The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-07-28
no THE PEOPLE OF

MLN98M9SMRRM.
The undersigned members Of the state
Legislature, at the close OF protracted ses-
sIon-in no spirit of presumption, and with
no intention to dictate to the people, ieel
impelled TO submit to our constituents anu
the State at large, brief review Of some OF
the most important acts of the Legislature
and the position we have occupied In at
tempting to acquit ourselves of the respon-
sibilities assigned us by popular favor.
Through the agencies of fraud and violence
which were employed by the military gov
eminent. abetted by the ill-judged mon
action" policy adopted by many of the lead
ing men, and best citizens Of the State, the
Conservatives were placed in hopeless
minority in the Legislature. Consequently
we have been reduced TO the necessity
acting in a merely negative capacity. Our
efforts were necessarily confiEed mainly TO
the preventing of unjust legislation. AL
though We have no brilliant triumphs TO
record, we yet feel warranted in stating
that our influence tor good has not been en-
tirely unfelt. No small number Of ms
chievous measures which were supported
by a majority of the opposition have been
shorn of many of their most odious features;
and others have been entirely defeated.
At the commencement of the session we
were opposed by overwhelming numbers;
fresh from the arena of strife-ravenous COR
the spells of ofice-unscrupulous in the use OF
means to attain their ends-and determined
by numerical superiority to crush out every
vestige of opposition to their triumphant
progress. BY firmness and unanimity of
action, and at the sametime by Cancellation,
we have to some extent checked them in
their mad career. We have, however, failed
to accomplish much that was desirable.
Many harsh measures have been enacted.
Many grevious burdens have been placed
upon the people; and many Ubiquitous
schemes have been contaminated.
Taxation has been vastly increased, which
by its inequality of distribution mainly
throws the burden upon owners of property.
The people impoverished, struggling to Sc
cure their subsistence by hard labor. and TO
re-establish the material prosperity Of their
beloved State, will realize that they have
been unjustly taxed to feed and enrich hun
CRY and grasping spoilsmen and to support
a prohigate and extravagant Administra-
ton.
costly school system has been legistated
into existence, looking mainly to the white
property-owners of the State for support.
while by the provisions of the law the whites
are virtually excluded from participation in
its benefits.
In this and other measures of the Radical
party, its leaders have aimed to compel
Social Equality between the races regardless
Il Al. l.
usages of society which are based upon
them.
Appropriation after appropriation has
been made in rapid succession, for the pur-
pose of rewarding political favorites and of
advancing party interests-to the utter dis
regard of the rights and wishes of the peo-
pie.
bill was passed forcing contributions,
chiefly from widows and orphans, to estab-
lish Republican newspapers. This measure
was defeated by the veto of the Governor,
who, in this case, revolted from the iniqui-
tous ruling of his own party. 1t is needless
to say that as the undersigned opposed the
scheme in its progress, they firmly sustained
the action of the Executive.
Claiming to be Representatives of the peo-
pie, a Radical Legislature has postponed an
election of county officers. Justly fearful
of the verdict of an oppressed and outraged
people-they have withheld from them the
ballot, resolved to maintain their tenure-of
office for their retainers and partizans in
defiance of the acknowledged principle I'M
DERIVING free government, that to the peo-
pie alone belongs the right to select their
own agents.
For these and other reasons we arraign
the party In power before the tribunal OF
public opinion, as having wilfully and per-
sistently trampled upon private rights-and
as having by systematic policy of injus-
tice and oppression forfeited all claim to the
respect and confidence of the people
Conscious of having done our duty we
will return to our homes in calm assurance
that our motives will be rightly construed
and our services properly appreciated by
those whom we have endeavored 10 serve
Protesting ourselves at all times ready to do
and dare all that true men may in your be-
half-we trust that you too will recognize
the fact that a great responsibility rests up
on you to aid and sustain us in our efforts
to advance the common interest, and to
shield our State from the fate marked out
for her in the examples of our sister South
ern States.
We wish to call your attention especially
to the fact that during the present year,
elections will probably be held In various
counties to fill vacancies In the Legislature.
To the voters of those counties we would
urge the Importance of sending to repre-
sent them at the next session worthy, com
petent men identified in interest and
sympathy with the people of the State. 1t
is of the first importance that our ranks
should be recruited by men of this class.
In most of the counties in which vacancies
occur good men may be chosen, If the peo-
pie so determine. It should be remembered
that in future elections every male citizen
above twenty-one years of age will have
the right to vote. Thousands of worthy
citizens will in future be admitted to the
ballot-box who were deprived of that
privilege at the last election.
The time has now come when if we mean
to be free-if we mean not basely to aban-
don our birth-right of freedom-ifw we mean
to place our State on the high road of pro-
gress, we must be up and doing. Nomiddle
course is left between prompt and decided
action on the one hand, and prolonged deg
radiation on the other.
J. Nj. Stone, Thos. j. Hardy,
III. l.. Duncan, T. w. Castles,
Thos. p. Conner, Henry Pittman,
r. A. Johns, w. w. Hart
j. y. Seal, A. ..Roane,
T. s. Maxey. M. X. Mister,
Geo. ID. fairfield, John ellis,
V. Collins, III. NJ. Street,
J. C. Mckenzie, w. L. Hemingway.