The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-03-21

1ne OmEr3geB ON the Peoples
Right OF Representation ny
Ehe Radical Party.
The n. 7. Tribune shows by the fig
uses of the Congressional election of the
Sd Texas District, that w. T. Clarke,
''late of Connecticut, now hailing from
Texas" though accorded seat in Con
gress, has been fraudulently imposed on
the people thereof The election mana
gers attained this end by throwing out
the votes Of several counties, just as the
election managers in Copiah made out a
case for Willing and Handy by throwing
out the votes of several boxes in that
county.
Commenting on the proceeding in the
case of Clarke, Mr.. Greeley says that
he ''sits and votes and talks and draws
'pay as Representative in Congress of
1.-The Third District of Texas, when he
knows right well that he is an imposter,
fwho has no more right to the money he
draws from the Treasury than any bur-
''glar who opens it with false keys. y
And Mr.. Greeley adds his ''regret that
''the House Committee of Elections has
mot ere this reported the facts in Clarke's
lease, and recommended that he be
promptly sent back to whichever State
''he may consider his home. One such
imam observes the Tribune) kept for
months in seat to which he notorious
'ly was not elected, does the Republican
''cause more harm than any Democrats
"could do"
And so it may be said that nothing has
so much served to exasperate the people
of Mississippi, and to bring the Radical
party into odium, as their conduct in
overriding and trampling upon the public
will as fairly expressed through the bal
lot box. The people hold nothing so sa-
cred in government as their right of rep
resentatiOn and naturally and reasona-
bly,, their fercest resentment has been
aroused against those who have violated
it in the pursuit of selfish and partisan
ends.
No State in the South has been more
deeply wronged by this kind of outrage
than Mississippi. Contrary to her laws
and the supreme law of the Union and
the fundamental creed of Republican
government, she was denied the right of |
choosing her Representatives in the pres
ent Congress, and the men who pretend |
to represent her in that body are doing |
so without the shadow of authority from |
her people. The fact that they were
chosen in an election which was held |
three years ago and controlled by the
bayonet, welded by the hand of corrup-
tion-an election in which large num-
Der of her tax-paying and most intelli-
gent and respected citizens were not even
permitted to vote-furnishes no pretext
for their occupancy of seats in the new
Congress. Fraudulent as is the tenure
IN which her Senators (so-called) hold
heir seats, the case of the Representa-
ives is attended by even more fragrant
evidences of crime against Republican
government.
But it is in the matter of misrepresent-
LtiOn (Which is worse than non-represent-
Ition) in their local government that they
ire especially sensitive. 1t is this power
which levies taxes. 1t legislates concern
ng persons and property, and its hand is
cen and felt in all the affairs of life
is outrageous abuse is crying sin of the
RADICAL party; and one for which there
Villbe fearful reckoning when the-peo-
lie are permitted to pass their judgment
n its conduct at the polls. The indigna-
ion of Marshall, the Empire county of
ne north, will be spoken in thunderous
ones, and it will rebound from the coun-
= of Harrison, on the seashore Lau- /
erdale, on the east, will speak aloud
nd the indignant utterance of Copiah,
the west, will he heard. There will .
e no escape from the wrath which the
lthors of these wrongs are laying up I
yainst the day of wrath.