The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-03-01
JACKSON, Mss Feb. 18th, 1872

DEAR WILLIAM: Necessity forced me to
come here, or / should never have come. L
reached here two days since, and have been
waiting for an event to occur that will en-
able nae to accomplish my purpose. 1t has
been fourteen years since was here before,
and / am as much unknown as was
Rip Van Wrinkle in his native village
after slumber of twenty years. In 1855
was here and things wore different APP
pearance TO what they do no now. Yester-
day 1 walked down the railroad and sat
down and took good cry. On my last visit
here, L stopped at the Dixon House. kept by
Mrs. Dixon. Mr.. Jefferson Davis and Gov.
A. G.. Brown were then here. hear no.
thing of them now. The Dixon House has
disappeared and the well-remembered pro-
prietress is no more. L am now stopping at
pointed hotel, kept by Mr.. III. HilZheim, an
old citizen, whose hair is turning white
and whose step is losing the elasticity of
1858. / noticed him looking at me closely,
and turned away for fear he might recog
niZe me. l am not what L was then. Then
was a freeman; now | am not. Then
boosted of the prerogatives of a citizen of
the United States; now feel that the Uni
ted States Government spurns my allegiance
and invents some new humiliation with
each succeeding year, TO bow my head near
er TO the dust.
Yesterday l looked across the street and
| saw Judge 1erger walking slowly towards
his office with that peculiar measured tread
4
which has rendered him famous. few
hours ago l met L. J. Wharton. Time has
dealt gently with him. He looks stout, but
begins TO show age. | have seen, also, L.
Barksdale. editor of the old Missssippian.
l saw him only a few minutes. These, Will
liam, are men. This morning | met. near
the State House, Amos Il. Johnston. He is
another one of the ''Old Guard
The first time / went to the State House,
| went up to the hall of the House of Repre-
SPntafiVpS. and fbOnpht / WOnld in a : |
used to do in the good old times. A 'col-
Ored' man was inside, and, when knocked,
he told me to 60 down and 20 up into the
gallery. | saw through the glass door that
another "colOred'' man was acting
Speaker. | stood for moment, and the
dOor-keeper says. ARE you one of the con-
sestants 20 L replied. mo; My day for
contesting is gone" He continued: You
will find the gallery quite comfortable" L
looked around to see If | was in Jackson,
Miss. just then a fine-looking young man,
with large whiskers, came out and said to
me, my friend, do you wish to see any one
in teere?" L replied, Il am listening 10 the
footballs of other men, who were here in
other times" He took me kindly by the
hand and said TO the door-keeper, she is all
right" and passed in. On one side of the
House, there were about forty negroes, who
were initiating Legislators. Opposite were
mostly young men. One of them was
pointed out to me "a Gen. Lowry. He spoke
a few words only. while L was in the House,
and my ears drank in his utterances, for his
voice came to me like the sound of some
old nursery song. L felt like staggering
across the Hall and clasping him to my
them, one named Mcintosh. He is of our
kindred. William. Some of the negro MEM
bers were constantly rising TO "pints of
order" | soon passed out.
Without going to the Senate Cham
Der. 1 concluded L would go down to
the Governors office and see how matters
looked there; but the door was shut and
L stepped across the aisle into the Office of
Secretary of State. L found rather fine
looking negro, who said he was the Secreta-
nv. i passed out, and went to my room and
meditated upon the scenes through which
had passed. William, fear for the future.
| am much oppressed. The experience of
the world is lie if our country Prospers.
There seems to be no extreme TO which this
Legislature will not go. My lands. poor
lands, near you, must go to meet the de-
mands of the tax gatherer. The State tax
is oppressive and then three hundred per
cent. is levied by the county. Reckless eX-
penditures here are shadows of events to
happen over there.
The French Revolution never equaled. in
its radicalism. the politics of the State of
Mississippi. There are great forces within
the circle of current events-forces rising
from the omnipotence of truth that will
bring matters into harmony with the eternal
fitness of things. The crisis may be nearer |
than you imagine. Mind and virtue may be |
subjected to brutality and hate for a time. |
I hat time is short. The strangers | saw in !
the Legislature, draw their living from the |
bad passions which they can and do arouse |
in the breasts of the negroes. Some think |
that every man who joins his destiny with |
this r9aniZed wrong, this inverted order |
of things, glides easily, swiftly, to dishon-
estv and infamy.
William, / charge you and all the young |
men of the State to stand by your people. |
Love your native soil. Fall not into temp |
tation. EVIL communications corrupt |
good morals" Do not be deceived. Compton |
is not happy.
.'Oh! with pity from the search forbear,
Unfold his heart; behold the hell that's |
there"
/ will write you again before 1 come |
home. Remember. these things hasten to |
an end. Be of good cheer. / fear for the |
future, but hope succeeds my fear.
Your friend,
JOHN JONES.