American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-01-31
ii.E COY ERNoa,s A.rDNE.>>-

iisE sUtERNoH'S A.Di&E>>-
The Inaugural Address of Cover
nor Ames reached. us too late for
any comments III oar las issue. lt
is not remarkable for literary excel
lence or enlarged craftsmanship.
but is rather liberal In its tone, and
seemingly patriotic III Some II Its ut
trr,nccS. l. must he evident, how
ever, u the most super iicial reader.
that lis Exceilency look. with
anxious sulic.tude tn the elevation
OF the culurrd race to full equality
witi the whites and if he Is sincere
iii All hr ht, sud on this subject,
his ddmiuis Ration will Ue biased i'll
| favor oi The dark element.
! The Address contains some g!ar-
Ing errors, Il few of which We will
/ p bint out for the editcati0a OF our
readers. On the subject of the
negro, lie says: ..Tney (tlie negroes
have ever proved il faithful people.
( Instead pf being turbulent and dis
orderly on their lib.ratiou, they
have shown themselves tn I've as
quiet, orderly Mad law>abi,lIns as
the same number of any class Oh
people i'll other States The his
tory of the race III every Southern
= - A g,r., t.,sF 4
! this statement. He further SAY
sit y..s predicted tisat ti-, they
would not work. Yet the statistics
show THAI by taetg labor crops no
less extensive than IN former days
have been produced" Every plan
ter from South Carolina To Texas
can bear melancholy testimony IL
the abSur,iify of this declaration.
The fact is patent that not more
than hal "a crop has ever been real
lied from their labor, even where
they have been most faithful To
their contracts, while III some States
industry has been weli-uigh paral-
wed ny thu IL Incidence aud indispo-
They have never attempted TO Sc
''cUre an advantage over their OPP
''poBenis by fraud or violence at the
polls Governor Ames is either
stupidity ignorant Of the true histo |
tory OF the negro since the war, or !
else be is wiiiully blind To their .
many acts OF lawlesSuess aud bru /
tality-in some INSTANCES protected .
by Federal bayonets by which the
right of suffrage has been inteiteIed
wi ID, aud whole com -luhiti-S kept
in a state OF dread and drmoraliza-
ton. IT he has never read accounts
Of the riots. murders and rapeS per
petrated by negroes il! South Caro-
lima, Georgia. Alabama, Louisiana
and Miss! -Slppi. to say nothing OF
other States, 1t is high time hat he
should be eniig iiehed on :. Snbirct
Of which he has displayed the most
bic aud objectionable ignu- ,
'luca. We could point ont other
oliicS and ab>ur.l!titS il this AID f..
iress. and tear away the deceptive
lraperV that his Excellency has '
seen proper 10 throw aronnd III"
moral and social antiquities of his ,
'abie friends and compatriotS, bur +
eirain for the present.
The Address promises retrench- >
nent and reform in the admins.Ia q,
ion vi government, and contains
tIler commendable and praisewor- e
by features. Should Governor |
rule III accordance with his
'TeScribrd policy, and TO, low up the :
inc of conduct marked out for HIM !,
elf and those VITO are. subject to
is aui hoiiiy. his Administrations =
ill MT De without Saiutary effects. T
:. this event. we Will no' hr sio., 10 :,
ward him all the Praise dre 10 his ;,
flicIai conduct: bar -h"nld he =,
1erve from This liue of rectitude =.
nj use his high powers to w1on- {,
nj cypress ;ir,>e no are lot Ill -.
pliricai accord with his party, th-ii =,
i'll he tiHd us rs swift 10 cOndemn.
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