American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-11-09
CONTINUED coNTUMAcY.
From tn New Orleans Bec.l

The marked and determined aostl-
nence of the people of New orleans,
Mobile and elsewhere in the South,
from any participation in the elec-
tons Just completed under milltary
authority, and their indifference 10
tbe exercise of the glorious privilege
of voting for their own humlllatlon'
will be held up by her enemies as
another evidence of our contumacl,
ous and unsubmisSive temper, ana
will afford a text, for men Of the Sum
ner, Wade and ColfaX stripe OF poll
ticians, from which to preach lengthy
discourses in advocacy of further
penalties for the people of these uh-
repentant, Impoverished, defeated oue
not dishonored States.
What else could people, such as
those of the southern States, do
than decline to concede the equallty
with them of their late seTvlle popu-
Iatiop? A sense of selErespect-the
instinct of self-prcservation-a con
viction of the unfitness of that popu
Iatiou for the exercise OF the suffrage
"A foresight into the not distant
: future, and knowledge OF still tur,
tLer demands in behalf of the colored
} inhabitants of these States, and dlc.
r. tated to policy of standing a'oof
e from any contest with them, and re
E fusing the slightest countenance 10
e soipdefensible proceeding. BeneV'
}, olencc to the colored people them,
: selves, forbade our concedlns, al
3 This early period Of their entranchlse'
# mept, their right to participate WIN
: MS in the administration OF pubhc
e affairs. Every consideration OF pro
VI nriety dictated the course OF mac
zion which, by common consent
h has been adopted and adhered to- D.
II those who are the natural and right
st ful rulers of the State. The vot'
II nolIcd on Friday and Saturday last
lie NAV be sufficient in magnitude I
S meet the requirements OF the lay
he authorizing the election and cor
I'd yention under that law may lndee'
e, he held, but that body will not fail
s. IL represent the white population
.el louisiana. Its members Will hay
I'd been elected by the colored popui;
lg ton of the State only ana can |
er natual dislike to the voluntary degr
ry datiOn of themselves that induce
%, the whites to abstain from voting o
ce this occasion. Their indifference
20 proceeds from another consideration
81 Our people are disguStd with tn
s. whole farce of elections as carrie
is on in this country they are DISCUS
oil ed with politics, and do not hav
e, any desire to minglc in contests s
40 debasing as they have become, ft
Sp interest of a parcel of unprinclple
Office seekers, who are the only ella,
e, benefited by them. The white pee
IL pie infinitely prefer military rule
to the bastard governments propose
~ to be organized and set in motion b
h the reconstruction laws. There
lie also a sense of dishon0r in eXercisin
lg Il right of suffrage while those VIII
Us have been their trusted leaders al
be DISTINGUISHED. They felt they wer
= as guilty as their leaders, and that
OF would be disgraceful to abando
n them, in this the hour Of their atflit
y, ton, and unite with persons tt
81 wards whom they hId an unspeal
re able aversion. Is there any one {
ly mind so base as not to honor consiC
H. erationS like these2 Preferring t
share the disabilities of those Uhor
re- they must regard with affections
to than even to seem to forget COmmo
ed memories. Military government
IT, utterly opposed to all Of the republ
On can ideas with which we have bee
1t indroctrinated but there is not
If white man in the State OF standin
Iy and influence who takes pride j
an her welfare and her dignity, VIII
e. would not shout with JOY at the pc
III manent establishment of militar
ny rule, rather than that of the mOngrC
es organization now in progress,
tie