The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-02-25
The ColOred Members Of the Legislature

From the Vieksburg Plain Dealer.I
AS a member of the Republican party
of this State and nation, we dislike to ad-
dress speeches or letters to the colored
members alone, of that party. But the
present crisis demands it.
The Democratic papers assert, with
some show of authority, that the greatest
obstacle to retrenchment-to real re-
trenchment-is on account of the action
of the colored members of the Legisla-
ture. In the campaign of 1873, when all
the present officers were elected, the Re
publican party promised the people re-
trenchment in certain directions, chief
among which was biennial sessions of the
Legislature. We have now had two SEES
sions of the Legislature since our last
election. We know that the resolution
amending the Constitution giving US
biennial sessions hung fire in the House,
because large majority of the colored
members of that body opposed IT, We
sincerely trust that this opposition will
cease, and the resolution be allowed to
pass 1t is wrong in the members of the
Republican party, or any members OF 1t,
to oppose such a measure as would bring
relief to the people, and would add so
much to the honor and glory of the party
to which all of us are so closely allied.
Members should look above the few dol
lars they would make from annual ses-
sions, and work for the welfare of the
party that has done so much for the
country, and for all classes of the people
who would be benefited by such whole
some measure Biennial sessions of the
l. L. 70 hn
State of one hundred thousand dollars a
year. The Legislature has been in ses-
sion over a month, but nothing scarcely
has vet been done with which we can go
before the people next fall and ask them
to sustain the Republican party. Throw
aside your individual feelings; remember
that the people OF the whole State, aye,
of the whole country, are looking to you
TO legislate wisely and we'll for our be-
loved State. Let not the Democracy say
that they are in favor of retrenchment,
but that the colored people are opposed
to it. All the leaders of our party are
in favor of biennial sessions of the Legis-
lature. The people expect it. Our State
is now fairly reconstructed and We do not
need annual legislation.
We have stated in this article that we
do not like to appeal to CoLoRED MEM
bers of the Republican party. We are
all Republicans, and should work for the
common good of the party. There are
times when it is necessary for colored
Republicans to counsel together concern
ing measures which apply to them par
ticularly; but in matters of legislation for
the people of the whole State. we con-
slider it unwise, unfair, impolitlc, and alb
solutely wrong for colored members OF
the Legislature to assemble in q colored
caucus and there decide what measures
they will support, and what measures
they will not support. We do not know
how true it is, but We have heard from
reliable source, that at a caucus OF colored
members, held at certain boarding
house in Jackson, it was resolved not to
support the resolution amending the
Constitution giving us biennial sessions
of the Legislature. If this is the case,
it is a shame upon the fair record of the
colored people Of this State. 1t is abso-
lutely wrong; and we sincerely hope our
colored members will resolve to go into
no more colored caucuses upon matters
of general legislation. When such eau,
cuses are held let them be general, and
open to ALL Republicans.
There is no use Disgusting the fact'
The Republican party is now at Its Crisis
and the members of the Legislature VII
tually have its fate in their hands.