The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-07-08
MEADE'S REMOVAL.
A Statement From the Late Post
master of Hazlehurst.
HAzLEHuRsr. Mss. July s. 1885

To the Editor OF the Times-Demoorat:
Knowing the character for generosity
and fair dealing that your paper enjoys,
desire to make statement through your
columns of my appointment as postmaster
at this place, and my suspension or remov-
al, which went into effect to-day. Ordina-
rily would have no desire to burden your
colamns or weary the public with subject
so entirely local as the appointment of a
postmaster for a third-class Office such as
is the case in this instance, and would not
do so now had not the press of the country
magnified itinto a matter of grave national
importance. The Republican press of the
North seem to have taken upon themselves
the burden of directing Democratic adj
ministration and aiding it in displacing
the local Federal patronage as far away as
South Mississippi. and it must be confessed
that they exercise a controlling influence
with our (?) Democratic President. If the
press dispatches are to be relied upon,
leading Republican politicians also visited
Mr.. Cleveland and made personal appeals
to him to call for my resignation.
1t seems little strange to me why my
appointment should have so aroused the
Northern press and politicians, and why
they should have suddenly felt so deep an
interest in the postoffice at this place; and
it is also remarkable why they should have
singled me out as the object of their wrath,
and to be the victim of their poisoned
shafts of malicious SANDER which they have
continued to hurl at me since the day of
my appointment. For example, the Gin
cinnati Commercial Gazette charged that
1 killed j. P. Matthews, shot him N the
back as he deposited his ballot at the elect
ton held here in November, 1883, and tha-
/ had been selected to do the murder, and
had received the postoffice as my reward.
The editor of that paper knew that was
false when he wrote it, for the columns of
his paper will show that he denounced
Wheeler, the man who did kill Matthews,
in the same terms shortly after the killing,
and its columns will also show that the tes-
timony during Wheeler's trial was reported
to that paper, as Wheeler's sworn statement
that he killed Matthews, and justified the
act upon the ground of self-defense. The
fact is, was not present at the voting pre-
cinct when Matthews was killed; was at a
different voting place in town, not close
enough to hear the gun fire, and knew
nothing of it until some time after it occur
red. This and like false charges appeared
in the Northern papers, and few day
afterward the Washington dispatches ans
nounced that the President had called for
my resignation, and if l refused to send ii
in would be removed. Immediately Con-
gresham Barksdale telegraphed Postmas-
ter General Villas, asking him to suspend
action until could be heard, and also wrote
a letter to the same effect. No answer was
made either to the telegram or letter, and
in few days / received the following com
municatioL4:
PosToFFIcE DEPARTMENT, \
Office of the Postmaster General,
Washington, D. c., May 2s, 1885.
Sir-For reasons affecting the public
welfare, not known to the Department when
your appointment was made, am directed
by the President to request your resigna-
ton of the commission recently given to
you to be postmaster at Hazlehurst, Miss
am, sir, ETC., VIM. f. Villas,
Postmaster General.
j. L. Meade, Postmaster, Hazlehurst,
Copiah county, Miss.
To which replied as follows:
HAzLEHURsT, CoPrAH COUNTY, MISS, J
June 9, 1885.
Hon. VIM. F. Villas, Postmaster General,
Washington, ID. c.:
Sir-I am in receipt of your communi-
cation of the 18th ultimo. in which you say.
for reasons affecting the public welfare,
not known to the department when my APP
pointment was made, you are requested by
the President to ask my resignation, etc.;
but you fail to state what those reasons are.
| think this an act of great injustice to me,
and feel tina. have the right to know what
those reasons are that affect the public well
fare and render me ineligible to hold office
under the Constitution of the United States.
That instrument guarantees to the vilest
criminal in the land the right to know the
nature and cause of the accusation brought
against him, to be confronted by his ac-
cusers and to make his defense. This sa-
cred right, however, has been denied me,
why, do not know. unless it be upon the
idea that to defend or deny would be use
less, since the slanderous reports of North
ern Republican newspapers seem to be
conclusive proof with the administration
of any charge that may be preferred
against Southern Democrat However
that may be, should resign, it would be
taken as plea of guilty, and until know
with what am charged should dislike to
file such plea. I therefore must respect
fully decline to comply with the request of
the President, and shall withhold my res
lgnation, and at the same time do most re-
spectfully ask that specific charges be pre-
ferred against me, if any there be-
am, sir, etc., j. L. MEADE,
Postmaster, Hazlehurst, Miss