American citizen., 1874-09-26
PROCLAMATION RROX LIEUT1Ns
ANT.0OVERNDk DAVIS.
STATE OF MISSISSIPPI,

beginning to manifest itself in por-
tions of the South. Rash men, as
suming that our American system
of liberty, regulated by law, iss a
failure, have dared to propose arm
cd n,obs rs u remedy for alleged
grievances. In some cases men
have become assassins, because
their neighbor was an alleged
wrong doer, and citizens, white
and colored, have been thus slain.
Already the arLful cry has bee"
raised, that portions Of the Amer
ican People are incapable of self
government, and acts of mob viO-
Ience are magnified to prove this
charge. A few men, III very des
peration Of folly, profess to prefer
military rule TO civil government.
While it is true that any govern
melt is better thaa the anarchy Of
mob lule, it Is certain that Ameri-
cans need no such desperate reme-
dies. They can and viii; rule and
protect themselves by enforcing
American Republican Civil Govern
ment. Without thus, liberty can
not be maintained. Armed White
Leagues and armed Black Leagues,
lead surely TO blood aud anarchy
and slavery. Military government,
even wien imposed by law, il n
bitter exotic. the growth of foreign
despotis,n. 1t may be forced upon
us as u terrible necessity, but i.
can never be naturalized and made
part OF our American Republican
system. Whatever be the pretext,
it is but form of slavery. None
but bad men will deliberately pre-
fer the bullet 10 the ballot; and
the good people Of these States
will be prompt to contine the few
bullet men as they do others who
show themselves enemies to the
peace Of society. Wherever nee
essary, the whole power OF the
Federal Government will ts exert
cd to put down mobs, whether
black or white.
If thore are private wrongs, the
Courts will give remedy. Ii there
be public grievances, those are to be
calmly discussed before the people
and redrcssed through tho ballot
box. In our political system, co or
is ignored, and therefore, any Colo'
Line is IN xosurdity. The good
sense of the people will regret ali
such foliies and Indignantly crush
out ali attempts to instigate "a
war of races By constitutional
policy made one people, the two
races in Mississippi cannot properly
become antagon,stic to each other
-"a house divided against itself
shall not stand" Citizens and
neighbors together, neither race
can prosper without the other
Their hearty union in good will
for common patriotic etforl for the
public good, ID a public necessity.
Inseperably united, as one people,
they must enjoy The blessings of
good governm ,nt, or bear together
the curse of anarchy. They are
alike interested to have their COM
mon government wisely admins;
tered by faithful and honest men
for all must suffer from misgovern
msnt, whether it arises from igno-
rance or from corraption Hap
PLY for the people, examples Of
mob-violence havs become rare in
Mississippi, and peace and good
will prevail, generally, between the
races. But there are some sad ex-
ceptions and tho rights of the
citizen and The public good require
that these offenders be sought out
and brought to speedy trial and
punishment in every case where
guilt is legally established. To
this end let every good citizen be
vigilanL and active to secure the
arrest OF offenders, and to preserve
the public peace and maintain law
and order. There are reports Of
great excitement without our Dor.
ders, and the danger is that come
portion of our citlzens may, from
passion rush into acts of crime or
folly. At such II time every cltl-
zen should be specially cautious
and forbearing. l appeal to the
cOlOrcd citizens. who hold dear
their precious right of citizenship
to remember that their white fell
low citizens have and must enjoy
the same great right. In addition
to this, those white citizens now
own tho bulk of the property in
the State, aud the burthen of op-
pressive taxation falls on tbsm.-
Their rights CT property mus. not
be destroyed nor impaired by ex-
tOrtion or excessive taxation. Ev-
cry citizen, whether rich or poor,
is Interested to d.manI, and has
u right to insist, that the amount
Of taxes to be paid shall be care
fully limited to the necessities of a
strictly economical administration
of the Government. In iiks man
ner, | appeal to all white citizens
to respect the rights of their color
ed fellow-citizeus. Most earnestly
do l appeal to all citizens, black
and white, to hold their tempers,
AZ with curb, and to consent to
no word or deed, nor unite in any
tending to excite
the Jealousy or arouse the appre-
tensions, or provoke the passions,
or wound the feelings OF any CLASS
of our people. Armed demonstra-
tions, no matter tor what innocent
purpose, will be misrepresented in
times like these, and the results is
that the otuer race feels compelled
to make counter DEMONSTRATIONS.
Each party accuses the other as the
when. perhans. in most