The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-07-24
The Situation.
EprToRs CLARION:

EDITORS CLARION:
This ia a time of new problems in politi
cal science, and have watched your col
nmna closely for some solution OF our dim
entities from the PHILOSOPHICAL thinkers VIII
wore once leaders in Mississippi, and Wht
still retain the confidence Of the masses
some such man would mark out plan o
onerafions for us and take the lead IN exc
cHfing il. we would follow and assist III the
execution whether we approved all the de-
tails or not I; because an acknowledged
leader whether he be our ablest man or not
is far better than none. am not candl-
date for any position myself, and If L were
would have small hopes of success, as no
naper in che State, great or small, in all their
oesipnations of candidates have paid me the
empty compliment of placing my name
among the list of those supposed to be "enli-
nently qualified ETC.; and, therefore do
not propose TO sign my name to the article
which write, lest it should weaken rather
than give strength to the argument.
A political campaign is before US, and we
wait until the enemy is fully in the field
and under discipline before we commence
to ORGANIZE Where did we learn such
wisdom As this % Has our party shown
wears that we can afford TO disband it in
The hope that it will form ranks at mo-
mpnt'- notice? Does not the recent sheriff
election in Lafayette on the contrary warn
us that we are totally disbanded? And
when. let me ask, was II ever known that an
undisciplined militia could stand against
REGULAR troops? Yet we let the enemy or
ganize first, and put of the day SO late that
Under the most favorable circumstance we
could scarcely hope to bring out our tull
strength.
Do tge expect to gain anything by a split
in the Radical ranks at the eleventh hour?
1t was specially to guard against this that
their Convention was arranged for 50 late a
day. supp sc there is a split at that time,
what assurance is there that we can unite
our men on the boilers. VIII not the office
furnished portion of our men seize that as
Dretext to 90 over to the strong side? We
nave made many mistakes in politics since
the war, and fear we are about to make
another The rival leaders in radicalism
are really Ames and Alcorn-all other diff
ferenees are now essentials-and there are
many who talk OF uniting with Alcorn to
defeat Ames. We made a mistake when we
accepted johnson instead of Congress. We
made another when we persisted in sup
porting Dent after Grant had refused to
recognize him. We made great mistake
i'm supDosinp we could divorce the negro
from the Carpet-Bagger by exposing his |
yillanies. The negro has no political conf |
dence in Southern white man. lie belongs |
body and soul to some Yankee adventurer |
in each county. AllcOFn and his followers |
professed 20 believe that they could get con- |
troll of the negroes by joining the Radical |
party. If they believed iC they were grossly |
deceived. We imagined the negroes had |
been duped by the Carpet Bagger and bound |
they could be saved from this bondage by
appeals to their reason. But those who
have attempted appeals to negro reason,
and heard their devlish shouts, at every
yindietive assault made upon the white
man, can realize how deep is their OPP
nosition, and how futile to change them.
Ii is in their nature, and all they wish
to know is which way we 60, that they
may 90 in the opposite direction Ihey care
nothing for any offers of concession We may
make 10 them, and when we make any, we
only lessen the respect they previously en-
tertaiued for us. For this reason fear that
Beauregard, Hays, and Gibson, gallant and
true men, have made another mistake III
Louisiana, and will accomplish nothing. 1t
is folly for "A minority to ask a division OF
offices from "a defiant majority, by simply
pledging their sacred honors to carry out
what the majority claims to be the law.
If the negro should grow weary of Carpet
Bag rule and should come to us and offer to
nut us in power, provided we would guaran-
tee to them under the law, 1t would be the
part of craftsmanship to accept the offer.
But when a minority makes such an offer,
it affords too much ground for rldlcule, re-
lection and contempt.
If Beauregard was Seekin" peace at
the sacrifice OF feeling, he coulo. have made
better terms with Kellogg than Antoine,
lust as we in Mississippi can, in my judy
ment, accomplish more by an union with
Ames than Alcorn, If we are to unite with
either.
from avariee than from political mistakes.
The planters of Mississippi have forged the
chains that now manacle our limbs and 1
every day are riviting them faster. The
thirst for cotton has oVerrun Mississippi |
with negro labor. More than the majority
of negroes now in the State have been i'm
ported since the war by Southern capital, I
and yet we are importing more every day.
Thousands of white families are almost
starving in the older Southern States, who
would be glad to get labor on the same terms
we give iL to the negro. LII we use the same
energy and means to rid ourselves of the
negro that we did to get him we may yet be
tree, and | say, let the Conservative party | ,
upon the doctrine of white emf
grafton 10 Mississippi. Not foreigners, but
true white men of the South who have been
ruined by the fortunes OF war. Let US stand
firm by our time-honored principles, and ,
trust to the future for success. South Caro-
lima is hopelessly AfricaniZed, and yet she
has white men enough to redeem Missis- b
sippi. They are too poor to come. Let us r
bring them here. They will work for IA a
share OF the crop until they can buy homes t
for them selves n
a few years. If we cannot resolve upon f
this. we are hopelessly defeated hereafter.
Some combination might give us temporary | T
relief but only temporary. If we fail in =
this, We had better disband as party, and !,
let each individual take care OF himself a
Give every man 1urlough to do as lac
pleases. 1t we force perpetual defeat, the :
Oflice-huugry will go over whether YOU give !;
them leave or not. If we dsballd We at l
at least save ourselves the modification OF :
any more desertions. h
ONE OF TnE PAST. i
TOFFICIAL.I G