all
! postponement, and was forced to trial, con-
VIcted and is now held for sentence with
out benefit of bail. The Jury was packed
TO convict the panel aud had been care
| iully selected almost exclusively of one DO
| litical party and one race. Their examina-
| tion as called showed the deepest and
strongest prejudice against the defendant
| and in any tribunal, he (Mr. Sherman knew
nearly every one would have been rejected
on his oath, and yet, though challenged.
they were sworn in. With such a jury, |
am prepared to believe the story telegraph.
ed this morning, that the two colored Jurors
W ere tricked into agreeing to the verdict
by an empty appeal to the mercy of
the Court. The cause of this excitement
against Anderson and his associates is that
in the performance of public duty IN plain
pursuance of law and upon ample teStimo-
ny they eliminated from the election returns
in Louisiana the results of violence and in
timdatIOn. Though this was not alleged
in the information, yet every body knew
that this was the gravamen of their offence
and without it no man on this jury would
have convicted Anderson It is this that
excited this populace and heated them
with passion to the highest state of resent |
ment; the pretence set up for the prosecu- |
ton was that Anderson had participated in |
a forging or alteration of the Vernon Parish |
returns, but there was not one particle of |
evidence to connect him with this act. The |
whole had been thoroughly examined here |
by the committee of Congress, and all the |
records ard returns had been spread before
them, and even Littletield who made the
alteration, had eXculpated Anderson from
the knowledge of it. Tue truth is, the cleo
ton returns were opened by the Returning
Board before hosts of witnesses, on the
ninth day of the examination, were printed
precisely as they were in the daily papers
and in both Houses of Congress, and the sub
sequent alteration by Littlefield of one copy
of the returns, was done either as a put up
job by him, or in the interest of local can
didates and having no effect upon the gen
eral result and there does not ap pear to be
a single scrap of testimony showing that
Anderson participated in it in the slightest
degree. There was no motive for such an
alteration by Anderson. The true return
being printed in SO many forms l.
was absurd to think he would alter
it, and yet upon this false pretext, he was
convicted. | still hope that this conviction
will not be carried into execution, but if it
is, as matter of course, the deepest feeling
of resentme 1t and hostility will exist in the
minds of the great mass of our people
who believe that these Returning Board
officers did but their simple duty. Moth
ing has been done here pending the
course of the Judicial preceding, but if
Anderson is imprisoned under this sentence
it will be mOckery of public Justice and
will bring into contempt all efforts at peace
and conciliation. 1t is unlocked for, and is
terrible commentary upon the efforts of the
President to quiet the turbuance and vio-
lence of Louisiana politics, and seems to me
an act of folly and madness.
The dispatch to Gen. Anderson is as fol-
lows:
'WAsHINGToN, D. c., Feb. 4, 1878.
"To Col Thos. C. Anderson New Orleans
"The undersigned feel it due to you,under
present circumstances, to assure you OF our
unhesitating belief that in the matter where
in you stand charged, you are altogether
guiltleSs of any offense against the law that
YOU are falsely accused and maiciously per-
ecuted; that the proceeding against you,
though in form of law, is without the sub
stance ofjustice; that we hereby tender our
earnest sympathy, and express our hope |
that the sense of justice and love of peace of
the people of Louisiana will protect you,
and not permit the best interests of the |
whole country to be disturbed by revival
of sectional animoSiCies. In any event we
are confident that the American people will |
redress any injustice of which you may be
made the victim.
"Sloned: "JOHN SHERMAN,
STANLEY MATTHEW'S,
"J. A. GARFIELD,
EUGENE HALE,
"HARRY WHITE"
CONGRESSIONAL NOTES.
In TIE House, the bill for the relief f L.
A. Won Hoffman and w. Ii. New nan, |
known as the Alexandria bill, was finally |
defeated and laid ON the table.
The House having spent some time In
Committee, 3f tho Whole on the Military
Academy bill, adjourned wiChoa. act;23-
PROBABILITIES.
For the Western Gulf States and lower
Lake region, clear weather, followed by in
creasing cloudiness and rain areas warmer
southerly winds, and nearly stationary, fol-
lowed by falling barometer.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Silver Bill
occupied the Senate. No executive session
or Southern nominations.
HOUSE.
The important subject now engaging the
attention of the Committee on Post Ofhces
and Post Roads of the House, Is steam CON
munication with Brazil, and the opening OF
market for the surplus productions OF
American manufacturers. and relieve in part
the general stagnation of American indus
tries. John c. Hopper of New York city.
who, bv reason OF long experience in the
city of Rio Janerio engaged in the importa-
ton OF agricultural implements and o;her
manufactures OF the United States, has been
of great service to the committee in aiding
to q more fully and perfect understanding
of the opportunity of trade presented from
that country. He has been before them
| from day to day ana mas s. suom,.teu