The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-08-14
An Estimate Of the Strength OF
Parties i'm Mississippi.
EpIroRs CLARION :

EDITORS CLARION:
Some weeks ago saw an article based or
: the census returns for 1870 in which it was
assumed that the colored voters in Missis-
sippi were only about five thousand in ex-
cess of the white voters; and the conclu-
sion was announced with gltsh that moth
ing but courage was wanting on the part OF
the whites to assure success.
The article ran through the Conservative
press like the cholera. and yet to my mind
it was both mischievous and faI1acious
Mischievous, because it would be accepted
as sound; and failacious, because it was
based on an apparent official statement
which real facts do not warrant.
The margin between the whites and
blacks in our State is much greater than
calculators from the census returns take it
to be. The whites, as general rule, out
side of the villages, towns and cities, are
stationary, and, therefore, are easily found
by the census tal1er. Whereas, the eoIored
people are emInently migratory, and are
consequently hard To find. If we add to
this the indisp0sition on the part of the
average census raker to hunt people, we
may fairly assume that there was a much
closer enumeration Of the whites than there
was of the blacks.
Another and vastly more i'm portan Mt con sid
deration these Caculators overlooked They
set down all the whites on one side, and all
the colored on the other, make their deduc-
tions and find an excess OF colored over
whites of only about five thousand, and
then they ask with air of triumph, SIS il |
possible we cannot overcome that 2" They
forget that of the whites at least five thou |
sand Il think more) are carpet baggers and |
scallawags. These are made up OF office |
holders and their deputies first, and then |
of their fathers, brothers, sons 9th. kin |
dred and special friends. Take this five
thousand from the Conservative side and
add them to the Radical side and the mar
gin becomes fifteen thousand.
But | am told we must set down on the |
ConserY alive side the colored voters who
will vote the Conservative ticket How |
many are there? A thousand: | do not
think we can count on so many in another
contest between Conservatism and Radi-
calism. But call it thousand, taken from
one side and given to the other and the
margin Is reduced To thirteen thousand in
favor of the RI4s. Now which party is
ulooI AkeIy 10 recruit : IN The FIRST place. |
we know that there are vastly more color
ed immigrants To the State than there are
whites. and this has been the case since
1870, making the margin now, from that
cause alone, much greater than it was then
Then the Radical party is we'll organized;
whereas, the opposing minority is divided
nto half a dozen factions, or more. And to
III appearance it will be found i'm possible,
o unite them on any ticket which We NAV :
dominate. Certainly our past experience :
Ices not give augury OF amy such happy :
esuIt. What, then, is TO be the result! We
hall go into the contest hopeless. Our ;
rlends-that is, the anti Radicais-wilI re b
use to fight; thousands will stay at homo il
The other side will be active, and al who II
want to be on the winning side win oo .
Ver 10 them, SO that in the end, instead of y
margin of thirteen thousand, VIC shall b
ave margin of thirty M0usana a
Inc truth Is, and it is the part of wisdom
ADMIT 1t, the Democratic party has lost
Is prestige, and its great leaders their pres
fence. There is, therefore, but one thing
Or US to do, and that is to disband, as 5
he Wing party did under like circum- a
tances, and let the Radicals tall to pieces 81
Ist as the Wings let the Democrats tumble a
own by Withdrawing the outside pressure. tt
L have had plenty OF time to think. and le
hat haze written is the paitfuE conclu- "
ion at which my mind has arrived after a
ne most mature reflection. THINKER.