The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-12-26

gress in that year, and to organize their
State government as speedily as possible
so as to avoid the evils which would fol-
low stubborn and Intellectual opposition
he seemed to infer that we would sym
pathize with him in the scheme which he
came to execute by direction of Thad.
Stevens, Schenck, Kelley, and other
Black Republican leaders, viz: to organ
ize the Radical party in the State. we
told him that he had Inexperienced our
purpose; that our people were in no
condition to take sides in national poll
tics-that we believed their true interest
dictated that they should stand aloof
from outside parties for the present and
address themselves solely to the work of
reconstructing their State government on
the best terms they had been able to OBJ
tain from the Federal government which
had possessed itself of the power to die
tate and to enforce its DEGREES. And
above all, we admonished against such
policy as would lead to the organization
of the races into separate parties and the
awakening of the prejudices of caste, as
detrimental to the welfare Of all.
These views did not accord with the
mission of Lynch. He declined to take
counsel Of them, and was thrown with
the venal herd of mean white adventur-
ers who proceeded with him to found the
Radical party through the Loyal League
agencies, and who were powerfully abet-
ted by the ''non-action' policy which was
advised by those who confidently predic
ted that the Congressional plan Of re-
construction would be overthrow by an
appeal To the judiciary.
In parcelling out the offices under the
military election Of 1869, the place Of
Secretary Of State fell to the lot of
James Lynch, and he was in the dis
charge of its duties when he died. His
partizan labors in that canvass, as they
had been in the canvass Of 186S-and as
they were subsequently -were great. 1t
is not exageration to say that he was the
ablest and most influential man of his
party in the State He was we'll educa-
ted, and possessed powers of defamation,
which swayed the passions of the Afri-
can masses rs the reed is moved by the
brao RI of tho taD,Dact Ha uaS N, hitiouS
and his spirit chafed under the distinc-
tions which Natures's laws have defined
between the races. He despised the igno-
bic herd of the baser sort Of white men
by whom he was surrounded, and who
paid court to him for the sake of the in
fiuence which he was known TO WELD
with his race. Disdaining them, he was
nevertheless, too proud to thrust himself
into association with those from whom
the distinctions Of race separated him
and 20 take advantage of mere human
enactments to possess himself of social
privileges which would not have been
voluntarily accorded.
As an officer it is due to his memory to
say that he was never accused of dishon-
esty-and we doubt not the scanty store
of worldly goods which he has left be-
hind him will attest that he did not use
his office as others have done, for unlaw-
full and dishonorable gains. He had
sincere respect for the masses of the Con-
voters of the State-the old
citizens and their sons who have recently
come to mems estate-and we never be-
lieved that, while in the pursuit of his
own ends he was impelled by mere
spirit of malice and revenge-or that he
failed to sympathise with them in their
Admiring their courage
and fortitude he was anxious to have
their confidence and respect, which he
valued more than the pretended friend !
ship of the mercenary wretches who fill !
ed their purse by robbing the needy and |
the weak. OF this feeling,
we had many evidences, and among the
rest, the following letter hitherto unpub-
lished, which he addressed to us during |
the sitting Of the Philadelphia Conven-
ton. We did not publish it-nor the
extract, because we had |
not given currency to the report which |
he complained had placed him in false
light. 1t is now produced as part of
his life, and to illustrate his feelings to-
wards the masses of the people to whom
the exigencies of his party placed him in
antagonism. 1t furnishes signal con-
trast to the mean spirit which has been !
displayed by numbers of the white race
who have risen like scum To the surface |
from the depths from which nothing but
an upheaval of the elements of society
would have thrown them
PHILADELPHIA, Pa,
June 9TH, 1872.
Hon. E. BARKSDALE:-
Dear Sir;-Please do ME the favor to
publish the following extract from the |
Press of to-day, in the columns of THE |
CLARION. | am no less Mississippian than |
a Republican.
Very respectfully, yours, etc,
JAMES LYNCH.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa,
June 7th, 1871.
To the Editor Of the Press:
SIR III notice in your issue of to-day 4 |
report of the proceedings OF the National |
Convention. in which / am |
as rejoicing over the poverty OF |
the white people Of the South, This is. /
believe unwarranted by any word uttered |
in my speech before the convention. yes |
terday, or at any other time since have |
been North. Perhaps there may be some |
who think differently, which is astonishing. |
BE that as il may, nv sentiment. sympathy |
a..laltl fallsas..-nif