American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-24
From the Holly Springs Reporter.
Conservative Republicans.

In Marshall county. there ale hut
two political parties: the Conserva-
tive, which favors reconstruction OIL
the Congressional plan. but opposes
all extreme measures and all men
who advocate them and the Radl-
Gals, who were the Bitter Entlers
year ago, and whose professions of
moderation are false and insincere.
There is not IL Conservative Repub-
lican in the. county. Every voter
belongs either to the party which
met in jackson, July LIST, or else TO
the party which defeated the in
famous Constitution of 1868.
The call for the Convention of the
=" National Union Republican Party"
was signed by fifteen men, all of
whom, if we mistake not, were the bit
terest kind of Proscriptionists short
twelvemonth ago. What has
changed theml They declare in
favor of universal suffrage and
universal amnesty" yet year ago
they were violent in their opposition
to both. They "deplecate amy at
tempt to impose upon the people of
this State any greater disabilities
than the Constitution and laws of
the United States already recog-
nize;" yet a year ago, they were We
hement in their efforts to impose far
more degrading an oppressive dis.
abilities, aud were perfectly furious
in their determination to disfranchise
aud IL l,,,l,li,,,r III
nineteen twentieths of the respecta-
BILE and intelligent voting population
of our State. We repeat the uues
ton: what has changed them Or,
have they cha Iged really at heart
We do not believe in the sudden con.
version of such politicians. Six
months ago, they declared "they
had not compl onised single princi-
Pile" but were merely" suggesting II
course characterized by sound poll
cy ;" that they conceded TO the OK
ternal Bitter Enders 1.-The utmost
sincerity of purpose" but regarded
their policy as unwise and calculated
to destroy the party, and its princi
pies. Are the Conservative Repub-
licans sincere in their latter day pro-
fesSions, and have they rumprum-
Used single principle 2 Or, are
they merely taking the course which
they promised the Reconstruction
Committee of Congress would surely
result in the ''llivision Of the white
vote" without which "they would
never sustain themselves
They promised to divide their
Anniversaries, ami thus conquer them
1t really seems to us as though they
were making their promise good.
If the opponents of the prescription
and outrage permit themselves to be
divided and conquered the fault
will be theirs. Fair notice has been
given them by their adversaries that
they are to be divided and conquer
ed that the hostility of the white
population to the great principles
which actuated these men, not u sin
gle one of which do they compromise
III their present action, is not to be
allowed to " cement and crystalize."
If the Conservative Republicans
are sincere in their present position,
and were deceiving themselves last
June, and Congress last March, they
should not be so crazy in their rush
for office. We believe that every
Conservative Republican in the
State is prospective candidate for
some office. Greediness OF offi;e ran
them to fearful extremes not long
ago. Such men will not do to trust.