The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-03-31
The Madison County Railroad Bonds.
CRAVE CHARGES SoT SUSTAINED.
JAcKsoS, MISS, March %, 1886.

JACKSON, MISS, March 70, 1856.
Emmett L. Ross, Esq, Editor Canton Picket;
SIR suppose l am indebted to your
courtesy for copy Of your paper OF this
date. and assume from that and your state
ment in the article headed: Where are
the bonds" In these words: "We are IN
search OF the truth and will not intention
tionally make a mistatement," that You
desire to learn thief cts. Therefore l state
them.
/ have no interest of any sort in any
Madison county bonds No such bond Is
held by me or for me. / have never re-
eeived cent in any shape from Madison
county on account OF its bonds. Nothing
on earth is held in secret trust for me. All
( have Is in my own name. | have moth
ing hidden In 1873 | was and had been
in bitter antagonism to the scheme OF tax
ing Madison county for the proposed rail-
road. II had not then been decided by
the Supreme Court. as it was afterwards,
that two-thirds of the registered voters of
the county must vote for bonds TO authorize
them. ! held that view then. Only about
one fifth of the qualified voters of the
county had voted for the bonds. | claimed
that it would be illegal to issue bonds, and
desired to test the correctness of my view,
and prevent their issuance, but made the
very reasonable condition that others in
terested should help me bear the burden
and risk. sly just terms were not complied
with, aud / acted for myself, as / had the
right to do, in my own matter No ore
had any claim on me about it or any right
TO complain Of what / did. | prepared
bill in my own name, alone, as citizen
and taxpayer. The conception and labor
i ~ I'll
thing to do with it. The bill with the
Chancellor's fiat on il is now in my posses
sion. | was willing to file it, and prose-
cute the suit in behalf Of the people OF the
county, il those interested and disposed to
prevent the issuance OF bonds, would raise
S2, 500 as a sum to indemnify me for the
undertaking. Only few were willing to
pay anything for this purpose, and l set
tied my individual controversy with the
railroad company by receiving from 1t the
sum required as the condition of prosecu-
ting my suit against it. My action did
not hinder anybody from enjoining. Any
taxpayer might have enjoined, for my
action stopped no one. | was not the cause
of bonds being issued. On the contrary.
| was one OF a few who denounced the
and differed from many OF my
best friends, who advocated it. | received
s2500 from the spectators on a compro-
mise of my individual suit, but that did not
add one cent to the debt OF the county. 1t
was not received from the county, but from
those l regarded as plunderers OF the cOun-
ty. The county was net in any way affect
ed by my action. 1t Is plain now that a
suit to enjoin the issuance of bonds would
have been successful. 1t was doubtful in
1873, and my view was not shared By many.
This is the whole of my connection with
The issuance of Madison county railroad |
bonds, and / ask that you publish this my
irst public utterance or the subject IN
your paper, and trust that your love OF
truth and fairness will lead you to acquit
me of imputations made in the past, pre-
from want of an accurate
knowledge Of the facts as they are now
before you. Respectfully,
j. A. p. CAMPBELL.