Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-01-30
CHALMERS
And Chandler, the Man He Assists in
Prosecuting the People He Wants
to Represent in Congress,
Knew from the FIRST There Was No Case
Against the Men They Summoned to
the Federal Cenrt at Oxford.

summoDeu Deiort It and examined a yast
number OF witnesses concerning alleged elec-
tion frauds on the part Of Democrats, but not
one witness was summoned or examined
concerning alleged frauds on the part of
either Greenbaekers, Republicans or indie.
pendenis. As an illeslf alton of the manner
in which they proceeded, a certain telegraph
i'operatof was sumrnsned q, appear before
them, and was ordered by the court TO bring
with him all copies Of the dispatches sent or
received by him which related in any M amer
TO the recent election. 10 compliance with
this order he brought with him all the dis.
patches sent by either party during the cam.
paigD, but while the Jury called for and care.
fully examined all those sent or received by
Democrats, they neither called for nor exam
ined single dispatch OF almers or OF any Of
his supporters. We cite this fact as a si ngle
example only OF the rule the Jury adopted,
and 10 which they strictly adhered from the
beginning TO the end of their investigation
Although Chalmers and his followers have
been charged time and again by the press
and the people with fraud, intimidation, and
the open practice of all msnner OF corrup-
ton, both during the campaign and upon
the day OF election, yet the grand jury failed
TO investigate any OF these charges. A large
number OF true bills were found, aud many
gentlemen were indicted for crimes against
the election laws. But not one of these was
sgaiust supporter of Chalmers; each and
| every man indicted was a Democrat-an
avowed and active supporter Of Manning.
Yet with all The machinery of the law in
the hands Of prosecutors predetermined to
convict-with grand and petit juries which
were the mere creatures OF the district at.
torney, and this officer himself The most Bit
| ter and interruptions of partisans with a
mzrshal aud host of deputies JEALOUS in
the cause-wiih an assistant district aitor-
ney appointed by the Department OF Justice
for the purpose of prosecuting his own cases,
and with judge, who, though an honest
and upright nan, is a strong opponent of
Democrscy-wiih everything, in fact, that
they could desire, the authors OF these
prosecutions have not been able to convict a
single Democrat-not one of all thes. de-
fendsnts has been found guilty Of any offsnse
whatever against either the State or Federal
laws. Furthermore, not one OF these defend
ants, in order to secure his aeqaittal, took
refuge behind any legal technicality. The
records of the court show that, 10 every in-
staace, the government failed utterly TO pro-
duce even the shadow OF prin,a tacie case
against the parties indicted.
Why, then. were these prosecutions ever
instituted Can Chamers's inter, sta be sub.
served by such lamentable failure on hi,
part to establish the charges he has 30 Law.
ishly m ade, with all the tawdry finery of
his rhetorical extravaganza" against his
political opponents? A failure all the more
disgrsceful to him, as he controlled the
machinery for conviction; and all the more
Triumphant 10 them, as their oaly armor
was their naked innocence. Was Chandler
and the thirteen negroes aud Eve white Rad
icalS, forming his grand jury, deceived by
the witnesses which came before them? Is
il possible that old criminal lawyers like
Chalmers and Chandler would not know be-
fore they went TO trial the nature and scope
of the evidence which they had it in their
power TO produce7
The solution OF the problem raised by the Sc
questions becomes palmer the more these
csees in ali their bearings are studied and
understood. Both Chalmers ard Chandler
knew from the beginning that no evidence
whatever existed against any OF the defend
ant-; they did not institute these prosecu-
tions with the hope of obtaining a single
conviction upon the merits of any of the
cases tried;i their object was twofold, and
was one which ths guilt or innocence of the
parties did not affect 10 the least. This OBJ
nj q
Chalmers, plainly implied in eyerv speech
he made during The canvass. This threat
was 10 iDdict in the Federal Court all those
who actively opposed his election, and there
| by put them TO all the expense and trouble
| in his power. The effect of this attempt at
intimidation was that large number of
| voters, who, in times past, had been NAL
icousy dragged before this court, and near
ly ruined in consequence, absolutely refused
10 have apyhing to do with the election-net
even daring TO go to The polls to vote. And,
second-to influence the result of the
Manning Chalmers contest in the Forty
eighth Congress, mainly BY manufacturingis
public opinion based upon a false prens-s
of pretended facts, which it ia hoped wall
il fiusnce that body to admit Chalmers. As a
part Of this scheme, the r ,dical organs
throughout the country, which supported
Chslm' rs in The late campaign, are all pub
fishing highly sensational reports OF the
sction of the Federal grand jury, which are
calculated in the highest degree to deceive
aud mislesd tho public. As an illustration
OF ihese reports, the Washington Republican.
the organ Of the Star-route thieves, pub.
li-hed on the 18th instan,. a Communication
from Oxford, entitled, "a Whole Batch OF
Mistsssippi Statesmen Indicted;" and it is
remarkable that in space 80 small such an
amount Of misrepresentation aud falsehood
could be cont aimed. Among other statements
of ike nature his corresponds MT says th at in
Tsllahatchie county, on election day. num-
Der of noun ed men, armed wi b Winches-
ter rifles, rode mp 10 the polling places, and
hy force Of this kind OF ballots" prevented
3 lsgil election "in the entire western part
Of this county" The very day after this
communication was published in the Rep,t5-
Hcas dispatch from Oxford 20 Col. Man.
ning was received in Wash ngton, and pub
lished in the Posi-, which stated that all the
defendants from Taliahaichie county had
been cquitted.
The following abslrs ct of the evidence in
this Tallahatchie case--the United State. u.s.
E. L. Sturtevant, ct di-will reveal the
amount of truth contained iu the above
statement OF the Reprbiicdns correspondent
Some time before the 7th of November last,
the smallpex became epidemic at Graball
one of the members of the Stale Board OF
Health, visited this precinct and placed il
under quarantine. meeting of the citizens
Of the place was held, TO discuss the situation
and ips itute all possible measures 10 pre-
vent the spread OF the disease. This meet
ing was composed Of persons OF al shades of
political opinion, and no one thought for
moment OF the political effect Of any action
they might take. At this meeting, bJth white
anI cob
Greenbacker-resolved without a dissenting
voice 10 maintain strictly the quarantine,
and not to allow public meeting or gather
ing of any kind to be held until the danger
wss passed aud the quarantine ended. A
committee. composed of men of all parties,
was appointed to carry out and enforce, il
necessary, this resolution. So far there had
been no trouble whatever; but on the day of
election a scheming Radical by the name OF
Turner, who lived two miles distant and al
together outside of the precinct, collected
band OF negroes and attempted to enter the
qnsrantined territory for the purpose, as he
said. of holding an election there. Turner
and his party were met by the Grabsli COM
miItee, which refused TO allow them TO enter.
Turner and his band OF negroes then left,
and no more was thought OF the affair until
the grand jury al Oxford indicted sll
The Democrats on the committee which
refused to allow Turner to break the
quarantine, and summoned all the Re-
publcans and Greenbackers on the same
committee 10 appear as witnesses for the
government. And this, be il remembered,
was done at the insligation OF district as-
torney, "who, if he knows mis- own heart, is
incapable Of persecuiipg any man on ac-
count of mis- politiosI" E. L. Ssurtev ant
and bis Eve co-defsndants we're charged with