The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1869-12-15
The Election in Mississippi.

1t appears from the MISSISSIPPI papers and dis
patches just coming hand that the election in that
State was anything but harmonious In the northern
and western portions of the State collisions took place
between the whites and blacks and threatened war
of races. Bands Of armed negroes paraded different
parts of the State threatening the peaceable whites
Wiona, Water Valley, senatobia, Cornth, Jackson
Greenwood and other points, mentioned as the
scenes of collision and bloodshed.
The people of the South are well acquainted with
the nature of the negro that it useless to COM
ment on their peculiarities but the following extract
from the New Orleans Times is apropo that give
it in columns in preference to anything We
could ndite the subject, for two reasons first, be-
it is better than anything could get up and
second, it has influence when known to emanate
from one of the Metropolitan blankets.
Speaking Of the negro contemporary says, that
when his evil passions aroused be is scarcely re-
sponsble being and who so ready to fll his mind
with hate, envy malice and all uncharableness as his
trusted Radical advisers? Left to himself he quiet
respectful and accommodating Aroused to madness
by incorporate and anatical advice he plays the part
of fend incarnate. The whole South is familiar
with his conduct in its better phases well in its
worst. When left in charge of women and children
during the war he was kind and obedient; but when
the demons of mad ambition took up their abode
within him he became dangerous than the luna
tic spoken of in the Scripture, who said that his
Legion" His Radical.prompted conduct has
been in this State in thousand offensive forms
it has shown itself in Alabama in Arkansas, and in
Tennessee coupled with disgusting beastalities and
horrible butcheres and now, in the quiet and rural
regions of Mississippi it exhibits ITSELF stimulated and
intensified by partisan hatred till is ready do deeds
Of most bloody daring.
"Tha. this is all wrong every sensible man must
admit but it an effect which is the direct result of
sufficient causea which has proved all potent
for mischief wherever presented. By some it may be
regarded cruel to deal harshly with offenders who
have Of the insane root and are scarcely respon
sihe for their acts But it must be remembered that
the unbound lunatic destructive to life as the de-
ermined murderer and it is quite as necessary to re-
strain him, if his blood be the penalty exacted.
In great emergencies the slow machinery of the law
cannot be successfully invoked. Like produces like
Outrage provokes outrages We not therefore be
surprised that the arming of the negroes leads the
armng Of the whites and when the spirit of antagon-
ism gets aroused the result is inevitable. He
that takes the sword is likely to perish by the sword
Communities in which such conflicts do not occur ha We
no right TO condemn those in which they do. Were
the circumstances changed our cousins of the North
would be quite as ready to oppose negro excuses,
born of desire for negro supremacy as we of Lou
siana or Mississippi We no apoogists for ven-
geance unjustly taken, cruetes wantony commit
ted but these occasions when vengeance vndicates
Itself, end cruelty becomes the highest kindness"