The tri-weekly citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-22
TUESDAY EygslSd DEc. 20
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Ilis lhs doiy " the press ani province
u tie people sIsaya esreialy 4, esam.
ine the acts of their representative, ard
condemn of commend as lbois aoii dos.
sue. Under ihi. Impression aad with a
careful desire 70 DO 20 one Injustice. We
propose 10 examine ibs late Militia la< ~
passed by our Legislature.
Il include, ali free white males. ox.
emgls aud those who have furnished sub.
situles betweon the ages oi seventeen
and 6hy years Of age. Having very lit.
tlsor no regard to o'cupants. s.save IN a fow
instances. but taking very particular care
to exempt their precious cerca5soI and
others who are feeding aud laItening up
on treasury pap OF State or Confederate
Government.
In the second place il Is The most toady.
ing sycophantic, ickspiulo document that
ever emenated from the brain Of the
meres: fawuer at the foot Of power or
pandem 10 The prejadices of the greatest
despot that sits upon throne in Europe
or Asia. II goes on to enact such and
such shall be done, provided the com
mander.in chief. or the Governor, shall
not deem, think, believe, or suggest other
wise. In word, by the provisions Of
the bill, Gov. Clark, is as complete an au-
tocrat in Mississippi as the one who sits
AS the Gear of all the RussiaS at Peters
burg. The fact is, the fulsUme manner
in which the thing is repeated, dwelt up
on and reiterated, is well calculated to
have disgusted that noble old cheftan
whose voice and sword has ever been
raised and unsheathed in honor and de-
fence of pure republican principles, and
to maintain the individual rights of the
citizens of our State.
For the last twelve months the Militia
system ''Stank in the nostris" of nearly
every thinking man in the State. Gov
Petlus, clever gentleman and true pa
triot, we believe. by bis adherence to it.
has sunk so deep inpublic esteem that we
are afraid the hand of the resurrectionist,
in the day of final accounts, will hardly
find him, and any other party who will
attempt to execute the late law, with all
its sycophancy and absurdities, will find
they are long, long way below Gov.
Pettus.
Is there no relief or protection We
believe there is. The time has not yet
come when the people are as plant as
these men who passed this late law.
Gov Clark is patriotin the fullest sense
of the word. He is republican accord
ing to the old acceptation of the term, at
least that is our opinion If the lust of
power and position shall have changed all
that was noble in his nature, which we
caunot believe the voice of the people
can and should be heard in this matter.
Memorialise, suggest and petition, and we
have but little doubt their desires and
petitions will be favorably considered.
Let the people, in their public meet
ings, take the matter in hand, and re.
present to the Governor that one.half
nearly Of the wives and children in the
land are without necessary provisions to
last the next six months. The Confeder-
ate law takes every one able to be spared
for service, and that both army and peo-
pie will be left to starve if this system is
persisted in. Such suggestions will. no
doubt, be listened to and the State re-
lieved from the stupid action of portion
Of the less Legislature.