The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-03-21

| the action of the s6upremP C0urt y c0nI-
cerned !, That tribunal there decides, lthatit
| is political Question TO be decided BY Con-
gIess and not the Courts, Shether there Il
an existing State Government having SEM
ators and Representatives, entitled to adnais-
sion into the councils Of the Union. Ip the
Military Bill, Congress has declared thatrno
illegal State Governments now exist IN the
rebel States"- that the existing State Gov
ernments are provisional only, and It has re-
fused the Senator'S and members Of Congress
appointed under, their authority, admission
into the councils Of the nation. s. 8. i IS
As we are powerless. If we had the will to
resist by force the executions Of the Military
Bill-as the the President, II he has the VIII,
/ is unable to shield usfromits operations ybnt
on the contrary is now making every Jar
rangement to carry it intoefect--and as the
Supreme Court can entertain no Jurisdiction
to decidethe political question involved in
this CONTROVERSY, we. are without redress,
unless we take action, in order to retain a
portion of political power, and endearor as
far as possible, by the use fithe ballot under
the provisions of this Bill, to protect our
property, our liberty, and our lives.
Il Among those whom this Bill and the Con.
Institutional Amendment disfranchise, are in
claded MANY of the ab1est and best mon Of
the State; but the elective franchise and
the right to- hold office, is retained by con.
TROLLING numbers of the white citizens of'the
State. ,. A supplemental Bill has been Il in
trednced in Congress providing for a regis
try Of yotersand the call of . Convention
preparatory to thetorganization of the State
Goyernments, under the plan proposed by
Congress. 1t is the duty, in my opinion, Of
every citizen entitled to vote under Che. pro.
visions of this Bill, go forward and regis
ter his name, to attend thepolls,at the cleo
ton and cast his vote, and to take an active
part in the reorganization of the State. He
owes this to himself, If he wishes to retain
his personal and political freedom He owes
this to his fellow citizens DISTINGUISHED by
this Bill for they look to him and his influ-'
ence to protect them in person and In prop
erty. He also owesit to the large number
of black people who, ignorant of their ri gifts
as electors and totally unqualified to paftiG. .
|jipate in the affairs of governments, have had
power conferred upon them which. they are
incompetent to use. and which must be
properly directed, IN order to saveithe State
from utter anarchy and misrlle Inaction
win not do now. The Government will be
reorganized Under the provisions of this act
of Congress whether we win or not. IT the.
good and true men of the country will not
participate in, the organization, it viii go on
without them. The demagogue, the poiit-
ical aspirant, bad and Inscriptions white .
men, will solicit the suffrage Of the ignorant
negro, and instilling into his mind, pref
tudices, against those to whom he has been !
heretofore attached By. the strongest ties. of
sympathy and affection, they will use the
political power placed in his hands, to sub
vert and overthrow that control and infu.
ience, which judieious conduct on our part
can perpetuate in the hands of those, who
have heretofore possessed it. lifs u I9Vial
/ have heard the fear frequently expressed
and the question has been asked me, if 1 be-
lieNed that Congress would proceed to q gen.
eral eonfscation ofproperty. do not ALL
are some, whose maleyolenoe
would induce them to proceed to that ex.s
tremity, yet do not believe such an idea lis
by any large number of that
body. The ! action q Of the majority, |
in adopting the measures u proposed
to reorgahize Southern State Gov
erTnments, had its origin in point
ical motives. They have been adopted with
a view to perpetuate political power. Be-
lieving, that D majority of the Southern
people would unite witl, the Democratic par
ty at the North, for the overthrow of the Re-.
publican party, the leaders Of that party de-
to introduce q new element, into
the political body ut the South. which might
neutralize q power, they feared would be an,
D. To this motive, ascribe their
disfranchisement of a portion of tine South
eril people, and their acknowledgements of the
negro: greatly fear, that the Introduction i
of this new political element, though it may
strengthen the Republican party, will hasten
the overthrow of Republican government.
It was once. q prond boast, to be Q Roman
citizen. But when the freedom Of the City,
was extended to the ignorant Goth and the
slothful Asian, the privilege, for which
Kings had striven, lost its high values. and
the Roman name ceasedto awe the work.
with lite influence a3eIG sga.E 5at slial
The American Congress have conferred
The ballot on the ignorant and uneddcated
negro We are not responsible for this-it1
9 forced upon us. It is the duty of the
Thite people of the South, for their own
protection, to teach him how, to nse it., He
s kindly, in his nature he has been loyal in
,he past to his owner, and he will soon feel 1
hat the same laws which, Cypress us must
llso injure him. .ss4s sda y I'D
Il ACKNOWLEDGMENT gentlemen, TO. express,
RELY and candidiys uy views upon the. mo.
llentons issue. now presented TO the consfd.f
ration Of ths State. Ihave doneso dispass
Ionate1y aud WITHOUT any personal motive
6sbias my judgment. Z believe the course
sKioh,I advise, is the only one that can save
he State 1 do not know, that 1t viii save
t. appreciates tie opinions Of those Who
LITER i9 f frommss and certainly .Esspeos, their
motives. But we are still in the midst of
Revolution, md must acts If we do not.
theirs viii and the political control. which
ve can now exercise, win pass into other
lands. and leave US the vain regret, that NE
foud still when timely and nrufIenf action |