American citizen., 1868-01-04
Address VI the constitutional unioz
Party.
y,

To the People Of MfssissipW:
Terrible evils, created by unwise
Legislation Of Congress, threaten all
our rights and interest, national, so.
lcial, civil and political. More than
two years have elapsed since the
close Of the war, and now, at q time
when cur people. might, if not o..
structed by hostile legislation, in a
good degree restore prosperity, and
Icontiibute millions 70 the pnblic
itreasury, they are reduced, by. the
action of Congress, TO a condition
worse than ever before. Civil order
lis paralyzed by the sword industry
| is dcmoraIized. The sad complaint
of suffering from want of bread is
heard in this fruitful land, and rob
tbeIries for food havc already begun.
COtton, importaht sas il is 10 the
Ecountry as the supporter of the pub,
lie credit, the medium of exchange,
the bOuntifnl cOntIimter to the prot.
fits OF commerce, and the great stiinu
liant Of industry, will be grewR no
lmore. III fact, the policy Of Congress
has reduced our population to utter
truin. Congress has cOntrive,l for US
Ethe ,perpetuity of negro rule--tl'e
fblind domination Of bslrbarO,is ignOr.
|ance, stimulated by the worst pas
lsions of men, and directed by reck.
Hess partizan adveRturers.
BY the will of an American Con
gress, these Southern States are fore
doomed to become African provinces
of the American UniOn--prOvinoes
in which We and our children are to
be held in negro subjugation, and into
which no Northern man, no Union
soldier, can enter except to become,
ike us, a victim to anarchy and ruin.
Tie Union cause triumphed in the
Strife of arms: but the UaiOn Con
gress, so-called, has practically de-
reed that this great South, saved To
the Union by a countless cost Of blood
land treasure, shall become negro
,ligarchy, dreary waste, incapable
TO contribute dollar to the pnblir
ltreasury--a dead weight, worse than
worthless to the Union. No pan
more efficient could be devised to
create and perpetrate bitterness, and
10 weaken and endanger the Union.
Under such scheme, republicans
government and civil liberty are-im-
'Ossible. PrOfessed Republicans now
strive to commit the State of Missis
,ippi to the control of a race of ig.
norant negroes, having registered
majority of 10000 voters, mani pula.
ed by politicalS Adventurtrs from
,ther States. or the capacity OF
-hese freedmen to organize. develop
md restore to shape and control the
lestinies of a great State, and OF the
Dartizan purposes regarding them.
ct the late report OF Gen. Grant bear
Witness: "U. '.
"Their intelligence is not now sniff
'ient to combine for the execution of
heir will all their combinations ave
low controlled by white men under
he protection of the military. l.
he protection is withdr,wn, the
White men now controlling wonld
Sithdlaw with it; 80
hat the presence of u large military
Orce will he required for sometime
MAINTAIN the FREEDMEN in the right
If suffrage, Then these creatures
,Onfessedly, too ignorant even {"
combine for the execution OF their
will, are Ito be maintained rs Onr
lominal rnlers, whilst manipulating
strange "un,ler the protection OF
the military are to make cOmbina
|:iOns for them, and through them tn
govern the State. We have thus
proposed for our acce, tance AN oil.
,+ARCHY MAINTAINED by MILITARY
POWER. H.# #. n' |.FH
Such a government wOuld be a 'lis.
srace, and ruin to any people. Every
consideration of honor, and duty and
interest eOnstrains rs to oppose il.
It. accept it. is to ignore the COnsti-
tU s::SR, and the great principles Of
civil liberty, it was ordained to per
petuate. Our duty to the freedmen,
no less than our own interests, re-
1uires us to unite in earnest efforts
to defeat tins monstrOus scheme of
Mississippi government. Wg H
A State Convention of the Consti.
.utional Union, Party will he held in
the city of Jackson, On "Wednesday
the 18th day Of January next, tor the
purpose Of thorough organization,
Consultation aud action and we earn.
testify invite all citizens Of the State,
who are in favor of peace and union
under the Constitution, to send dele
gates 10 take counsel with ITS for the
comm0 good. Let no one ,ielu,le
himself with the hope Of peace under
a. constitution which will transfer the
mwer of the Stats tOa dominant ne-
gro majority, by whiesh 1t may be
cham ged aud debased at will. Let
there be no halting becausp Of past
differences Of opinions or politics
Let the recent past teatii us all how
is the necessity for dt-iib-
crate Judgment, aud tor harmonious,
united efiort for common deliver.
ance. 5000
We have every possible induce
ment lerimmediate action to combine
lin united, zealouS iabors. Never be-
fore was a people threatened with
lcalamities 81 great as those now prc.
pared for us and our brethren of the