The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-03-13

We. would not have the people OF
the South deluded into the belief thai
they can adopt any line of policy BY
which to ward off the scheme Of ne
gro suffrage. It is true the End sec
tion of the Constitutional Amendment
provides that whenever the right to
vote at any election, shall be denied
to any class of citizens, De-, the basis
Of representation shall be reduced in
the proportion which the number of
such male citizens shall bear 10 the
whole number of male citizens, twenty
one years of age in that State. But
the Sherman bill declares that "when
the Constitutions of the (miscalled)
rebel States shall provide that the cleo
tive franchise shall be enjoyed By all
such persons as have the qualifications
herein stated for election Of Delegates"
t'said State shall be entitled to rep
resentation." Now, the qualifications
herein prescribed" include male citi-
zens "twenty one years old and mp
wards, of whatever race, color or pre-
vious condition Hence 1t win be
seen, as a contemporary pungently
says, the reconstruction plan is framed
with such ingenious malignity'' that
whether we adopt the constitutional
amendment, or prefer TO live under
Military despotism without represen-
tation, we cannot avoid negro suffrage
The question to be decided is, mas
much as negro suffrage is inevitable in
either case-inasmuch as we cannot
avert it by enduring the terrors
of military rule and remaining
unrepresented with certain
prospect of still greater evils
in the future in, the form of wholesale
conflscation and Acknowledgement
shall we not go step further and by
adopting the constitutional amend
ment, obtain relief from the military
yoke, rid ourselves of a standing army,
secure voice in the election of Pres
ident and in the legislative department
of the government, and establish peace
and quiet under circumstances not
agreeable, but greatly preferable to
martial law and negro rule, in the
with no other certainty in
ihe future, but long night of gloom
md darkness. In this connection, we
will introduce as worthy of acceptance
he suggestions Of a sagacious North
ern contemporary: H
The New York World having said
hat Sherman's military reconstruction
dill, "bad as 1t rs, Is more Favorable than
my likely 10 be passed IN It's stead" the
New York Times thus comments on
he opinion
"Further obstruction will provoke
Congress to further action, and The i'm
position of yet more distasteful pains
md penalties. The Worlds opinion,
hen, should be pondered both by the
resident and the south. The bill as,
t is, has no claim upon their admira
ion or attachment. But Objectionable
S it is in many features, it might be
asily rendered more Objectionable.
he best course, in existing circum-
tances, is to make the best of a bad
argain.'" I
Reduced to plain English, this is
imply an assertion that the bill is a
ad one, but Congress can and will
ass a worse ifthe South refuse its as [
ent to the terms now offered. This
, probably true, but it is the argument
ia highwayman who exacts what he !
as no right to demand, and enforces /
is clatm with a threat that he will
teal more in case of resistance. The q
'ouM must consider that she is IN tie
ands Of men actuated By precisely such :
.otiOes as are ascribed to them by The Ne0 I
vork Times. They have concocted a
leasure of tyranny and fraud, r
nd they say to the people v
the South, "You must v
limit, or we will exact from you 9
rms which will be even more cruel 0
I'd wicked" 1t is doubtful whether Il
~ Legislative body has before been "
} insensible to appearances Of justice b
ID common decency as to address q
ch an argument to the people for d
hom they legislate The South can a
nothing but act in the matter as de- 81
sceless man scould act IN dealing aOith m
aaps employing a like argument t,