Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-23
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS.
Funeral Expenses OF senator George.
Why Governor Did Not Pay.
Especial to the New Orleans Times-Demo-

Especial 10 the New OllcdUS llUeS-Dcnio'
craft
JACKSON. June 20.--Anent the matter
of the failure OF the State of Mississippi
to pay the expenses OF having the body
OF the late Senator ]. u. George lie in
state at the Capitol here in August. 1881,
Governor McLaurin furnishes the Times
Democrat correspondent with the follow
ing:
"To the People OF Mississippi:
ION the eve OF my going to oxford to
attend the meeting OF the Board Of Trus-
tees of the University. my attention was
called TO a publication of the matter of
the funeral expenses of Senator George
while his body lay in Jackson. As the
publication seems to have been made on
the supposition that 1t would unfavorably
reflect on me. respectfully ask that you
permit me to state the facts so far as
was connected with the matter
ION receipt of the news Of Senator
Georges death, II was suggested TO me
by some citizens of Jackson that mas
much as ne had for a long time llVed IN
Jackson, 1t would be very appropriate tor
his body to lie i'm state here. ana that as
It was on the route from the coast 70
Carrollton, | telegraph request 70 ms
family to that end. L Joined in TINS opih-
ion and sent the telegram.
THE people of Jackson spontaneously
ana very properly took charge OF the az
fair. and made arrangements through a
committee 10 receive the body. The eN-
pcnses incurred were made as | was at
the time informed, and the impression
of the committee was that all expenses
from the death to the burial would Do
paid bv the United States Senate. Some
one or ones asked me to permit the ~api-
fol Light Guards 10 attend the PROCESSION
70 Carrollton as an organization, winch
permissiou / gave, but stated that iel'
n optionaI with the company, as had ITO
funds TO pay their expenses. After IL was
ascertained by the committee OF arrdiiee-
ments that the Senate would not pay
these expenses, a short time before lne
legislature met last winter j Was te-
ouested TO pay the bill out OF the eNecu-
tive contingent fund / stated that vac
busily engaged on my MESSAGE 10 ne
LEGISLATURE. which, with routine Won
occupied all my time, ana thdI my sinO
,,,o,,,d all he engaged while the LeSisla-
tire was in session, but that az Soo'
7 could find time 1 would investigate ana
consider the matter. and if / should ma
ttotT had lawful authority for so dollls'
ana considered that IL was right In irih-
cirte I would pay the accounts Oh tue
contingent fund. At the same tlp'e l
casually scanned the accounts, anu 1T
Glance 7 thought they were exorplIahe'
"On the morning of the 18th or fep'u-
or,. tho dav after the Legislature "u-
iorrned / was stricken down WIN heu
yaIgia Of the heart, which almost y,
at,.dod me from work for two mouths
60 ala not wilfully or negligently deiAy
Investigation and consideration.
.Trron investigation and consideration,
ooncI,,ded that | had no legal OF nordi
right To nay these bills out OF tne
cutive contingent fund. rms luhu 10 ~.
the public service, TO be deterHlheu W
The Governo-. and not for private pur-
noses. AS great as | regarded Sena'oi
George as a statesman ana lawyer i9N,
that there Is no more warrant III Jaw any ''.
right for paying his funeral EXPENSES 80. ~
Of tho contingent fund than for paying
o,,t ~ the fund the funeral expenses or
any other man in the State. Whatever
others NAV think or say, / feel that IN
the administration of the law the man
who works in the shop, or on the ram
road. or on the farm, or at any other
Labor manual or mental, ought 10 DE
treated with the same consideration as
the man OF the highest position, politl-
cal or financial. in the land. therefore,
while could have paid these bills out or
the contingent fund, and anticipated tnat
| would be arraigned by those who ma
lIgned Senator George I'm his lifetime, but
have bedaubed him with their hypocrtd-
cal cant since his death, II l did no' pay
them. / felt that, while it was small
sum to the State, it was dangerous pre-
cedent 10 set. and | declined to pay them
out of the contingent fund. At the time
the expenses were incurred no one eX-
pected them to be paid out of the contin-
gent fund The money belonging to this
fund is not mine 1t is the money Of the
people of the State. That its use is left
to the unrestricted discretion of the Gov
ernor is an exceedingly strong reason
why he should be exceedingly careful in
its application.
Being entirely occupied with official
business, | have not time 10 answer or
even read unkind newspaper references,
trusting as ] do public justice TO divine
the motives that prompt them, but in this
instance | hope l will be INDUCED for
taking a few moments from an over
crowded business desk 20 put the facts
before the impartial people OF the State.
that they may judge whether or not l
should be blamed for declining 10 dis
burse their money without lawful or
moral right. Most respectfully,
"A. J. MLAURIN."