The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-19


: copy OF GOVERNOR sroSE's REPL'
. 10 TEE LETTERS OF Nh. EDwARl
: HALsEwoon, Or JuNE 4 10 AND =
REsPEcTIvKLI, 1881.
JACKSON, Mss, August 18th 1881.
.Edrard Hazlesro0d, Esq., London, +. c.
s DEAR SrR-Yonr.. fayors Of the 4th
10th and 9th of June, respectively
were received bv due course of mail
. but IS the nature of your inquiries die
not seem 70 demand an immediate re
ply. and combination of circumstances
having prevented earlier attention, now
attempt to give You such answers tc
your several inquiries as to me seems
proper.
Referring to yours Of June 4th, re-
gret my inability TO send reports since
1876, and send Auditor report for 1880,
which is the last published. The Legis-
latuTe will meet in January next, after
which you may be furnished with the
Reports of all the heads of Departments
if you so desire.
Complying with your request of
the 10th of June, / mail you to-day
to your address, a copy of the report
of our Commissioner of Swsnp Lands,
which is the only published matter we
have on the subject.
In regard to the scheme proposed in
/ your letter of the Gath of June, /
| have only to say that the whole is ex-
eluded BY the NINth Article of the
| Federal Constitution, and for that rea-
son must decline the favor you ask, to
| give you my candid opinion in conf
dence, as to the advisability of your
Joining in the proposed movement As
do not sympathize with your proposed
movement, | can offer no suggestion as
TO the courses to be pursued, and as /
cannot c0nscientiously assist you in any
unlawful or unconstitutional movement
against my State or the United States.
not be considered.
Respectfully,
EsignedI ]. NJ. STONE.
THE PEABODY Planters BANK BONDS.
ALEXANDRIA, La, Feb. 21st, 1881.
To HIS Ercellency, the Governor Of Ms
sissippi:
DEAR SIR-The trustees of the
Peabody Education Fund instructed
me, at their meeting on the I'd of
this month, to urge upon the Ex-
ecutiye and Legislature of your State
the necessity and justice of providing
for the payment of the interest of GER
tain bonds, donated to them by Mr..
Peabody, and ultimately of the princi-
pal thereof. These bonds are commonly
known as Planters Bank Bonds, and
amounted, interest included, to one mil
lion one hundred thousand dollars at the
date 1867 of Mr.. Peabody's donation.
They are bonds of the State of Mississip-
pi, issued in payment for stock in the
Planters Bank, held by the State, from
which she received large dividends for
many years. The interest was paid till
1910, but not since voluntarily. Subse-
quent to that date, one hundred thous-
and dollars were paid mandamus of
the Supreme Court. Mr.. Peabody in
making the donation observes:
The validity of these bonds has
never been questioned, and they must |
not be confounded with another issue of |
bonds made by the State, to the Union
Bank, the negotiation of which has been
a subject of controversy with portion
Of the population of Mississippi. Various
Acts Of the Legislature, viz: of FEBRUARY
a, 1912, February %, 1914, February |
16 and 2S, 1916, March 4, 184S, and the
highest judicial tribunal of the State,
have confirmed their validity, and have
no doubt that at an early day such leg
islation will be had as to make these
bonds available in increasing the use
fulness of this trust. Mississippi, though
now depressed, (this was written in 1867
is rich in agricultural resources, and
cannot long disregard the moral obliga-
ton resting upon her, to make provision
for their payment.
Transcribing for your perusal, the
words of our muniicent founder, so full
1f truthful confidence in the integrity
Of your State, may | hope that Your
Excellency will at once determine to
give the weight and force of executive
to whatever measures may be
proper to be adopted, III order to realize
the confident expectations of Mr.. Pea
body A recommendation in your mes
sage to the Legislature for the payment
Of the interes. on these bonds, and of
provision for their ultimate redemption,
would awaken that body from its lethargy
upon this subject.
Remember that the children of Mis-
sissippi are the recipients of Mr.. Pea
Dody's bounty equally with those of
other States. One hundred scholarships
have been established by the trustees in
the Normal College at Nashville, and
has nine of them, and besides
received her dueproportion of assistance
in her normal schools. In proportion to
The increase of income consequent upon
the payment of your Sta,e of the annual
interest on these bonds, will be the ad-
1itional benefits which her children will
receive from the Peabody Fund, and not
hers alone, but those of other Southern
States which have suffered from the de-
structiye rayages and not less disastrous
of civil war.
trust | have said enough to convince
you that we, as trustees Of this great
benefcence, ought not longer to remain
silent and inactive, and that your State
ought not to defer making provision for
due realization of the income which
these bonds were expected to bring us.
am with great respect,
Your Excellency's ob't serv't,
THos. G. MANNING.