The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-09-01
ADDRES SIS
Hon. W.. IN. Harris.
Before the Democratic Conservative Cub Of
Jackson, august 21t, 1875.
"A d d r Z 8 s
M Prs~fdent and Gentlemen


vitation found me pre-disposed to aeeel
: it. My Impressions of the political sjtl
alton are such that have felt an anxiior
: desire for full and frank interchange
" views. AT no time since the war have
felt greater need of that sure-footed Ieae
ershiP which takes no false step. At n
time since the war has there been create
need, in all Of US, of that profitable wi:
dom which distinguishes the things whicl
ought to be done, and can be done, from
the things which cannot be done, an,
therefore ought not to be attempted.
1t Is apparent that there now exists il
the minds of majority of the leader
OF opinion among our fellow citizens 0
the North, disposition to reetify tin,
mistakes and abuses in the conduct o
public affairs in the South, and to extenc
to cruelty misgoverned people sucf
measure Of relief as lies within the limit:
OF the Constitution as it now stands. NJ
statesman of any party, North or South
medItates step beyond this fixed boun.
Diary. Within that boundary the nation
has resolved that there shall be hearty
| honest and sincere effort to solve the
social and political problem which the
results-Of the war have presented to US.
The relief which we NAV fairly expect,
and which by prudence We can secure,
consists In non-intervention by the Ma
tIonal government in the domestic affairs
of the States, except IN the cases falling
strictly within the letter and spirit of the
Constitution and in allowing those in
whom are found intellect, patriotism.
true public spirit and true knowledge OF
the real aims and purposes of government,
to take the lead in government here not
for repression or exclusion, but for con-
troll and guidance; so that the govern
| ment shall exhibit in its action the true
| spirit and genius of the people, in their
morality, in their industries, in their
enterprise, and in their hopes and aspi-
rations.
This result is to be accomplished here
by the same means by which it is accom-
plished everywhere in the United States,
AMI wheresoever respectable and tolera-
bic popular government exists; and that
Is, by allowing the class of citizens | have
Indicated, to impose the same limitations,
| by the same means, which they impose
everywhere, on an ignorant majority.
Whether or not we need more than this,
and whether we shall need more than an
impartial and not unfriendly National
administration may be willing to allow
in that direction, is for the nation to de-
eide. Certain it is that no other relief
can be hoped for until we shall, by a
perfectly faithful effort, have demon
strated that more is needed. And here
let me observe that both classes of our
citizens are, in certain sense, on trial
before the American people.
1t is perfectly obvious that while the
people of the North are convinced of
gross mismanagement under the recon-
struction laws, they are far from being
convinced that there has been any mis-
take in requiring the Constitutions of
the Southern States to rest on the basis
of impartial suffrage. They do complain
of unwise conduct on the part of the
whites, making, however, due allowance
for the circumstances but chiefly do
they complain of the understandable inter
meddling of the National administration,
which, instead of aiming to make our
newly-made fellew-citizens good and use
full citizens, sought only to make Of them
obedient Republican voters.
They reason, as may be supposed, in
this way: The Government Of the Uni
ted States withstood the shock of a gigan-
tic civil war, and came out of the struggle
not only without having suffered any
displacement, and without having been
driven to revolutionary action, but with
increased strength and power-more
power and authority than it had ever
| before possessed. Indeed judging by
what it was enabled to do, and did do,
with more power than any civilized gov
| eminent of this day would venture to
exercise. 1t was absolute master of the
| situation, and was more thoroughly obey
ed than the best fortified government in
| Christendom. It proceeded to sponge
out the constitutions of eleven great
commonwealth, to overturn their gov
ernments, to reverse their social systems,
and in effect to prescribe new constitu-
lions for them. Unfortunately, the party
which controlled it, sought to exhibit and
| did exhibit it, only in its aspect of bound
| less authority. In their hands it seemed
to have unlimited power to tear down
and to wound, without the power to
| build UP and to heal. Confronted by
the most novel and formidable social
and political problem ever presented
| to the craftsmanship of any country, and
which, God be praised, can never again
be presented in this. they recklessly
turned over the Southern States, thus
dislocated, as so much food to the lowest
grade of hungry partisans; leaving the
adjustment of the grave difficulties IN
volved in these great fundamental
changes, to the most ignorant, narrow
minded and selfish class of men that ever
bore sway in any cOuntry-men afflicted
with what appears like moral idiocy, and
to whom the sense of public duty is as
color to the blind.
1t is not TO be wondered at, that these
men at once formed a partnership with
the newly enfranchised slaves, Ga most
unequal partnership as it has turned out, J
TO capture and to ''run" the State gov
ernments of the South. That which has
followed. might have been foreseen.
The marvellous rapidity with which q
people RECEIVERS from the effects of wars
more desolating than ours, has excited
the surprise of mankind. Look al
France, where the energies of people,
their public spirit, their industries and
their intellirence. welded by high ad
ministratiye ability Joined to exalted pa
triotism, CAUSED prostrate country &C
rise and stand upon It's feet, IN tht
course of three years. MaeauIey tells
that within the space of five years al
traces of the great civil war of Crom
wells time, war which involved every
foot of English soil, and every Englisf
family, were Obliterated. Ten years have
passed over us and our fruitful land, YET
we are in a dead lock, confined to s
{. dead eddy, while all the world is pass
ing by us on the great highway of pro
gress. Our ship of State is becalmed