The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1910-05-06
THE FAMOUS BLACk-WASH.
(From Vardaman's ISSUE

4 ut itSloidtuit, SSNs .iA~-' .'-A-
istered fine coat of white wash. .
Two said to one You are perfectly
correct as to the tact, but nisled as
to color; it was a coat of black
wash. - And so it was.
1t is sometimes amazing to see
the transparency of pretense, and
| the opacity of a certain class OF
mind. Somewhere, somebody has
said that the public dearly love to
be fooled. 1t sometimes even loves
to fool itself. But the most IN
disputable fact is that some people
most dearly love to fool it. There
are some members of the recent
| com bination, led by master hand,
who belong to the last named class.
They have doubtless succeeded IN
fooling themselves; but the public
Ah, there's the rubl" Often
open minded and gullible. the
public is also at times wide-eyed
and keen sighted and refuses to be
fooled.
The audacity and simple mind
edness of the majority of the legls-
lature would be amazing, il it were
not so amusing. 1t is difficult TO
wonder at a thing that makes you
laugh. Nobody who considers the
subject matter of the history of the
recent. investigation, will fail to see
through the whole thin transpar-
ency, muddy though it has been
made. A majority of the legls-
lator. elected Mr.. Percy to seat
in the United States senate. Sus-
picious circumstances concerning
that election arose, and rumors
flow fast and thick. Among the
representatives, Of the majority
loud clamor was lifted up, and
vociferous challenges were made to
produce the proof of corruption.
1t was evide ntly thought that the
majority had the situation wholly
in hand, and the means to crush
evidence, else the clamor and chal-
lenges would not have come forth.
The governor of the state, perhaps
the most active and vicious agent
of the majority, imported a polit-
lcal sympathIDer from the delta,
and placed him on the bench of the
circuit court, who vigorously
charged the grand jury that 1t was
their duty to investigate the rumors-
But the weight and emphasis OF the
charge was not that evil doers
should be punished. but that the
name of the state should be cleared
of the dark imputations of corrup-
ton. Maniiestly his honor was
of the impression that the imputa-
tions were false, and that the grand
jury would become the saviors OF
the majority.
When the grand jury returned
true bill. charging bribery. the
clamor and challenge for proof
were instantly changed into a cry
of abuse. The verv thing that had
been invited was eagerly repelled.
The demand that had been satisfied
was more dissatisfied than ever.
The tellers of the truth were as
sailed for telling the very truth
they had been asked to tell.
But cries of dissatisfaction and
abuse were no answer to the evil
dence drawn forth An answer
was necessary. 1t would not do to
trust this answer in the courts, the
only legal custodians of the matter,
and having the only legal luris-
diction of the issue. The ma
iority, in so grave personal equa-
ton, could trust nobody but itself
to try the case.
So they organized themselves
into a mock court. unrestrained
and untrammeled by the rules of
law and proceeded to investigate. I"
The party placed on trial was
really the legislature itself, other
wise the democratic caucus, (Which
was the identical personnel of the
legislature) otherwise the majority
of the caucus or legislature, other
wise, in the last analysis, the
com bination" that defeated
Vardaman and elected Percy. Bill
bo was mere figure head or dunn
my of a defendant. and Dulaney
was most respectfully and iudicially
and judiciously undisturbed.
They said to themselves in effect.
and thus said to the public, That
we, the mighty combination. the
illustrious conspirators, the wise
wiley politicians could have had
corruption in onr ranks! Perish
the thought! Out upon the idea
Osbodikins, but we are stainless,
impeachable. angelic! If anybody
could dare to suggest otherwise.