New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-08
Letter from Nsississipuj.
TICKSBrRO .Julv ~ I,

VICksBuRd, July -, 1872.
To the Editor Of the Nae National Era:
1t seems that many weeks have elapsed
since giving you an item from this section OF
our State. The only way we can account 70,
1t is, that heretofore our residence was
out on the suburbs of the city, where
We used to enjoy many afternoons and
evenings ofswect quietness, and would often
employ them by telling you what is going on
among US. But our better half, as well AZ
our business, admonishcd us to move in town
and here we are, right in the heart of it, on
an elevated spot, surrounded by numerous
friends, and with a beautiful view of the noble
Mississippi. And often have we attempted
to drop yOu line, when some good neishbor
would drop in for chat and II pastimc and
yet while talking they wanted TO know why
we do not give the news of Mississippi to
the ERA.
OUR DEBT.
We saw in the Golde, dye, a few weeks
since, where Mr.. TiltOn stated that the debt
OF Mississippi was nothing, but the Radicals
or carpet-bag government, as he calls it-have
increased it to more than u million dollars
lie either knows not what he is saying, or,
If knowing, he stated an untruth. The debt
OF this State is over $50, O0O, 900, contracted
and shamefully repudiated by Democratic
government. Over thirty years ago the
Democrats contracted a debt Of 81 ,OOO. OCO.
and after each henchman doubtless got a
good share of it, a Legislature Of their own
stripe repudiatcd tho wholc of it, 80 that
Mississippi bonds have no market value out
side of our own limits yet she is ready. we
think, and able to pay tho principal and
portion of the interest, if the bondholders
are willing to accept this proposition. We
think the matter will yet be submitted to the
people as to whether we shall pay the whole
debt, principal and interest, and thus regain
the credit of the State, or to allow it to re-
main as it is, as a milestone of infamy and
treachery of the Democratic party. And we
suppose if the Republicans should undertake
to pay the repudiatcd debt, Mr.. Tilton and
his cohorts would parade in large types that
the Radicals have increased tho debt in this
State to s3O,OOO,OOO.
Our State would not be owing dime but
for the incipient warfare the Democrats
make on everything we do, and do their best
TO deprcciatc our bonds within and outside
our own borders. For example: About a
year ago this city passed an ordinance au-
thorizing an issuance of bonds to tho amount
OF s40O, 200; committee went on to New
York to sell them, and were offered S24 cents
for the whole amount. but tho day after their
arrival the banker, who was about making ar
rangements to purchase the bonds, received
letter from one of the most virulent DEM
ocrats of this city-a man of very little means
himself, and with little influence -statinr
that the city would not be able to redeem
the bonds if sold, and the taxpayers did not
intend to pay their taxes to Radical GOV
eminent. This was the substance of his
letter; and, of course, the broker asked for
further time, and finally tho highest We could
get for the bonds was IS cents! Tho money
was absolutely needed for the improvement
of the city, and by this interference, with no
other palpable excuse than hatred to Repub-
iicanism, the city became the loser of II
cents on four hundred thousand dollars!
GREELEYIsN
will not make much Roadway In this State.
X. j. AlcOrn, Joseph Burnett, and a Mr..
Brady-all Southern white Republicans
have espoused Greeleyism, but they have
gone over by themselves, without taking a
solitary recruit. All of these are known as
perfect haters of carpet-baggers and of civil
rights Tor the negro. Burnett is President of
our Senate, and no member of that body did
more last winter to prevent-and possibly
helped to stcal-our civil rights bill than he.
The other two are men of no influence what
ever among the Republicans. They can go,
and we are rather glad to get rid of them, as
they were continual dsturbers in our ranks.
THE FIGHT FOR CONGRESS
is going on in this District at terrible rate.
and is fast reaching fever heat. The aspi-
rants are Hon. James Lynch, our Secretary
OF State; Hon. Geo. +. Brown, Judge of the
Circuit Court of this District; Hon. Geo. c.
Mckee, our present Congressman, and Mr..
M. Shaughnessey, tho U. S. Marshal. 1t is
hard rs yet to tell who will win. This county,
which has ten out of the thirty-eight dele
gates to the District Convention, instructed
them to vote for Mckee. Kinds, which has
eight of the number, favors Shaughnessey;
while the people, who know Judge Brown,
cOncede him to be the ablest of the four; and
the colored people who, form ninety-nine one
of the Republican voters OF the
District, want Lynch. But you know how
these conventions are manipulated, and it is
very seldom that the free untrammeled peo-
pie can have their choice: 1 doubt very
much that there will be more than ono col
ored Congressman from this State! Money!
What can it not do? But if it is resorted to
much longer in depriving the people OF their
choice, We would not be surprised if the col
ored people would become lukewarm in sup
porting those who resort to il in working up
nominations.
One thing, however, is sure, and that is,
the whole people will lease the White House
to Grant for four years more, and will let
Wilson preside over the Senate. Tire Ia
Grant and Wilson! CfvIs.