American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-08-30
Saturday. August so, 1873.
UNNECESSARY DESp0NDENcY.

UNNECESSARY DESPONDENCY.
The spirit of dependency that
pervadeS the columns of some OF
onr exchanges, and which, We re-
greet TO see, has taken possession OF
some of our own citizens, is not on
~ unnecessary but humanity. This
giving way to doubt and uncertain
ty ut a time when the State rs in
most need of strong arms and stout
hearts, is not consistent. with true
patriotism. enlightened sentiment,
or that devotion to duty which ev-
cry white voter in Mississippi owes
tn himself, his party and his State.
Sad,lenetf and subdued as the mind
often becomes in cOntempla-
ting the sombre environ
ments and discouraging pros
poets Of our present political
condition. our people are much too
prone 10 yield 10 unmanly inaction,
and to look mournfnlly back into
the past, and distrustfully forward
to the future. Oppressed equally
by the retrospect and the prospect,
they would fam initiate the despon-
dent act, and take up the wailing
lamentation..of the captive Israelites,
who, when seated beside the wa
tiers of Babylon, hing their harps
upon the willows and wept as they
remembered Zion.
No doubling and Responding
General ever won a battle, while
hundreds have proved victorious
over numbers that seemed invinci-
BILE, because oftheir determination
to conquer or perish. Want of con-
fi,lence in a commanding officer will
soon he known to the troops, and
never fails to produce distrust and
decentralization; and many a battle
has thus been lost which might
have resulted in a glorious victory,
but for this want of hope and conf
slence. We have never known any
important object gained by supine-
ness and Indifference, and there is
really greater need for jealous, en-
ergetic action now than at any 9th
er period in thej history of
the State.
The notorious Ham Carter, the
most prominent candidate for It.
Governor on the Ames ticket, laid
down the principles of his party at
Grenada recently, and which should
unite every true man in the State
against lawlessness and oppression.
In a highly inflamatory speech. which
well nigh ended in serious riot,
lie used the following language, as
reported by the Memphis Appeal:
Addressing himself to the whites,
he said, in substance, "YOu cannot
escape the issue; it is a war of IA
ces, and one OF the other must go
under. 1t happens that you, not
we, must succumb. You may not
like it, but there is no help for you.
We have the numbers and do not
propose to yield an inch. You may
think this Radical halfnegro, half
carpet-bag, moDgrel government, as
you call it, insufferable. 1t will be-
come more aud more intOlerable to
you."
Now, the fact as stated by this
blatant champion of Radicalisn,
that the present contest is one of
black or white supremacy, and that
the former having the numerical
strength, will force the latter to
submit to their dictatiOn, should be
suffice to arouse the Just in
dignation of every lover of good
government, and nerve every man
fur the faithful performance of
his duty. To prevent the terrible
calamity threatened by this vile
character, is the chief object of the
Democracy, and every man who is
opposed to negro rule should not
hesitate to rally boldly and fear
lessly to its standard. The destiny
Of the State rests upon the united
action of the people, and it be-
comes the duty Of every voter
to he at the polls. and exert his in
huence to arrest the evils that
threaten the peace, happiness and
dignity of the commonwealth.
We earnestly hope that our peo-
pie will not give way to gloom and |
dependency. Whatever may be
the final result, we should not let
that interfere with the duty we owe
to our State and country. Missis-
sippi mast be redeemed, else every
vestige of constitutional liberty |
will be wrested from Us. We be-
lieve her redemption can be effect
ed If every voter will resolve in his
heart to do his duty. No election
vas ever yet carried by indiffer-
e1ce or neg.ect, and in this contest
We have everything to urge
ms forward in the discharge
Of Che obligations we owe to
ourselves, os r families, our State and
onE God. Honor, patriotism, love
81 liberty, and every high and holy
appeal. with peculiar