The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-08-26
From the Pilot of Feb. Is, 1869.
Id ND R IL y -
OF THE
Mississippi Republican Delegation
To TIE
RECOMMENDATION Committee.
aaaa az Geatlenaen d Me

fiOm Committee.
" Chairman and Gentlemen Of die
1 Reconstruction Committee :
We, the chosen representatives of the Re
publican party of Mississippi, respectfully
tnite the attention of yolr honorable COM
mites to the following, which we consider
. air representation OF the ease:
the Republicans of Mississippi ask what
istight between man and man and no more.
W. know from our own observation and
Knowledge acquired that large majority
ofthe registered voters Of the State are In
fa'or OF the constitution. This being the
ca&, we cannot see upon what ground 1t
shalld be refused them. We reaware that
vey plausible stories are told those in au-
1 thGity BY certain parties 10 opposition to
the ratification of the Constitution. and it
seems but fair that the character of the
! paEies representing the interests of Missis-
siEDi should be considered. On the one
hand, nearly all those opposing ratification
aremen who have continuously fought re-
| construction upon the Congressional plan.
ano only yield when all hope of successful
opposition is cut off by General Grants cleo
| ton Most of these men were active sup
| porers of the rebellion; and their history
| shows them to have been engaged in oppo-
| sitiol TO the Government from the breaking
out Of the war, in 1861. TO November, 1865.
fHereifollows long recital, descriptive
of the party affiliating with the authors of
the address, which we omit.)
The Republican party of Mississippi in
convention assembled, on the 25th day of
November. 1865, unanimously represent that
| the Constitution was ratified by majority
of the legal votes cast at the election; they
represent that there were frauds, violence.
| and intimidation practised In greater part
of the state; that some thirty-eight thous-
and votrs did not vote, because theY could
not voteas they desired. without being pro-
1 QndanO inc
and Ihatthey desired to vote for the Consti-
| titution that reign of terror was inaugu-
rated, such as TO literally compel men, both
white aM black. TO vote against the Consti-
| tuition tley desired to vote for. To estab-
| lish the$ facts, evidence has been adduced
/ before tie Reconstruction Committee. which
we deem sufficient. And yet the half has
| not beef told. The question is often asked
show reign OF terror could be Inaugural
| ted, sue as to keep men from voting, and
even compel men to vote against their own
settled convictions" We answer. this is
easily understood by those on the ground,
and, we state. for the Information of such
| persons that in Mississippi alone, during the
| past yedl hundreds OF Republican rOters hare
| been maflered, aud not one Of their n1UTderers
| has beeltdr0ught 10 justice. Some of US have
| listenedto freedmen, as they recounted their
| sufferinss for opinions sake, and examined
| their walnds-some beaten with gun bar
| rels, some beaten with clubs. some cut with
-
mostly rceired for attending Republican meet
mas or Or holding and expressing Repub-
Iican views, till the heart has sickened, and
we haveexclainled, chow long, o Lord, how
long must these things be enduredr' We
are awaD that active Republicans are charg-
ed with ,eing guilty of everything which
is disrepltable; indeed the public journals
TEEN with such ISLANDERS; but it should be
remembered that these charges are made by
the identical men who were either shooting
I IL
and ammunition for others; and this can
only be Considered as the same contest, car
ried on with different weapons. We also
hare In Mississippi some fdctt0us persons, ereR
in the Republican ranks 1t is well known
that thee is certain classof minds so con-
stituted Is to be almost ungovernable; COM
monty characterized as class who must
either ssiule or ruin At Ou- Republican
State Convention, held at the city of Jack
SON on the 25th day of November 1865. it
was unanimously resolved to pursue the
plan wcadvocate, and we were appointed
by said convention to lay before your hon
orable committee and Congress said plan.
and urge it as the best that could be done
under the circumstances for all parties con-
cerned. This was a largely attended con-
yention nearly every county in the State
being represented. There was respecta-
BILE minority in favor of the blouse BILL
which originated in your committee, and
passed the House last session, RECOMMENDING
the OLD OOnfellllOI,
Bva motion made by the minority, the
action of said convention was made unani-
NOUS, and we would impress upon your
honorable committee that zoe represent the en-
tire Republican party Of Mississippi. all stale
ments to the contrary Notwithstanding
Such statements are made by parties upon
their own responsibility. In this connec-
ton A certain address to your honorable
committee, signed by Z. Jeffords and others,
deserves passing notice: 1t will be seen,
a
49, that j. L.. Wofford testified that "a ter
ritorial or military government would be
ruinous to everything there" Fleming
Hodges was member Of the above-men-
toned convention of November %, was
member of the committee on Resolutions,
and endorsed the resolutions. and the entire
proceedings of said convention. Please see
his testimony on page 81, and letter on page
SO. Mr.. ID. &. kearns was a member OF
Committee on Resolutions, appointed by
republican convention held at the city of
Jackson in January last, and introduced
resolution urging immediate admission un-
der the constitution, and has not been in
Washington during the past year. Mr.. A.
Warner has not been in this city this winter,
and il will be remembered by your honora-
Die committee that Mr.. Jeffords, on last
Thursday, asked permission TO make an oral
argument before your committee; this was
declined him, and he was informed that he
could submit an argument in writing. Now,
4 IL
have been difficult to get the signature OF
gentlemen being in Mississippi to said adj
dress since last Thursday. the 4th inst. and
il is believed that only Mr.. Hodges and T..
Jeffords were present in the city. Further
more. Mr. Jeffords. in 1867, did not abide the
action of. the party in its nomination of del
erates to the constitutional convention in
his county, but put himself forward as an
independent candidate. and out of 1900
votes cast he received 200.
As to arguments addgeed in the above
mentioned address, the fist seems to be an
effort to prove the election fair one. Your
honorable committee have the testimony be-
fore you. and we deem comment upon it I'M
necessary. We would respectfully call your
attention to statement found on page 4 of
said address: "And even at the last election
this same class (the old Whigs) was driven
bv the despotism of public sentiment to OPP
pose the constitution" Thus it Is discover
ed that, while they claim the election TO
have been fair one they at the same time
state that at the same election ''men were
driven to VOTE We find the following
statement on page of said address: They
now coneede that both their appeal to the
sword and to the ballot having been deter
mined against them, they have no alterna-
tive left but To surrender on the best terms
they can obtain" These men, then, have at
last surrendered. we are told, Or,will surren-
der ii they can get what they ask for as 1t
seems to be implied on page 5, that, if their
demands are not granted, they will not
Weld. This seems to be the argument. 1t
should be borne in mind that most of these
men took and subscribed to the following
oath some two years since: THAT / will
faithfully support and obey the laws of the
United States, and will. to the best of my
ability, encourage others so to do. So help
me God" We submit thar ii Is about time
they s.surreadered'' If there Is amy fear Of God
before their eyes. The point is made that the
old Wings never liked Democraey-that the
Democrats dragged them into rebellion, &c,
sc Non zoe sHbnit that Il has taken long
time for them TO discover thdt they had no taste
for Democracy. When the war closed they
had good opportunity TO show to the world
] Ehat thes had sonae respect for The Government