The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-12-10
InTons Harmony. Consolidation. -
Everything for siae Cause.


TIE lstest defuisiDn Of the color-iine
is that its advocates do not propose to
abridge the rights of any man, of any
race or any color, that TIE man who
Is a citizen, snail be protected in all
the rights of citizenship, and that
the only possible difference that can
exist between the advoc ates and the
opponents Of the white-line policy is in
electing negroes to Office. The pre-
mise here taken contradicts the conelu-
sion. 1t it as much right of citizen
ship to hold Office as TO vote.
However, this is contracting the color
line to aSmaIl compass. The originators
of the movement in this State (see pro-
ceedings of Warren county color-line
club, quoted in previous numbers of This
paper, declared that the afiliation of
the negro would not be tolerated eren If
he was submissive" and would not
ask nor expect office" We thought at
the time that this was rather poor way
to overcome a Radical majority in the
State inasmuch as colored corporation
was certainly desirable to thelextent of
at least enough votes to enable the
friends of Reform to carry the State.
And so thought the white men of Louisi-
ana, for they not only accepted the CO.
operation of colored voters and organized
and protected Democratic clubs, but
they arranged successful compromises
with them in a number of Parishes hav-
ing colored radical majorities. The re
suit is, they have carried the State not
withstanding registered negro majority
of thirteen thousand.
A pledge "not 10 vote for niger" is
small foundation for great party to
stand upon. We will venture to predict
that it viii not become the shibboleth of
the National Democracy, which, in the
next Presidential canvass will place it
self unequivocaIly On the platform of
equal rights to all men before the law and
no distinctions between nationalities and
races. Its National Convention, the su-
preme tribunal of the party from which
there is no appeal, will effectually settle
all differences on this score.
Really the point of difference between
the advocates of the color-line and its
opposers, as above defined by the former,
in its practical operation, does not
amount to anything worth quarreling
about. The people of the white coun-
ties have never departed from their Gus
tom of selecting men of their own race to
office and are not likely to do so. As for
the colored counties, it would not be the
part of wisdom for the whites to repel the
cooperation of the colored voters in
Reform movement by the formal notifica-
ton implied III the color-line creed that
their aid is not wanted. The truth is,
you may adopt as many color-line plat
forms as you please, but as soon as you
put your candidates in the field, the
first thing they will do will be to go for
the colored voters.
This much we have written not for
the sake of controversy, but really to
show how small the differences between
Democrats and Conservatives have grown
on what is called the color-line; and also
to suggest that we take for our common
Platform and conquering sign, the Demo
cratic doctrine, pure and undefied--
Equal and exact justice to all men, Of
whatever race, or persuasion, religious or
political" This, with rigid adherence to
the time-honored Jeffersonian maxim in
selecting candidates for office, is he
g capable, is he honest, is he faithful to
q the Constitution, will remove every
obstacle to a thorough and cordial Demo
cratic and Conservative union III princi-
pie and fact as well as in name. We
again present the Yazoo Resolutions as a
point of agreement and a rallying cry for
the party of Reform in the approaching
canvass What more could be desired
nv