The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1868-06-15
A ND I'D R Il n "
OF THE
OF THE
Democratic Executive Committee
FREEDMEN OF MTSSrssHPpr

called the Loyal League is the ORC ,p;za,;ar
OF the Republican party in this State that tbo
nev' James Lynch, colored man from
rniiadelphIa-who admits that he receives
-@Noou year from the Methodist Church
Nortn, has been, and now is a LEADING aca,+
VI SAID party in the formation of said
Leagues. That the said Lynch, under the
patronage OF said church land the pretence of
ulVlne service, and forming religious socie-
tles' and holding nightly prayer-meetngs,
mas assembled the freedmen in all portions
OF the State, and by falsely representing to
bAem that the white men of Mississippi were
thelr enemies and intended to reduce them
again TO slavery, and to deprive them of all
the rights of freemen, has induced great
numbers of the freedmen to become mem
| oers OF said Loyal League-hostile in their
Feelings and conduct to the white race, and
10 arm and combine against them.
mat the said Lynch has inaugurated said
League as an oathbound, secret religions
society that the freedmen and freeman who
enter the same are solemnly sworn under
| severe pains and penalties, extending to
prlVatlon of liberty and property that they
VIII keep the secrets of said League-that
they will vote for none bnt the candidates
of the Leauge or the Republican party for
office-that they will support no public men
or measures but such as are recommended
and adopted by the League-that they will
| maintain and support none but members of
the League in all the dealings, associations
l,,fs IL
that they will combine and exert the full
power of the League with arms, if necessary
to aecomplishe their object. These facts
and many more to the same effect are sus-
ceptible of legal proof
The candidates of the Republican party
are known to be members of the League,
and in full accord and conspiracy with the
said Lynch, who is put forth as cats-paw
because of his clerical character and negro
blood.
The result of this combination has been
and will continue to be to put PERSONAL
political and social enmity and animosity
between the black and viii tie races-and if
persevered in, will render the liberty you
now enjoy, a curse instead of blessing
cut you off from the support of the employ
ers of labor throughout the State, and rem
der you liable, with all the members of the
League, to prosecution for high crime
against the laws of the State and to punish
ment 10y fine and imprisonment in the Pen
itentiary, and loss of suffrage forever.
Before you obtained your freedom and the
right to vote such combinations between
white men were declared unlawful, and
those laws now apply to your race. The
Revised Code of 1867 declares that
"Whoever shall procure, or endeavor to
procure to vote of any elector, or the inf1u-
ence of any person over other electors, at
any election, for himself or any candidate,
by means of violence, or threats of violence,
or threat of withdrawing custom or dealing
in hnsine>s or trade, or of enforcing the
payment of debt, or of bringing a suit or
criminal prosecution, or by any other threat
or injury to be inflicted by him, or by his
means, shall. upon conviction, be forever
disqualified to hold any Office or place of
trust, honor or profit, under the laws or con-
stituton of this State, excluded from suf-
frage, and be punished by imprisonment in
the Penitentiary, for a term not exceeding
two years, or in county Jail, not more than
one year, or by fine not exceeding one thou
sand dollars, or by both such fine and i'm
'prisonment Rev. Code, 579 Art. 80.
IF any one shall, by Illegal force, or
threats of force prevent or endeavor to pre-
vent any elector from giving his vote, he
shall, upon conviction he punished by inn
prisonment in the Penitentiary for term
not exceeding two years, or IN county jail
not exceeding one year, or by fine not ex-
ceedng We hundred dollars, or by both
such fine and Imprisonment" Revised
Code, 5S7, Art. 30
Under this law. a combination to induce
ignorant persons to take an oath to vote for
particular measures or men at an election
with threats of violence or with denial of
custom OF any other injury if the person
shall see fit to vote contrary to his oath, is
is unlawful.
You all know that the sole object of the
oaths Won are required to take. and the in
structions you receive, as members of the
League, and agree to obey. is to procure your
votes, and the votes of all freedmen in the
state for the Republican candidates-that
Won are not at liberty to vote as you please'
either as to men or measures, and are held
in personal fear and dread of punishment
and personal injuries and persecution from
members of the League, if you do not vote
according to the orders of the League Your
Master, James Lynch, in his late address to
Won. commands you to go to work and hunt
nm votes" He orders you to g vote for the
Constitution, and for the men selected by
the Republican party to hold office These
are the official commands of the Leagne to
you,-You dare not disobey.-Your Jndg
ment and your will are both enslaved,-fon
are not freemen to vote,-You have unlaw-
fnlly bargained your vote away for the pro-
lection of the League, and are held in terror
of its pnnishments.
You cannot fail to perceive that these ar
ticles of the Code of 1857, prohibit ana rem
der criminal the very acts which members
r ora