Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-10-16
ADDRESS
To the People of Warren County.

~ hAAhb obEkAAbANA "a ga HbN
cltlzens, without regard to race. color, or pas
political differences in its efforts to secure ono
more iOr this county an honest, firm an
administration OF its affairs,
IL mas no other ambition to crafty, no Othe
purpose to accomplish than this. AS a mean
OF accomplishing this end, it has assembled Ii
convention, and offered for your suffrage, TO
tle various offices, nominees whose abil ty, IN
Iegrity, fairness, conservatism, and good citi
ZelSnlp, must commend them to the favorable
consideration Of all right-minded persons.
Ibis step mas not been taken without due re
nectlOn Y Oh the difficulties to be encOunteree
III oVertlro ing the corrupt influence whicl
nave made this county a by-word and repr0acl
throughout the State, but an OVerpower
ing, sense OF duty and necessity has i'll
pelled us to make the effort, and WI
aPpe 10 you to aid us in ~etfectinl
our nigh and honorable aims. We seek not Il
curtail or diminish the rights Of any class Of oul
clIzens, Dut rather to secure and strengthen thu
interests and privileges of all. 1t is Known Il
az that Tile financial administrations of our at
IalrS nave been OF the worst; that while fol
years our taxation has been at the maximum
we have derived no corresponding benefit there
from; that the county is burdened with debt
mat, our warrants are dishonored anC
naWKed ABOUT at the mercy of spectators; thai
our PUBIC roads and bridges are such as Al
times 10 be almost impossible; and that thou
sanus oil dollars are voted monthly out of the
treasury, under the pretext Of maintaining
mem without any substantial results being man
llNolCus
Unless a halt is called in these matters. bad
VIII become worse; worse will become worst,
ana III the end, we will be overcome by absolute
financial rum, with no means OF defraying the
most ordinary public expenses.
some persons find this corrupt financial
disorder, a source Of great personal profit, and
are dlrectly interested in its continuance.
county.
Because OF his position no man has such op-
nDEtlInITIng RI TnnHlnf RtrNan Nhn .aN-.,n -@4
mlst0rtunes of the public, and no man could 40
IL more ruthlessly and C0rruptly than he.
IL appears from the report Of the County
treasurer, that the money which comes to his
nahds from the sheriff Is scarcely enough TO pay
MS COMMISSIONS. The balance received from tile
olefllt IS nothing but scrip or warrants.
NOBODY supposeS that these warrants were re-
celved by tue Sheriff in settlement of taxes.
EVERYBODY knows that large amounts of cash
are paid 10 for taxes. Nobody is fool enough to
believe that he uses the money paid TO him for
taxes in cashing warrants, dollar for dollar,
owned by others, to oblige or fave them.
Everybody knows that he Is now, and always
has been since his election, six years ago,
directly and VIGOROUSLY engaged in specializing
in county warrants, and that the warrants
bought up By him at a discount are substituted
In place Of the money paid to him for taxes,
and handed over by him to the County Treas
ureT.
This has been repeatedly charged against
him in public print and he has. never denied 1t
so far as we have heard on the contrary some
OF his friendS-paid we presume-excuse him
BY saying that all Sherlffs speculate in warrants.
IL y indeed a Sad commentary upon the
sherifs in Mississippi, that they all perjure
themselves, and one which we unhesitatingly
deny for a ! honest Sherlifs.
" o. WOrrelF will never do such a thing!
Neverl NeVer!!!
The law (%Section 555, Code 1897 provides:
NO warrant or claim against the State or
county shall be received from any Collector in
settlement, or otherwise, without oath being
made by such Collector, which the Auditor or
County Treasurer. or any Jul, tice OF the Peace
Is authorized to administer, that he has paid
the full amount expressed on the face of said
claim or warrant, and has not directly OF in
directly speculated therein"
Statements are required to be made by the
Sheriff once every thirty days. (Sec. 5tS.)
Hence the above affidavit has TO be made twelve
tunes a year by Beck while he is sheriff.
The crime of perjury, according to the COM
mon ju gment of all mankind, is the lowest and
most despicable of crimes.
From such a per on You can expect no assist
ance III putting an end to corruption and restor-
ing your affairs to an honest and economical
basis,
The official course of R, r. Beck has shown,
that with him, avarice and sel1shness altogether
outweigh honor and duty.
We charge, moreover, that many of our best
citizens firmly believe that it IS impossible,
while he is Sheriff, to have the laws fairly ad-
and criminals brought to Justice.
The District Attorney. at the last term of our
Circuit Court, openly expressed his opinion to
this effect, and who should be so competent a
Judge as he? There Is no DOUBT that a feeling
of impatience, unrest and resentment pervadeS
this Community, which will continue so Iona as
person is Sheriff Of the county.
In proportion as his purse has grown fat from
his corrupt regulations, so have his cOnceit and
e~1frOntry grown.
He does not hesitate to boast that he will, II
necessary, buy a reelection, aud that ii his own
money is not enough to do this corrupt work,
he can draw at liberty upon the wealth OF his
father-in-law. This is a gross insult to the good
people of this county and should of itself suffice
to bring upon him the scOrn, contempt and de-
~CestatiOn Of all honest men.
III there be honor or profit in the office, he has
had a full measure of both, and If he be as spot
less as the driven snow, the c0mmonests sense of
decency should impel him to retire, and give
Others an opportunity to partake OF the feast
upon which he has so long and u~nstlntedly re-
CALLED himself.
We want a sight at the books. It is idle to
talk OF an honest and earnest inyestiga ion
of county affairs, until we have a complete
change.
Such Il change cannot fail to benefit us all.
W. Invite the colored people to unite with us,
and help to elect our nominees
They can suffer no harm theTefrOm. They
can help us to restore good government, and
will receive our warmest gratitude If they will
do so.
This effort upon our part is in the interest of
rather than to secure the aScendancy of
the Democratic party. When it is remembered
the county offices have for years been in
the hands of the Republican party, and that
without any opposition upon our part, 1t cannot
be char ed that we have been prompted by the
p .rit of partisanship, and when 1t is remem-
bered that under the rule and management OF
Republican Otice-holders, all county affairs
have gone to ruin, 1t is not to be wondered at.
that we have at last arisen in a mighty effort Of
Self-defenSe. Mr.. Beck mas no claims upon the
people.
He has added nothing to their security, happi-
ness or wealth. He seeks to use them only for
his selfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Capt. WOrrell, is a
better man, a better citizen, and would deal
with them with infinitely more frankness,
liberality and fairness. He would collect the
taxes more efficiently and impartially, would
enforce the laws more vigorously and effectively,
and he would. scorn to practice the. corrupt
method by which Beck has enriched himself at
He is a worthy citizen, whose abili-
ty Is unquestiOned, whose honor is
1ntarnished, and upon whom all classes
can rely with the certainty that he would never
betray their trust and confidence.
Thesame may be said OF all our nominees.
Fellow Citizens; II you wish your taxes re-
duced; If Fyou wish your roads imprOV-
and bridges repaired; II you wish
honest and economical government; If you
wish the laws enforced and criminals
punished; II you wish corruption and thieVery
driven out OF high places; il you wish that quiet
and security so essential to your prosperity; If
you wish your children to get the full measure
OF sch lol benefits to which they are entitled,
you will interest yourself in this approaching
election.
II you will but do this the Ides of November
will reward you with a victory whose benefcent
results will make themselves felt for all time to
We wish to add onething more: We assure the
people of Warren county that we will leave no
stone unturned to accomplish this great result,
and we urge all good citizens to put their Shout
ders to the wheel and with one mighty, united
effort, overthrow the Radical Boss who seeks to