The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-10-20
Ex-senator Peasess Views ON Mis-.
sippi Politics.
National Republican Washington Admin
istration Organ, Oct 11th.l


National Republican Washington Admin
istration Organ), Oct. 11th.l
The presence in Washington OF Hon.
III. R. Pease, recently Senator in Con-
gress from the State of Mississippi, and
now Postmaster at Vicksburg, afforded
the National Republican an opportunity
yesterday to interview him upon the
complicated and interesting subject of
Mississippi politics.
Mr.. Pease-I regret to say that in
several localities in the State Of Missis-
sippi a deplorable condition of affairs
exists. Indeed, among the people
throughout the State there is a most
lamentable want of confidence in the
State government. The colored people
distrust the power of the State under
Governor Ames, and the whites generally
question his disposition to administer
the government so as to afford
protection to life and property, and
maintain domestic tranquility, for
which governments are instituted. As
plain but the fact is, he has unfortun-
ately pursued policy calculated to Gre
ate distrust, and he has caused the white
population, who represent the intelligence
and wealth of the State, the two essential
elements upon which the maintenance of
good government depends, to believe that
he has been and is now attempting to
| create an open antagonism between the
| races, and to plunge the State into con-
dition of revolution and domestic VIC
lence such as will necessitate martial law
ard thereby advance his personal politi-
cal schemes. X was going to
say that, Notwithstanding the excitement
incident to partisan strife and the race
prejudices. which have been wrought up
by the extremists on both sides the ma
jority of the people, regardless of any
race or political utilization, deprecate VIC
lence and are ready to assist the properly
constituted authorities in preserving.
l have no war to make on Governor
Ames personally. He is deader now than
Hector, but he hopes by the means he is
pursuing to secure a legislature that will
send him to the United States Senate.
The election takes place next January.
10 reach the Senate was his Interior pur-
pose in becoming governor. All his
appointments are made on condition that
his appointees shall support him for the
Senate. The preservation of the Repub-
lican party in Mississippi depends upon an
honest administration of the laws of the
State, and it will go under unless the
remedy for all our troubles is within
political integrity, exact justice and hon.
est dealing Federal Intervention is not
needed or wanted. The use of force would
do more harm than good. Nine=tenths
of the white population are opposed to
him. They want good men in Office to
work reform in existing abuses. x X x x
He is cultivating the Irish. lie is ap-
pointing Irishmen to Office wherever he
can. He has given one Fitzgerald carte
blanche to raise an Irish regiment, This
Fitzgerald is the man who telegraphed to
the White League commander at Vicks-
burg that he was ready to call with one
hundred men to exterminate niggers.
He never was a Republican, and
never voted the ticket in his life. What
do the colored people say about all this?
They are, of course, very much excited.
Recently noted leader among them,
Elder johnson, published an appeal to
them to pursue conservative policy.
Like him, there are many other colored
people in the State of talent and deere
ton. Many, though, are operating un-
der the advice Of Frederick Douglass, to
strike back. The interview the National
Republican had with him and published
has done a great deal of mischief in the
South. The colored people are naturally
docile, not given to disturbance, and are
easily governed but now they are ex-
ceedingly suspicious, and they lack conf
dence In a man who mentions Democratic
principles. They are not recognized.
If they were like the Italian or Spaniard,
violence would ensue, and they would
soon dispose of their enemies. Fifteen
thousand white voters, at least, have
been driven out of the Republican party
in Mississippi by Ames' course.