The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-01-05
LETTER FROM WILLIAM.
I'm which l. Embraced u Well
Meant EpistIe 40 u. Il. A.

| EAST MISSISSIPPI. Dec II 1870
| EDITOR CLARION There are times when
preachers holding forth add to the solemni-
| ty and moment of the occasion, by stating
! that they are probably addressing their au-
dience for the last time. l did that same.
when l wrote you on the 9th inst The
spirit moves me TO write again. l wish to
write TO the .Commander-in-Chi and
send it in letter to you:--
To J. L. ALCORN, Governor G! } and Com
| naander-tn- CHIEF Of the Army and Nary Of
the State Of Mississippi:
have read your proclamation. published
| in THE CLARION. against the ku-hiuX, and
| knowing that men in your place rarely get
the truth from those who live of their
| grace have concluded to address you, a
| lew lines.
In Issuing that Ku-Klux proclamation
you did wrong.
LIST. Because you have no knowledge of
| the existence of any such characters, and
| hence you have acted with a Zeal not ac-
cording to knowledge.
2d. You do not proclaim against the evil
! that is running this country. The people in
| East Mississippi are those who. in other
DAYS. chose their own officers. There lived
| among them a seryile race called negroes.
! This very people you. and others acting
with you. have organized into party Ofop-
position TO the whites, and used To give you
power, money and infamy.
| You have taken advantage of a people
conquered and robbed of the means of re-
istance. and imposed upon them consti-
| tuition at the point of the bavonet, which
| gives you the DOW to appoint every Off
| Ger outside of the State Capitol A Legis-
lature made up of negroes, infamous stran-
| gers, and those false to their own homes,
| have passed laws, hostile to the sentiments
of the people and destructive TO their in
| rerests.
To carry out these laws, you have ap-
| pointed with some good men) the vilest
| white men and the meanest negroes. Ii
/ you think that those who are restless and
| pray for vengeance are ku-klux, then ev-
cry decent man in the State is \ ku.klux!
| Ifyou wish TO proclaim a remedy that
will effrctually cure the public ills, tell your
| Legislators to resign and go where they be-
| long. Resign yourself and refuse to
wrench, by usurpation, from the hands OF
| those who formerly respected you. the little
| property which the war left them. Give
| the people an opportunity to select their
| rulers, and cease to threaten martial law
| and military bittel' when you hear accounts
| OF the natural outgrowth of misrule and
| tyranny.
| Position attained by the means you have
adopted, never adds any distinction except
that achieved by Brownlow and Holden
| Look upon them and learn!
| You have appointed a great yellow negro
| before you try that experiment further !!
| Our PEG pie fought like men for cause they
! loved. They surrendered because they were
| overcome. They surrendered in good faith.
as they had fought like heroes. You know
i something of their courage end powers of
| endurance You voted for and signed the
| ordinance that they1supposed made it lawful
| and holy to fight for the independence of
| Mississippi. For lighting you applauded
them: became State Brigadier and set a
| nm ha ftln nm he'll fO
| negroes, as slaves, long you could !;
/ and when we were conquered you assumed
| to become the negroes champion. and now
| occupy the Executive office by virtue of their
| votes. under the protest OF ninety one
| hundredths of the white and against
/ the desire of every white woman in the
| State. Your negro militia can only accel-
crate a state of things that will be new to
you. Tempt not desperate men. Your
! yellow aide and colonel had better remain
| at Jackson, looking after a ''sedentary mill
| tia
Do as | tell you. Governor. resign for the
sake OF decency. and TO save yourself from
| the fate of Holden. You know what | say
| is true. If You set out to serve your State,
| you See now that you have gone too far.
Who appointed Chisholm Sheriff of kem-
per?
Tell Stafford to look over the career of
Kirk and of Bergen. These names are his
| toric.
In conclusion, our people desire peace and
the reign of law and order, as their passive
submission TO outrage aud wrong clearly
test. They have been waiting Tor an end of
| Injustice, and for the return of Republican
| form of government, which guarantees TO
! them the right of selecting their OWE Off
GERS. l have said :.Othing TO you OF negro
suffrage. That may have been ineN liable
| Negro appointments were not. Negro re-
| captions were not.
Query. In what sphere of life does the
| negro seem to You TO be most thoroughly in
! harmony with his own nature aud with the
! puplic interest? You have seen him as a
| slave, on your plantation you have seen
him United States senator. aud dotted all
| along between the two extremes. You
| have brushed him OUT for non-discharge of
| plantation work. and you have drank punch
| with him at The mansion.
| This letter is written for the good of all.
but especially for your good. Alcorn. be
man, a full grown white man, and show the
| people how you can lay aside crown of
| thorns.
have put this somewhat in the form of
a thesis" because desired it to be clearly
| understood. Read it over two or three
| times. resign your office, write a letter to the
negroes, aud tell them that they ought to
love the Southern white people, to whom
they owe what little advance they have
made in civilization, and tell them they are
tree. and tn b. modest in their claims TO Of
! flee, a. they are poor in capacity. and that
| faithful attention to their real situation and
| INTERESTS VIII leau IUem lar from ltiCdl
| strife. Tell them that good laws will be
made by white men. and that the fearful
consec uences OF Democratic rule will be
peace, unity and prosperity. Do these
things and you will live honOred and die
happy.
Respectfully Submitted.
| WILLIAM.
Mr. Editor, if you think proper you can
print the enclosed letter in The CLARION.
Iobserve you have never noticed the ac
cessOn to the staff of the Shubuta Times of
z Ward. He has recently become assis-
tant editor of that paper. Mr.. Ward is a
scholarly young man of the highest charac-
ter, true to his race and to himself 1 know
of but one man so modest as Mr.. Ward, and
that is my friend, III. II. Hines, of THE
CLARION office. Modesty is said to bespeak
merit. 1t is true of Hines and Ward 1
know.
If you see any stray Christmas gifts lying
around loose, send me one.
WILLIAM.
p. s. Times are very hard. How can
! the people pay the oppressive taxes?
THE HEN LAW