American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-08-14
The Address of the One Hundred
and Thirty FIVE.

Inc JACKSON CLARION, OF the 9th
inst, publishes an address to the
" people of the State Of Mississippi"
signed by onehundred and thirty five
prominent citizens of the State, in
which they urge that the voters of
the State shall give their support to
the Conservative Republicans. This
advice we do not consider improper,
bat We claim that the people of Mis-
sissippi are in an eminent condition
to speak for themselves. They do
not desire that self constituted dele.
gates shall assume the right to re-
present them upon this important
question. The people of the State
have most unbounded confidence in
and respect for the gentlemen who
have signed this call. They recog-
nIze in them some of the pure st and
most profound men of the age. They
are, in all probability, willing to com
ply with their advice, but they wish
and demand the poor privilege of
saying what they intend TO do. They
are moi wards In training nor are
they minors in charge OF a guardian.
They are full grown and in the full
possession Of all their mental facul.
ties. When they desire that others
shall speak for them, they propose
to select their representatives and
instruct them in their duties.
We have no fault to find with the
one hundred and thirty-tive signers
of this address. We do not doubt
but they advise from the most disin
terestcd motives; that they have
the good of the State at heart. And
as advise to the peOl.l lie of the State,
i is all well enUu Oh; bI t those to
whom the advice is directed request
the poor privilege of saying whether
they intend 10 abide 10y it or not.
The people of this State are no Ion
ger in leading strings. They are full
grown and fully matured. They do
not need self-appOinted agents to
transact their political affairs. They
have not yet been decreed non
compos mentis, aud until they are,
they insist that their affairs shall
be left TO their own management.
1t is exceedingly kind of the labori-
Gus one hundred and thirty-five to
declare what shall be the duty of the
people; but the dignity and selfre-
spect of the people require that they
shall so say tkeHsel,e s. II is true
that the one. hundred and thirty five
have been very modest in their de-
clar atoms and their plans; but we
understand that it is the plan of the
wiseacres in jackson, who have un-
dertaken to run the political wagon
of Mississippi, to make this address
serve instead Of Convention of tho
people. In other words, the ssaer-
Gus, maynuhimous, political seers OF
Jackson have said. eve will run this
machine in this way, and the people
must SUBSCRIBE" We say to. this
selfdelegated power, the people will
do no such thing. We do net deabt
but it is best to support the Conser.
vative Republican party, but we in.
tend to have the privilege of saving
so ourselves. We did not ask you
to take this trouble off our hands
nor do we thank you for your pains
We intend to hold Convention in
jackson and discuss all these issues
which sou have so kindly taken un
der consideration, and if we arrive
mt the same conclusion as have you
we viii! adopt the plnn sugges; o | by
: YOU, but we do not t nd to gatify
your vanity by quietly follow e the
path which you mark out without q
question. There are divers opinions
in this State. These must be recoI
ciled the adherents of these different
plans do not recognize your dicta
ton, but when the people of the
State in Convention assembled say
that we must do thus and so. it will
-. be accomplished, but until that is
. done we will he found discoTdant and
unsatistied. A Central Democratic
Executive Committee was created
bv the Democrats of this State, not
to originate or fashion measures but
to take them under consideration
and when the proper time came tC
call the Democrats of the State to
peJltT lOF EtHtl"I OOIiCiChCV, "h'
not to leave it to'any self constituted
one hundred ana thirty five men o
. the State. We call upon that Elk
ecutive Committee to- call conVen
ton of the Democrats of the State
to convene in Jackson Oh the 21st o
| next September, to discuss and TAKE
, action upon these important ques
; tions, and to regulate and harmonic
, the differences which separate anC
! divide us. Ifthey refuse to exercise
2 this power which was vested in then
} we call upon them to so announce i
e that the people may supplant then
}. and take the matter in their owl
| hands. Important questions are LET
n to the consideration Of the people, an
8 not to any one hundred and thirty