Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-06-11

~pENIlaNILARI $3.50.

D. AE.
question, and We are gratlded that We
can crush it 50 eaectually, that Il win
rebound on those making 1t. The at
tempt comes from a correspondent Of
the Sword and Shield, and Of the Even
ing Post, Of this city. The Sword and
Shield seems to be exceedingly anx-
ious to injure the Congressman
from this District, and who, or what
is its inspiration, is not yet known.
A direct connection with other ,aspi-
rants, or another aspirant, in this Dis
trict is not at all impossible. 1t is
well known that the Posts fight on
Catchings is not one of principle, but
one Of revenge, and of course the pee
pie who own this District will not
lend themselves to any such purpose.
The letter of Gen. Catchings, fully
explains the %penitentiary matter and
answers the interrogatories PROFOUND
ed, and we herewith pTiut it in full:
WASHINGTON, May 20, 1886.
Rev. r. d. Gambrell, Editor Sword and Shield,
Jackson, Miss:
Dear Sir-I haze your letter of tie
18th inst, asking me to reply to certain
questions %propounded to me in an aTti-
tie which appeared in your paper of
the 18th inst, entitled SHOULD Ex-
PLAIN" which you kindly enclose.
If the author of that article had
eally desired to know the truth he
could and would have made inquiry of
Gov. Lowry. who would have supplied
him with all information needed. A.
though the effort to injure me is utterly
absurd, l have concluded to give you,
mot the author of that article an &C.
count of my course in connection with
the matter mentioned.
The Act of March "a, 1884, required
the Attorney General upon being nc
titled by the Governor of the failure
or refusal of the lessees Of the Peni-
Tertiary to ray into the State Treasury
the amount due by them, to institute
suit against them and their sureties.
The object of this was to compel
payment by them of course.
The Governor notified me sometime
in the Spring Of 1884 that the Lessees
were in arrears in a certain sum, and
called my attention to this act of the
Legislature.
l Immediately informed them that
unless they arranged the matter l
would sue them.
They proposed that if 1 would not
u them, they would give me perfect
security for the payment of the amount
due, 10 December or January fellow
ing.
The securities offered were examined
and found to be good, and with the
sanction of the Governor, 1 accepted
the proposition, received the securities
and at once deposited them with the
State Treasurer and the amount owing
by the Lessees was paid into the
Treasury in December, 1884. This
wa infinitely better than a suit, fol-
this reason:
AS every lawyer knows, the term Of
court to which a suit is brought is
known as the Importance term, and
the defendant is entitled as a matter
of right to a continuance until the
next term, that he may have time il
which to prepare his defense.
The sureties resided in various 10.
c~alities, and it is very doubtful.
whether l could have had them
all personally summoned for thu
July term, which was the first
to be held after the matter was
placed in my hands. If Ihad succeed
ed in this however, it is almost certain
that with the means of delay so easily
invoked, l could not have obtained
judgment at the December term fol
lowing. This would have postponed
the case until the July term 1885, 4nC
possibly still longer.
Even after obtaining judgment there
would doubtless have been still further
delay in realizing the money by execu
ton.
No means known to the law coulC
have secured the payment of the sun
due, as speedily as it was collected
under the arrangements made by me
Under these circumstances my duty
was plain, and 1 did not hesitate tt
pursue the course most beneficial tt
the State, and which any lawyer Of
decent ability and judgment would
havyn aIRNkad Tho Ohiaat &c kho Ia a.