American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-09-25
'We Divide co Conquer"
From the Columbus Democrat.

These four little words haze after
rible import to q people that have
met with misfortune, and ate subject
to the power Of an .unscrupubus, vils
dictive foe. ave divide to CON
quer." Ireland, prostrate- and bleed
ing and hopeless, affords; in the MT
ter wnetchedness OF. her people, a.
mournful instance OF the potency of,
this insidious policy. And so it has
ever been. The moment a brave
people fail in their struggle for free
dom, that momeut some of their old
leaders renQunce their connectiOpa
and haste to the fset o&s pewer to
fawn and fiatter, and receive the
price of their apostacy.
The South has formed no excep-
ton to the rule. Everywhere have
many of her sons turned from her,
and tbrned close alliances with her
enemies that still seek to compass
her ruin. The reconstruction of
the different Southern States form
spectacle of treachery and syeoRhan-
cy. most painful to contemplate
In this State, treachery among
public men rears high its head, and
pursues its work in bold defiance of
public opinion. When the Black
Republicans failed in their attempts
to carry their Constitution, they
changed their tactics. Coanting, up
on the negro vote entire. they did
not feel the necessity of conciliating
the whites; unable to control it fully,
they sought the help of sueh leaders;
as could be bought. Albert G..
Brown, among others, had occupied
a prominent position in the State ;
he was supposed to WELD great in
fluence; Ae was the man Reeded,,,aRd
when ths trading commenced, it was
found that the workman was ready
for the work. A now party was or
ganized, with Brown at its head,
ostensibly in opposition to the radi-
cal Black Republicans, but really to
assure the complete success Of Con-
gressional reconstruction" And
so was carried into action the artful
policy" we divide to conquer"
Who believes that the orIgfnators
of the Dent movement desire the
election of the Dent ticket, or that
it's success will improve the condi-
ton of the people9 Their object is
to secure the adoption of the negro
Constitution and the ratification of
the XIV. amendment Black Re
publicanism gains, and the State
loses every thing by the concession.
Trading politicians and monopolists
secure political power that rightfully
belongs to the WHITE people, from
whom 1t is fraudulently taken, The
question of men sinks into utter in
sis nifcance beside that of principle,
but the true Issue is artfully veiled
uEder the contest for the offices.
The most seductive promises are
made to the people to endorse this
Dent movement falsehOod and mis-
representation are boldly resorted
to. Military rule is held mp as the
sum of all evils, from which the peo-
pie must escape at any sacrifice; and
forthwith, as part OF the programme,
military rule is made more Oppres-
sive. They are pointed to Virginia,
and urged to follow her exam
pie y; and the falsehood is carefully
put forward that her humiliations
have ended in her acceptance Of her
negro Constitution. The idea,' de-
cepti1e as it is alluring, is artfully
propagated that peace, and quiet,
and prosperity, are to be secured by
prompt reconstruction" And al
ready the leading spirits of Black
Republicanism are rejoicing in their
prospective triumph as another mon
ument TO the wisdom of that policy
which divides "a people to conquer
them.
That the great mass of the men
and press that support the Dent
movement are honest and guided by
patriotic considerations, no one will
question. But to say that the
Rings" that have called this in
fanny into being are sincere and un.
selfish, is to say that which is not
the truth,