The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-03-06
A WORD FOR THE SOUTH.
An Impartial Review Of the situa'
ton of the Affairs in Mississippi.

Having recently pass over nearly
the entire state OF Mississippi, on a
tour of observation, l feel that it
may be comforting some little bcne-
fit upon the Northern readers to
give my impression of the condi-
ton of affairs in that state, and of
the sentiments and spirit OF the
Southern people.
In the first place, ! would say
that l am . reader of the newspa-
papers, and believe that keep my
self rs thoroughly posted in matters
OF general interest As most readers,
and yet while looking around me
in Mississippi, | felt continual re-
buke for the Ignorance, orprcjudice,
or want of perception that had held
my mind IN such n satisfied judy
mcnt ~ to Southern affairs before l
went South.
The large majority of our North
ern people, though not wishing to
harm the South, even in thought,
have wrong views regarding the
sentiments, disposition, and present
aspects, social and political, of the
people, mean the whole people,
white and colored, of the South. /
speak adviscdly in saying that such
is the case, At least 50 far as Missis-
sippi is concerned.
In all the towns l visited in Mis-
sissippi 1 made myself familiar with
the citizens-called ON the doctors,
lawyers. clcrgymcn, meI chants, me-
chanics. on all classes, and talked
with them freely upon subjects per-
tanning to their social, political, and
material interests, ETC., and now
feel qualified To speak of them un-
derstandingly and without preju-
dice.
Nearly all the more intelligent
men whom l met, and who made
any reference to the matter, said
they were Union men before the
war, that they were crowded into
the Rebellion BY force OF circum-
stances, that, the Confederacy being
organized, their convictions of du-
ty, even against their feelings, led
them to its support that when the
war was over they acknowledged
their utter defeat, dropped all an
ta.onism and all i'll feeling and on
ly wished for peace and fratevna
relations again with the North and
they say that they have tho same
feeling and wish now.
As people, looking at their past
they have been Inundated, broken
and utterly crushed. Their bust
ness methods, social relations, anG
mode of government are radically
changed or passed away beyond re
call. This change, these ruins, may
have come as the natural consequent
of q national entailed sin or as the
workings of Divine adjustmc mt o
human affairs, but, whatever tn,
cause, 1t is not with tho past tina
the present should be mostly con
cerned.
Let every intelligent man lool
the present straight in the face. Wha
is the exact condition in Mississippi
to-day!
The entire municipal authority o
the state is in the hands of the bIacl
man. He holds the majority In tn,
Legislature-holds the majority o
votes in nearly all the counties, hold
the majority of Offices in the state
il the maker of laws and the suI
preme director Of public affairs.
And what is the result OF all this
Simply ruin-ruin to all the best in
tcres's, present and prospective, o
the state.
There is no question in this mat
ter there il no room tor discussion
nor for theorizing; i: is q palpabls
fact. The men who hold and dircc
the Government of the State pay
little or nothing towards the cost .
its annual maintenance. The mel
who impose the taxes have them
selves little or nothing ot ma:eria
interests upon which to pay taxes.
In several counties l found The
supervisors were composed entirely
OF negroes. They ASSESS the prop
erty, determine the amount OF take.
to be collected, and yet very few OF
them po-sess any property what
ever, and the large majority Of
them can neither read nor write
their own names. Whom sworn III
TO Office they make their CD mark
Such men make laws for educat
ell white men, merchants, landown
era, etc. And what are the take.
imposed From to nine per cent.
and upon their own arbitrary ana
excessive valuation.
Is it any wonder, under such rule
that schools are neglected, that bus
mess is at q siand-still, that enter
prise is checked, and the develop
ment of all material interests ana
rcsOuces of the state utterly neg
lectcd?
And yet, alter all, the great body
of white men, the former rich plant
crs, with their once luxurious liv
ing. the business men, the educated
refined, the real genuine old Missis
sippixn-, nearly all with whom
cOnvsrsed, surprised mo by thcil
very humility Of submissiOn-nol
like patience on a monument" bu
as u monument of patience. But they
| unIcrbt9uu OctlcT IMAM we VI tnt
North can understand the cause,
that have led TO this lamcntabl,
state of affairs and the reasons be
came obvious To me as | learned il
what matter the Northern carpet
bayger had manipulated the negroe
int" their present attitude, and nov
holds them for political purposes
III antagonism to their own best in
tcrestS-
The Mis~issiprians have, for SOM
time, been convinced Of the tact tina
the carpet bagscrs in their mid>
are not fair representatives OF tn,
Northern people, nor of Northern
sentiment They are "a kind of re
ncgade Yankees or political ~cape
goats. Having II" influence at ,hcil
own homes in the North, they &C
South in search of position ano
plumber. These they obtain by at
filiating with the negroes. Thcs,