The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-03-06

Suuic uoWu W oCip tuSiu hCtuiS
their rights; and then, possessing
the offices, holding the power, they
must make such exactIons as can
not be met, they must impose taxes
that the white men, the property
holders, will be unable to pay, so
that the lands shall revert to the
state, and when this is accomplish
ed, they can then assert their rights,
make, among themselves, an eIuit-
able division OF tho land which is
their inalicnablc birthright
Such is the {. aractcr OF many OF
the "spcakings made by these car
pct-baggers to their colored friends,
and the consequence is, they are
elected to Office, and the black man
is elected to office, and still the old,
respectable white citizens, they who
pay the taxes and have all the prop
erty, submit, wait, wait, and patient
ly endure.
We're it not for this political in
reference, by strangers who have
no material interests in the a'e,
the aspect of affairs in Mississippi
would soon be far different and bet
ter. The intelligent white people
there understand this matter fully
they know where the trouble lies.
1t left to their own management
they would have but little difficulty.
Co operation and harmony would
soon be restored between the two
races. After all, the Southern white
man is the ncgro's best friend. lie
will go further in social life with
him, and do more for his interest,
than u Northern man can. From
his very childhood associations
he has sympathy with the negro,
aud it never dies ont. In CONVEX
vcrsations l held with gentlemen, |
was surprised by the the kindness
that tempered all their illusions to
the colored race. They told me
there was not man of any charac-
ter, or note; in tho state, who would
have slavery rc-establishcd if he
could. They do not want the Aiii-
can rc-cnslavcd. They are willing
to accord him the rights of citizen
ship, 10 a fuller extent, and more
cordially, than he would be allow
cd such rights in any portion of our
Northern States. And yet in tn,
process Of recOnsiructing their So
cial, political, and business affairs,
they do not think it right, in addi-
ton to the natural impediments
presented by this new and stupen-
dOus civil element of ignorance, that
they should be compelled to con
tend against tho Vaccination of po-
liticians who arc but aliens to the
state.
Without personal observation the
extent and influence of this pOiiti-
cal interference can scarcely be I'M
agincd. OF Course it would be q
difficult task enough for any of the
old slave states to readjust matters
under the now dispensaiion SO ~ To-
evolve peace, harmony, and pros.
perity; but owing To the cause
have named, the work of re con
struction in Mississippi seems % be
a task well nigh hopeless. The most
concise, and yet most comprchen'
sivc, description of it's present con-
ditiOn may be comprised in two
words: doubt and blight. All things
arc in doubt trade, manufactures,
support of schools, collection OF
taxes, collection of debts, value of
property, validity of titles; and
Hight rests upon all personal and
state interests. Lands that We're
valued, few years ago, at rom
S25 to $50 an acre, can now be
bought tor 81 an acre Counties
that u few years ago produced 81, 1000
bales of cotton, now produce l., 0OO
bales.
If tn. hnriful Influences that have
been brought To bear upon the col
orcd people could be wi hdrawn
they would soon come to under
stand, As the white citizens already
acknowledge, that the interests OF
the two races in Mississippi are
identical, and they would quietly
q ,qIicSrc III measures for the gen
craf good, and the whole states
would soon enter upon AN era of
prosperity commensurate with its
munificen' resources.
II was an unwisc and spasmOdic
patriotism, al abuse of rational free.
dom, which made such an indiscrim-
mate bcstOwal Of the elective fran.
chisc. If the people are to he sorer-
e,gns they should first be educated
to the ability to rule. There should
be educational and moral qualifica-
tons, irrespective of color or race,
emitting citizens to vote. PROBES
sional thieves, gamblers, habiiual
drunkaris, and all who cannot read
tie Constitution OF the United States
should be prohibited the right OF
suffrage. Had such restrictions
been imposed in lifting the black
race from slavery INTO citizenship,
the work of rcconstructing the
South would have been accomplished
with less trouble, and under a more
humane and intelligent direction.
1t is . mistaken idea that the
white people of Mississippi feel bit
ter and hostile towards the citizens
Of our Northern States. Ii there
are any such. they are exceptions
to general rule. ! had an excel
lent opportunity to test the charac-
ter and sentiments of the masses.
I told them frankly that l had al
ways been opposed to slavery, and
was glad of the emancipation.
found them as tolerant of the cx-
preston of opinions as VIC of the
North, and, in a social sense, most
hospitable and generous.
What Mississippi now mostly
needs is immigration from the
North. If the landed prOprictnrs
would organize themselves into an
association, divide their old planta.
tons into small farms, and send Il
committee to New England to NAL &c
liberal proffers for actual settlers,
they would induce large number
Of families to emf grate from their
bleak hill-sldes to tho rich plains OF
the d" sunny South"
4 little Yankee thrift over Mis.is.