The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1874-03-19
SO 90 PER YEAR.


from the Charleston News.
Congressman f. b. Elliot (colored },
made speech in that city on Monday
night, which is noteworthy as one of the
signs OF the times. He told his hearers
semblage of soreheads, but that it was
seeking to do the work which il was the
duty of the Republican party to have ac-
cOmplished. He rasped the State admin
istration without mercy for its violation Of
its most solemn pledges, and washed his
hands of all participation in its bad faith
The salvation of the party, he declared,
depended upon its instant reform of exist
ing abuses. A great change was taking
place in the politics of the country, and it
was useless for them TO shut their eyes to
the fact If yougo to the North, he said,
and mention the name of South Carolina,
you will find the estimate that they will
put upon it there. To mention South
Carolina is TO merit the sneers of the
commonwealth of the North. When
corruption was spoken of in other States
1t was different thing; but when it was
spoken of in South Carolina it was laid
to the blame of negro government. 1t
was, therefore, the duty Of the colored
people of South Carolina to demonstrate
TO the world that they desired an honest
government. 1t was time that they did
something to remove this stigma. Contin-
uing Eve quote from the report in the Co
lumbia Union he said:
If government is to go on from bad TO
worse it would make the representatives
ashamed to rise up and plead their cause
1t was with the people to remedy this. He
had told them only of what Frelinghuysen.
Dawes, Sumner, Butler and others were
thinking; of what every man who had
travelled outside of South Carolina must
have heard if he kept his eyes and ears
open. The negroes have been in the ma
jority and voted the element into power;
they are responsible. They have been
deceived; will the people be deceived a
second time? Will you permit this state
of things to continue 1t can not be
hidden, that there il something rotten in
Denmark. There must be no promise Of
reformation, but practical reform. If
there be any one in the way of that reform
he should be at once removed out of the
path, and now is the time to do it. The
national Republican party to-day is ready
to cut aloof upon the slightest provoca
ton from the corruption now existing in
the South, and unless you do something,
and that speedily, they will be compelled
to cut off the rotten branches. He had
warned them Of this more than year ago;
this was no new thing. One thing he
knew, that instead of being better, il APP
pears to be growing worse. The taxpay-
ers convention is no sorehead movement.
The people have a right to petition under
the constitution, and when it came it
would come from his constituents, wheth-
er they voted for him or not, and he was
bound to have it properly referred. That
petition will be considered; and do not
allow yourselves to be misled about it.
The only way you can prove that you
sympathiZe with All honest administration
of affairs is for you to give notice to those
who have mal-administered affairs to quit
for you to bring forward a new set
of men. 1t is your duty to vindicate
yourself and prove TO the world that YOU
are in sympathy with all those that want
an honest government. He had no cause
here to announce or champion the cause
OF any particular set. But it was his duty
to point attention to errors that have
nearly resulted in the bankruptcy of the
State. Itwas time that the hands that
had caused these errors were stayed.
With the finances thriving and the agri
cultural interests increased, it would be
alike felt by the rich and the poor. 1.-THE
wealthy man suffers, the laborer suffers
tentold; if his taxes brings burdens, he
makes them up from the Iaborers."
Mr.. Elliot closes his remarkable ha-
rangue by telling the men of his race how
was the public opinion Of the
country and how unanimous was the news
paper press IN condemnation Of the cor
ruption that reigns in South Carolina.