The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-12-22
senator ReveIs (CoIOredyRePubli-
CAM 10 the President.
HIS VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT.

HOLLY SPRINGS, Nov. 6, 1875.
To His Ercellency, e. S. Grant, Presi-
dent of the Urited Stdtes:
My DEAR SrR-In view of the results
IF the recent election in our State, l
have determined TO write you a letter
canvAssing the situation and giving you
my views thereon. I will premise by
saying that am no politician, though
having been honored by seat in the
United States Senate. never have
sought political preferment, nor do ask
it now, but am engaged in my calling,
(the ministry and feeling an earnest
desire for the welfare of all the people,
irrespective of race or color, L have
deemed it advisable to submit to you, for
consideration, few thoughts in regard
to the political situation in this State.
Since reconstruction, the masses of my
people have been, as it were, enslaved in
mind by unprincipled adventures, who,
caring nothing for country, were willing
to stoop to anything, no matter how infa-
nous, to secure power to themselves and
perpetuate it. Ny people are naturally
Republicans, but as they grow older in
freedom so do they in wisdom. A great
portion of them have learned that they
were being used as mere tools, and, as
in the late election, not being able to
correct the existing evil among them
selves, they determined, by casting their
ballots against these unprincipled adven-
turers to overthrow them.
NV people have been told by these
schemers when men were placed upon
the ticket who were nOtoriously corrupt
and dishonest, that they must vote for
them that the salvation of the party
depended upon it; that the man who
scratched ticket was not Republican.
This is only one of che many means these
malignant demagogues have devised to
perpetuate the intellectual bondage ofny
people. To defeat this policy, at the
late election, men, irrespective of race,
color or party utilization, united and
voted tagether against men known to be
incompetent and dishonest. | cannot
recognize, nor do the masses of my peo-
pie who read, recognize the majority of
the officials who have been in power for
the past two yaaFs as Republicans. We
do not believe that RepublicanisrH means
corruption, theft and ENLARGEMENT
These three afenSes have been prevalent
amongst q great portion ct orr othce-
holders, to them must he attributed the
defeat of the Republican party in the
State, if defeat there was, but |, with all
the lights before me, look upnn it as an
uprising Of thu people, The whole people,
to crush out corrupt rings and men from
power
The bitterness and hate created by
the late civil strife has, i'll my opinion,
been obliterated in this State except
perhaps in some localities, and would
have long since been entirely eGaced
were it not for some unprincipled men
who ghould keep alive the bitterness of
the past and ineulcate hatred between
the races ia order thai they may aggran-
die themselves by office and its eHoIu-
ments to control my people, the effect
of which is to degrade them.
/ give you my opinion that had our
State administration adhered TO Repub-
lican principles and stood by the plat
form upon which it was elected, the
State to-day would have been on the
Of prosperity. If the State ad-
had advanced patriotic
measures, appointed only honest and
competent men to Office. and sought to
restore confidence between the races,
blood would have been unknown, peace
would have prevailed, federal interference
been unthought of, harmony, friendship,
and mutual confidence would have taken
the place Of the bayonet.
In conclusion let me say to you, apd
through you to the great Republican
party Of the North, that deemed it my |
duty, in behalf of ny people, that l
present these facts in order that they |
and the white people (their former
Owners) should not suffer misrepresenta-
tons which certain demagogues seem de-
sireQs Of encouraging.
Respectfully,
IL Il kr,atIer