The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-07-25
THE OTHER SIDE.

in your paper of July 18th an article
headed TO the Public" setting forth
some resolutions purporting to have been
adopted by meeting of the citizens of
Fair River neighborhood. Now, sir, we
would like to say for the information of
youI readers and in the spirit of justice
to all, that it was not the citizens of the
Fair River neighborhood that suggested
that meeting or composed it. 1t was got
ten ap by some of her relations of the
Fair River neighGorhood, aud some of the
good citizens of Lawrence county and
Fair River neighlporhood were induced tn
attend under the false pretense that it
was to he an Alliance meeting. Now, sir,
we speak whereof we know when We say
there were not exceeding 90 person there,
friend and foe. AS above stated, two
thirds Of them were fooled there under
the pretensc of an Alliance meeting and
say if they had known the object of the
meeting they would not have been there.
Even their Secretary, who is quite "a gen
tteman and from Lawrence coanty mot of
the Fair River neighbOrhood), says he
did not know the object of the meeting;
Thought it an Alliance meeting.
Now, sir, If it was not for the consola-
ton of considering from whence those
resolutions came, we would feel very in
dignant at having them imputed to the
Fair River neighborhood, especially the
sixth article, which is not the sentiments
of the good citizens of Fair River neigh
borhood, and which we learn was gotten
up by a wishy -wasby nobody, and was
moi a part of the original resolutions.
We do not propose to make any state.
ment to the public in regard to the true
merits Of the case, as we believe them to
be, for the following reasons:
l. 1t was positively agreed by and be-
tween p. b. Mullen and A. NJ. Summers,
in the presence of j. w. Maxwell, J.F.
Greer, JIM. Williams and p. e. Mullen,
previous to the meeting passing those res
olutions, that all parties concerned should
cease circulating reports in regard to the
anu uoO O'Ciy III tHCiI DO"-
er to adjust the NATTER and at another
time it was agreed to by and between p,
B. Mullen, DR.. Z. Cowart, w. A. Byrne,
A. NJ. Summers andJ. S. Burns, in the
ter was to be adjusted by not saying any
more of or about the trouble, not even to
be talked about in their families; also
that those resolutions were not to be
made public.
2. We do not propose to justify or up
hold the said w. c. Summers in what he
really did do, or give our countenance to
such conduct, it matters not who is to
blame. We only ask all fair-mined per-
sons to consider well and see the incon-
sistency of those resolutions in charging
a man of his high standing with attempt
ing to commit criminal assault, and
then Just simply ask him to remove him
self from our midst, as we will not toler-
ate such conduct. Great heavens does
the law tolerate such conduct as he is &C
cused ot} If he is guilty as charged i'll
those resolutions, why did the offended
parties hold an Indignation meeting in
stead of proceeding at once to have him
arraigned before the bar of justices
1t can be inferred from the 9th article
of those resolutions that he has made a
statement in the premises. We can say
this for w. e. Summers. With the ex
ceptlon of this one mistake in life, he has
as good record as any man; and as for
truth and veracity, no man can surpass
him.
Now in conclusion we will say, all we
ask is justice to all parties. We can see
from those resolutions that the way was
laid open to unlimited condemnation, but
not to the bar of justice. 1t is part OF
the nature OF frail man to sin against
law both human and divine, but God
himself secures him fair trial before
punishment, and tyrants alone rcpudiate
the justice of the Almighty. To deny an
accused person the right to be heard in
his own defense is pre-eminently the at
tribute of the worst ages of brutal des-
potism. Condemnation without trial
and punishment without limitation, is
the exact definition to our mind of the
most atrocious tyranny that ever feasted
on the groans of a captive.
FRIENDS TO JUSTICE.