The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-09-21
HoUsroN, Miss, Sept. Z, IS

HOUSTON, Miss, Sept. Z, 1871.
EDITORS CLARION Finding that my
| friends in some parts of the District enter
/ tain doubts as to my eligibility TO Office
under the provisions of the 3rd section o.
the 18Th Article of the Constitution of tho
/ United States, feel it but just TO yield them
| the benefit of these doubts. This being the
/ case, am not inclined to hazard my election
+ or endanger the success of the Democratic
/ ticket by remaining longer a candidate for
/ District Attorney of the Sth Judicial Dis
| trict, more especially. since find all efforts
on the part of the Democracy of my county
are likely 10 fail in the reorganization OF
such a District Convention as would tend TO
more thoroughly unite the party in the
present canvass. For | hold the success OF
the cause in the pending election paramount
to all other considerations, and whatever
may be my private views. or ambitious in
clinations, / feel willing at all times to
sacrifice them-dear as they may be-when
think the public good may be effected by
it, and lay them upon the consecrated altar
of a common country, that harmony may
pervade the political household, and success
attend the efforts of party of which have
ever been an humble member.
With an expression of profound gratitude
TO the people of the District for the demon
STATIONS ofpersOnal friendship invariably
extended TO me, l now retire from the con
test, and would therefore ask that yon dis
continue the announcement of my name for
District Attorney.
Your obedient servant,
w. 5. BATES.
We cannot too warmly commend the
he has pursued. He is worthy of the
honors which Radical prescription has
denied him. His preferment is only
postponed. The end is not yet.
And now the way is clear to Hon. G.
B. Mitchell who is an aspirant for the
place for which Mr.. Bates had been des-
ignated by his friends. As member of
the Legislature his record is stainless.
He was one of the Spartan Band. The
people cannot entrust their interests to
truer hands.-EDIToRs CLARION.
Radical Profession and Practice.
The carpet-baggers hereabouts make a
boast that "to hum" where they live,
nothing is so dear to the party to which
they belong as to secure the colored man
in the enjoyment of his right to vote and
to hold office. But what are the facts In
all the Northern States, there is not a
single colored member of any Legislature
except probably in solitary instance in
Massachusetts, where an educational
qualification is prescribed for voting.
Nor is single Northern constituency
represented in Congress by black man
not onel The prejudice Of color" not
only operates to keep the African ele-
ment out of office in the Northern States,
but it even excludes him from competi-
ton in the various trades and occupations
of life. In the cities he is allowed to be
hackman or boot-black, but he is
never thought of for boss mechanic much
less Alderman or Justice of the Peace.
In Cincinnati the colored element being
quite strong, is claiming place on the
Radical ticket-whereupon the CONNER
cial-a Radical paper of the strongest
sect-empties bucket-full of ice-water
on their aspirations as follows:
Now we do not intend to make color a
test of fitness for office. We will vote for
colOred men, provided they are honest and
capable, or better than their opponents,
when the tickets with which the only prac-
ticable voting is done are in the field, but
it il our judgment that this is pretty good
time for cOIOred men TO decline running for
office in Hamilton county. One reason is that
the race is likely to be pretty close, and that
there is not only something left of the old
prejudice against colored people as such,
but divisions among the cOlOred people
themselves, such that colored candidates
would be almost certain to suffer perilously
from SO doing.