The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-08-15
rme Go1orcd aHenuM al1nfbornalm1ay.

y "7ssNiAt s1.e@e 10y OoEue - -
vhat The CLARION will say to them in
he pending canvass.
1t has been five years since we took our
'osition in faver Of prompt aequieseence
n the measures which were designed to
confer upon the colored people the privi-
eye Of voting. We took our stand de-
iberately and have never wavered a
hairs breadth from that time to the
present. 1t cost us the temporary loss of
the support of many persons whose good
opinion we valued and we regret to say,
vas treated by the majority Of the col
ored people themselves with indifference
10 the service we were striving to render
them. But this conduct on their part,
we always attributed to the bad counsels
of carpet-bag adventures on the one
hand, and to the refusal Of a large num-
Der of Southern white people ON the other
with whom we were thrown into political
fellowship, 10 recognize the fundamental
principle Of Democratic government that
and taxation ought to 60
together.
From the conduct of the mass of the
negro population during the war, we
argued that when they came to an under
standing of their new privileges as free
men, it was not in their nature to exer-
else them for the vindictiye punishment
and persecution of the Southern whites
and that they could be led into a party
Of Prescription only by motives of self
protection. Our apprehensions were YER
fled. Their fears were played upon by
corrupt self-seeking political adventures,
whose schemes were not properly resisted
by the men who shaped the counsels Of
the Southern whites. These latter not
only opposed negro suffrage, but abused
and illuminated those Of their former as
sociatas who took different view of the
subject. The carpet-bagger was thus
abetted in his scheme to mass the negro
voters against their late owners.
We did not change front, however;
nor cease to follow the convictions on
which we acted when the reconstruction
measures were first proposed. We had
seen the temptations which were thrown
in the way of the negro to attach himself
to the party of Opposition, through the
agencies we have described; and have
never abandoned the belief that when
assured of protection in all his civil and
political rights by the Southern whites,
his motive to continue in that party
would no longer exist. The writer was
delegate to the National Democratic
Convention in 1868. He served as the
member of the Platform Committee from
the Mississippi delegation. In the dele
cation, the question was presented wheth-
er the Platform should denounce negro
suffrage. We opposed such action !;
though our course was bitterly assailed
in the delegation by men who have since
joined the Republican party and received
office.
These historical facts we have reeited
in testimony of the consistency and sin
cerity of the course of The CLARION in
defence of the doctrine of the co-equality
of right among citizens whose allegiance
is exacted by their government; and of
our claim to be heard by the colored
voters in the present canvass, without
prejudice.
1t is now our province to say to them
that the party which is represented by
Horace Greeley stands unequivocally on
the doctrine of the equal rights, civil
and political, of all men, without refer
ence to race or color. Mr.. Greeley
himself is lifelong abolitionist. Frank
ly, in that fact, we find nothing to COM
mend him to our sympathy, but much to
arouse against him our prejudice. We
are supporting him not on what he has
done, but what he. proposes to do. This
is declared in the Cincinnati platform
and in his letters of acceptance partic-
ularly his Baltimore letter, in which, after
to his past course in reference
to the institution of slavery, he says that
having advocated the full emancipa-
ton of the black race he now insists
upon the complete REIMBURSEMENT of
his white countrymen"-and the recog-
milton by the Federal government of the
right of every community consistently
with its obligations to the national auth
GRITTY, to control its affairs free from
outside interference. Besides, he is in
favor of reducing taxes and reforming the
monstrous abuses which have crept into
the administration of the government.
He has advocated policy of magma
nimity and mercy" when the passions of
the war were still surging; and has prof
Gered the hand of fellowship across the
bloody chasm." In all this, we behold
he generous motive to give all his
an equal chance in the race
IN which they have entered in the new
order of things.
Here, then. is the eolored mans oppor-
unity If he is not in favor of conspir-
ng against the liberties of the white man
If he has been placed in a position of
apparent antagonism entirely by motives
# self-preservation-h has now the OPP
of showing it. The party of
irant is the party of Hate Strife and
Prescription. The party If Greeley, is
lie party of Equal Rights. If Peace and |
You can trust Greeley.