American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-09-27
A FATAL MISTAKE.

are before the people, we snail eX-
ercise our privilege as journalists
and institute candid and honest
inquiry into their conduct, and the
which, we think.
must inevitably follow their hasty
and impulsive action.
The triumph of Conservatism
over Radicalism being the para
mount consideration with us, we en-
Geavorcd, as far as we were capa
bic, to point out the necessity of Il
united party, i'll order that we
might draw around its standard
the disaffected of all creeds and
compilations who were really and
truly opposed to oppression and
corruption, thus atfOrding them an
opportunity of proving their fidelity
&c the State and TO the general good
Of the people. From the course pur-
sued at Meridian, aud the subse-
Guent action of the Acorn .fasc0,
we are inclined to the opinion that
the main object of the Democratic
boilers was to destroy the party, if
possible, and by securing the negro
vote, ride into power on the back
Of their found CHAMPION
With some tact and shrewdness
they sprung the question of Re-
form. and cried aloud against the
burden of taxation that would be
necessary to liquidate the repudia-
ted bonds, which they claim will be
paid in the event of Ames' election,
and which we all know, would
bankrupt the State and impover-
ish her people. This they deem of
sufficient Importance, per Sc, to en-
sure popularity and enlist public
sympathy. But in order to secure
the negro vote, something more is
necessary. Reform in the abuse of
power, and in the ubiquitous burden
of taxation heaped upon the people
by unjust and illegal legislation, is
not of itself sufficient to win over
the negro. Something more must
Ne done. There must needs be re-
form in the entire political. socia!
and civil condition of tho State
They mnst give to the negro every
right, civil, social and political,
saveithat which an All>wise and
inst God made inherent in the
breast of every freeman-and of
which no human power can deprive
hi,n-the right to shape and govern
the conduct of his own household.
All other rights must be given to
them before they will listen to any
proposition looking to a coalition
Tn their heart of hearts, the enlight-
ened leaders of this new movement
must spurn the doctrine of social
equality as demon of strife and
liscord, well knowing that should
it ever be enforced, it will
tear up the adamantine pillars of
our social and civil institutions, and
bury in one common ruin the
peace, the happiness and liberty
of our race and country.
The Democratic party stands
firmly and nObly on the only doc,
frines that can bring the. greatest
good to the greatest number. 1t
guarantees to the negro every
light and privilege to which he is
legally entitled. without any unman7,
ly and humiliating compromise of
duty and respect to its own color.
1t is the best friend to the negro in
this. that it does not deceive him as
TO his true status under the law,
and that iU promises all to which
he is Justly entitled, and no more.
Ask these boilers why they left
the Democratic party, and they all
swer, because it was powerless TO
defeat Ames. Have they increased
their strength by this renegade
movement! They say they want re-
form in our State affairs, and to eff
feet this it is essential that we have
a change of rulers. Do they differ
in this from the Democrats! But
how do they propose to accomplish
this desired result! Was not tie
Democratic party much stronger
while they remained in it than it is
to-day? AS reform is one of the
principal pianks in the Democratic
platform, did they strengthen it by
stepping off upon another in diff
ferent organization! What, then,
was their motive in weakening the
only party that had the ghost of IA
chance to defeat Ames? They Ger
tainly could not have been so de-
mented as to suppose that a mere
fraction of the Democratic party.
led by a Republican, could effect
what the entire organization was
p0werleSs to accomplish under a
leader of it's own choosing! What
then was their object! They claim