The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-05-19
COLOR LINE VS.. CANCELLATION.
The Two Methods COntrasted.

- There are two certain ways Va I'm
Quoting a political canvass, each OF when
has had a thorough practical Illustration
in Mississippi rccendy-the one IN NIcks-
burg, the other in Natehez. The one
way. pursued in Nicksburg, was that
known as the "Color Line The way
pursued In Natchez was the other way
and for want of specific name we shall
call it the Common Sense way.
"In Vicksburg, the election to which
we refer was for Mayor and Aldermen,
and took place in August last. For many
weeks before the election that city was
in a perpetual turmoil; bad blood was
stirred.up on every hand strife was re-
oarded as momentarilv imminent; wo-
men and children were kept in constant
terror; business and all industries suf-
tered severely from the uncertain and
threatening condition of affairs, and
everybody was pervafed with constant
apprehension of an outbreak OF violence,
and possibly of conhagration. For some
DAYS before the election, and on the day
of election, not only the people Of Nicks-
burg, but their fellow citizens every
where, paused, breathless, fearing every
moment to hear of some unfortunate col
Iision. The election was finally held and
the White Line was overwhelmingly trl-
umphant. 1t Has a remarkable victory;
all the more 50 because the apprehensions
that had kept the people on the rack OF
terrible anxiety tor many weeks, were,
bapDiIv. not realized The election was
perfectly peaceahle there was no vio-
ience. no bloodshed. But Nicksburg was,
nevertheless, living, moving arsenal, all
that day. There was an armed truce, as 1t
were, and that peace prevailed which reigns
at the point of opposing arms, ready for the
signal. No man knows how insignificant
a circumstance, or an accident, might
have precipitated Il collision, deluged the
city with human blood, devoted its habi-
tations to the flames, and its women to
the danger Of brutal outrage. This Is
how the Nicksburg victory was won
1t was coIapletc-the courage and energy
we're heroic -but only through weeks of
torture of the mind, upon the verge OF
no man knew what, came the result.
And what came of this signal vic
tory, after all? The bad blood engen-
dered by the Color Line grew hotter, and
prompted every day more and more, the
blacks to inaugurate violence, and the
whites NATURALLY enough and rightly,
too, to resist it when it should come
And so for four months after the Color
Line victory the Nicksburg people were
strangers 10 peace and quietness. a
black cloud hung perpetually over the
city and county, threatening every day
to burst in fury. And early in Decem-
Der it did burst. The history of those
sad events in December, 1874, is too well
known to be recited here. The infatuated
blacks assaulted the city, and were bravely
met and severely punished, as they de-
served. Since then the city of Nicks-
burg has paid thousands Of dollars for
guns taken and damage done to property
in December. The taxpayers of the
State have been taxed some $50, 900 TO
deiray the expenses Of an extra session
of the Legislature, for the calling of
which the Nicksburg troubles were made
the only pretext 1t has cost the tax
payers also $4,000 for the Legislative
committee which investigated Vicksburg,
and probably so, 900 for the printing of
that committees report, and other Incl
dental expenses connected with the in
vestigation and that days events have
been made the pretext for the enactment
of the infamous State standing army and
Calling gun bill, which will involve a
further expenditure Of from $40, 900 to
$500, 600 per annum, when put into exc
cution.
"Surely a victory which costs so many
months Of anxiety of mind and de-
rangomnnt of businooc, which cNCites so
much i'll blood, and costs such an enor-
in 4 oil al 20 81
people who won it, but to their fellow
sufferers all over the State, may be fairly
regarded as not only unproductive of ma
terial good, but actually prolific with
Dead Sea fruits, however gratifying it
may have been from a purely abstract
and heroic point of view"
NATCHEZ.
"This illustration of the methods and
results of the Vicksburg Color Line
policy, (Which is happily circumscribed
to very narrow limits, and meets with |
little favor outside of Vicksburg,) has |
occupied so much space that we can al |
Jude only briefly to the other way which |
was so advantageously pursued in Match
ez, first in December, 1872, and again in |
1874 Here we did not adopt
the Color Line, nor ''put the pressure on
the darkeys," notwithstanding our Vicks-
burg contemporaries, flushed with their
victory, solemly warned us that I'M
less we emulated them we should deserve
disaster and meet it. On the contrary,
we counseled with, persuaded, conciliated
and utilized the "darkeys." We had a
perfectly quiet and pleasant canvass, and
IN election as peaceable as one could wish;
and we achieved quite as signal victory
IS did our Vicksburg neighbors on their
plan. This we did without torture of
mind or apprehension of trouble either
before, during or after the election
without the slightest bad blood or strife,
md without expense to ourselves or the
State. We have enjoyed here, all along,
md we still enjoy, and have reason to
lope we shall continue to do so, that per-
ect peace and security which comes Of
,indlY good feeling between the races =
II these victories oar people are now
Gaping the substantial fruits, not only
n an honest, able and economical gov
rnment by men Of their choice, but
lsO in the potent moral influence for
God, which (by reason Of the kind feel
lg existing ana always encouraged be-
ween the races here, that government ]
nd its functionaries are able to exert
nd do exert upon the more. widely ex- {
ended affairs of the county '
The Conservatives of Vicksburg and {
nose Of Natchez, in the cases cited, pur- |
ned precisely the same end, but by t
idely different ways. Which chose the s
etter part, and which of these two poll G
es Judging them by their antecedents,
leir cOncOmitants and THAR fruits * =, /,
he letter one to underlie the coming t
1nvass for county officers and members 5
the Legislature, are questions which s