The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-12-18
A Petty De-PoG's Chickens Conn
ing Home

Al interesting lawsuit is pending in
the courts al New York. Under the
military regime in the South, was the
rule Of shoulder-strap governors to
constitute themselves law makers, Judg-
Is, jury and sheriff to execute the
law, whether life, liberty or prop
erty was involved. The people had
surrendered their arms on condition that
they would not be moested as long as
they remained true to their word. and
the military rulers, most Of them with
no experience in civil affairs, and with
very little knowledge any way except
the routine of army service, with an
ample supply of bayonets at their beck,
had it all their own way. The people
who were thus vindictively prosecuted
knowing no means of relief, bided the
time when they could re establish their
local governments on the downfall of the
hideous oppression. They rarely ap
pealed to the courts, thinking it wiser &c
to bide the time which sooner or later sets
all things even. The trial in New York
which is attracting so much attention re-
sulted,from one of the wrongs which were
Systematically practlced by the petty des-
pots who lorded it over the defeneeless
population The facts are thus stated
When Sheridan took command at New
Orleans, in 1867, Whalsn was in possession
of an estate called the Xii ona plantation
Sheridan issued an order 20 dispOssess him
and the order was executed by the sheriff
OF St. Charles parish. in which the planta-
ton was stu ted. WhaIen's wife had just
given birth To child when the sheriff APP
I peared, and Whalen urged that officer tC
give him two days delay, TIL his wife
should be well enough To be removed. The
/ sheriff refused, but said that if the man whom
he was ordered to put in possession Of the
property, Mark Hoyt saw fit to give the
time asked for, he would not object Hoyt
agreed To q brief delay, and when the time
expired Whalen was turned out by the sh r
/ if, who got a couple Of carts and packed
WI allen aud his family off to the nearest
river landing. leaving Hoyt in possession oil
the hllIOHd pan dLlOn- W HdiCil CIdluln Iudi
the plantation, stock, utensils, etc. were
worth close to S360,OO0. About the same
time that he summary elected from
kllona, another order from Sheridan de-
prived him Ola warehouse and stock of su-
gar and molasses in New Orleans. The
value Of this property he estim ates at $57
900, making a total of SAG ,27S, of which he
alleges he was despoilcd by sheridan. He
also alleges, as to the New Orleans prop
erty, that Sheridan converted it to his own
use. He sues Sheridan for 'the whole
amount, and the trial began on Monday III
thr United States dis rict court. Sheridan's
defence is, first, that he did not act in his
individual capacity, but as the agent of the
United States; second, that the object OF
the orders issued b. him were simply to re-
store the property to its real owner.
When we state that one of the grounds
upon which Whalen hopes to win the
suit is that he was traitor to the South
in which he lived, and espoused the
cause of her enemies-our readers will
understand why we do not, except for
the principle involved, care which side
wins.