American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-10-12

ltlectlNe FRANCHISE EXTENDED ana cor
troIled as il is to be- You can neve
send any one there who does not al
Drove the entire Congressional plan
or if You should chance to send sue
AS dc no it is very certain they vii
be pronounced disloyal and rejected
Your reprpsentalI then, are +
become the instrument which Slal
hut rivet the chaiI'> of slavery NOR
firmly upon you. Look at the condi
tion Of Tennessee, and you may se
the prototype Of what is to be you
own condition; she has not singl,
conservative member of Congress
not one who does not go with the rad
ical party to the full extent of its per
srcuticn. Look, too, at Kentucky
whose members were excluded simply
because they were opposed to tn,
dominant party! Nor will YOU bt
allowed to change the form Of YOU
State government so as to limit the
right of suffrage, since by adopting
these measures YOU admit that Con
gress has the power to con rol, modi
fy or abolish it at pleasure, and you
will be held estopped by your own
act. Your only security, therefore
is to be found in peIsistently holding
on to, and demanding an observance
OF your Constitutional rights. If a
despotism must he placed over you,
let it be done without Your consent.
Mississippi now occupies the attitude
Of, having resisted these measures
through the proper channels of an APP
peal to the Judiciary for relief her
people will destroy the moral force OF
her position by voluntary acqui.
esccnce in them.
Others again say, if we do not ac.
cept these measures, something worse
will he Inflicted upon us. This is
again compromise by surrendering
right to discretion. 1t is virtually say
ing TO the radical party, We will sur
render our Constitutional right, even
the functions and very existence
of our States, and submit ourselves
entirely to your discretion, it will You
not intiict further injury upon us. We
fear your power, but We will strength
en- your party in the hope Of your
leniency. When this sure method Of
inviting further encrOachmentS on
oar rights by removing the barriers
against oppression, is adopted, what
caa We have that will at
ford protection A partial pledge
has been given by some, repudiated
by others. But how could you rely
on the most sacred rledg" OF / arty
which has SO shameless V disrrgarded
their obligation to preserve the prin
tiples of the Constitution inviolate 7
A people vino will display GImneSs in
resisting oppression, have a much
better chance to escape it in the end
than those who bow The rcck at Its
and take the yoke willingly.
In truth, the sure and only way is TO
resist it, by all Constitutional means
What was it that secured our Eng
iSh ancestors the benefits of Magma
Chdrta? A proper and unyielding
spirit of resistance. They did not
say to King John at Rlnnymede, we
will submit to what YOU have done
f yon will 60 10 further; they knew
hat would he to invite additional op.
PRESTON. They demanded that he
bould retrace his steps and restore
heir ancient rights. And what was
t that compelled Charles |, who had .
.iolated Magma Chartd, to approve
nd sign the Petition Of Right OF Sc
ured Charter of Liberty A deter.
mined spirit of resistance to oppres-
ion. What induced our fathers Of the
revolution to raise the sta dard of
berty and struggle Oh until they /
chieved their freedom 1t was the
pirit of resistance to oppression
'hich shopld always characterize
heir descendants II the maxim he
rue that 'Or people TO he free is
ut to will it, it is certainly true that ;
" a people to be slaves it is only for {
hem to consent to it. If we accept I
leSe measures as peace offerings"
e may rest assured the oppressor'S I
and will not be raised antil his {
rasp is firmly fixed upon us. do {
OF m an tOrcible resistance OF course, I
hich is always hazardous, or foolish. !
mean that We shou'd in n proper man I
pr, assert and maintain our rights, t
least never consent to our wrongs. l
he South could now exert more mon i
power than she had physical pow. '
:, if the people we're united. Our 4
eakness consists in our divisions. I
ur united remonStrauce expressed .
rough \ Convention of the people =
the Southern States, would, no t
,ubt, meet favorable reSpons.'. (
ut divided as we are, nothing can a
: accomplished. {
BY some it is said. oh, a Cnven- v
IN will I've called, and We had as b
I'll vote for it. The man who e
willing to mflIct wound on the II
,nstitutio of his country because {
hers will do so, but trties with the
ght of suffrage, and proves that ii Il
~ be- unwiSely bestowed. Even =
e freedmen, if they consult their d
lie interest, should op,aSe a Con N
ntiOn. They hold their freedom b
Constitutional guarantees, frSt 10y 81
p Consr itutioa of the State, and C;
ondll 10y the Cnnst tuticH of the Il
liIed States These reconstruct Fl
is are founded an the idea that the q
ate Constitution is void, and Of 5,
4 se TIA" act oi the Legislature O
Iich ratified the amendment to the t,
IstItutiOn of the United States Is N