The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-04-24

uiaiha "hich British philanthropy
inaugurated thirty odd years ago in
the nee wealthy and prosperous is.
land of Jamaica.
1t is a familiar story how, as a con.
sequence of emancipation. the indus.
tiy of the island was paralvzed how
It's fonrishing aspect disappeared
how its opulence ceased; how its
helds became waste places; how its
plantations, once invaluable. became
so worthless that they were bought
and sold for the value of the copper
and sills that had been used inyhe
sugar houses; and how this de-
cline has continued from the very
day of the opening of the drama until
the present hour. These are all ia
miliar stories. They have been re-
corded in British histories, and de
monstrated in British statistics, to the
modification and disappointment of
that Government, and to the shame
and confusion of the misguided zealots
who originated the policy which has
resulted in so deplorable a catas-
trophe.
But there is another phase i'll this
painful history, which, in view of re-
cent events in our own land, cannot
be regarded with indifference. We al
Jude to the experiment of comforting
upon the emancipated blacks the priv
ilege ofthe elective franchise, and It's
fatal termination. Though attempted
to be guarded by wholesome r~estric-
tions and qualifications, it has signal
Is failed. The boon of suffrage, like
that Of freedom, has proved to be a
fatal gift to the poor negro; and we
find it taken from him by the same
power that conferred it at the very
moment when measures are in pro
gress to test the policy in the crucible
of experiment in these Southern
States. Naturally excitable, 'cred-
ulous and easily duped, he is a prey
to passion, and an easy instrument in
the hands of the treacherous and de
signing. Consequently, the island,
since the era of emancipation, has
been an-ever recurring scene of the
strife Of c~ontending factions; aud at
last the patience of the Government of
which it is a provincial dependent
having become exhausted, it has been
driven to the necessity of depriving
the negro of his voting privilege and
of placing the government of the
country in the hands of a Council APP
pointed by the Crown.
Now what profitable conclusion do
we mean to draw from these facts
That we must enter upon the impossi-
BILE work of undoing what our Gov
eminent has recently done in the
of negro suffrage? Far f,om
it! The thing is an accomplished
fact, and beyond our reach. AS well
attempt under existing circumstances,
to restore the institution of slavery
itself. But since it is futile to talk
about abandoning the scheme, we
must adopt the next wisest curse.
On this point our idea is well and
forcibly expressed by the New Orleans
Bee. "Our wisest course p" (says that
Lies in an attempt to guide
: the new power as far as we are able,
'and in order to do so it is apparent
THAT 1t requires every man that we
can bring into the field. There is no
voter without some influence, and if
each would make it a point to con-
troll one vote besides his own, it
would be sufficient to keep the State
from the anarchy that must surely
come if the elections are left in the
hands of the newly made voters. We
do not charge them with wilful
'malignity against the State, but we
fear that they do not properly under
stand the conditions, and that they
may be led by designing men and
political Adventures. Therefore, we
would have the vote controlled by
those who have an interest in the
State, and in order to do so every
man should enter the campaign by
having himself registered as a voter"