The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-04-02
The Platform of the mississippi
Radicals Convention, March
30, 1876.


Eonventions from 1857 TO the present time,
and in the National Conventions OF the
party from its organization, the carashai
tenets of which are: Freedom OF speech, |
freedom of the press, free oallot, Ireeuohi
for all, and the enforcement of the laws.
2 Adopting the sentiments OF the call LOT
rho National Convention. we invite all he
publican electors and all other voters, WIFI
ont regard to past political differences or
past party affiliations, who are opposed 70
reyiyiug sectional issues and desire to pro-
mote friendly feeling and harmony through
out the country by maintaining and enforc
ing all constitutional rights OF every clCi-
ZEN including the full and free exercise
of the rights of suffrage without intimida-
fion and without fraud; who are In favor
of continued prosecution and punishment
of all official dishonesty, and OF an econoih-
zeal administration of the Government oy
no est, faithful ard capable officers; VINO
are in favor OF making such reforms IN gov
eminent as experience may from tiule W
time suggest; who opposed to impair
ing the credit of the nation by depreclatlng
any OF its obligations, and in favor OF sus
tanning in every way the national faItf ana
financial honor; who hold that the com mon
school system is the nursery OF American
liberty, and should be maintained absolutely
free from sectarian control; who believe that
for the promotion of these ends tue ulrec-
ton of the Government should continue 10
be confided to those who adhere TO the
principles of 1776, and support them as IN
cornorated in the Constitution and laws,
and who are in favor of recognizing ana
| strengthening the fundamental principles
of national unity in this centennial annl-
yersary of the birth of the Republic to unite
aud go with us.
g. A sound national currency, and re-
| turn to specie payments as soon As can DC
done with safety to the commercial interests
| OF the country.
a. We adopt the sentiment of Gen. Grant,
| 4" Let no guilty man escape" and we iur-
ther say: Let every guilty man be brought
| 20 punishment In view of these senu
ments, we arraign the Democratic leaders
of Mississippi, and charge them with pros
ecutiAg impeachments for partisan pur-
poses, and to consolidate power obtained by
violence, intimidation and fraud. They
| charged the late Governor and the late SUI
perintendent of Education with high
| crimes and misdemeanors.H If guilty, they
should be punished; if innocent, justice
| and truth have been wantonly violated
| Whether guilty or innocent could only have
| been known upon full, fair and impartial
| trial. This the accused parties were not
only entitled to, but justice demanded it.
| Instead, assuming their charges TO be true.
| Democrats have compounded felOnies, and
have thus added another serious crime to
the long catalogue of high crimes aud mis-
| demeanorS on their part. We, the pub
| lIcans of Mississippi, therefore, arraign the
| Democratic party of the State before an
enlightened public sentiment, and charge
| that party with ruptiOn in order to Sc
cure public offices for partisan purposes.
| The history of impeachment shows this and
nothing less.
B. We further arraign Democratic lead
ers and charge:
First. In seeking to prostitute the highest
| judicial tribunal of the State to political
purposes by a legislative resolution. requir-
! ing the Presiding Judge OF the Suprem"
Court to resign his position as Presiding
Judge, and that another of the Judges bt
elected Presiding Judge for the express
| purpose of sitting in the trial of the Govern
or in the Court of impeachment Such
change was made, and Chief Justice was
| chosen iniresponse to such request, express
| eddy to preside in such trial, and, as the rec
| ords now show, by his own vote
Second. They have usurped power from
! the people, first, by violence, intimida alton
and fraud, and thereby providing that a
Senator, elected as such, shall be Governor
| thus refusing to let the people say who shall
| be Governor.
| Third. Themselves illegally elected, they
| seek to maintain power by unheard of
| legislation in the interest of the Democratic
| party, without regard to the rights or will
of the people, and in disregard of both.
Fourth. They have jerrymandered the
State by a most outrageous, uni just and par
tisan alteration of the Congressional Dis
tricts; making one district front on the
| Mississippi river, along the Louisiana and
Arkansas border 400 miles long, and in many
| places only twenty miles wide.
| 6. As important and vital as are the great
principles in the foregoing, we present to
the people of the State and of the whole
country, as underlying and overriding all
other issues, as containing all that is dear tC
US, as one that will invade the North and
West, II not arrested and crushed out, the
question of the freedom of the ballot. With
out this all other questions are as nothing to
| US. Violence at elections is a blow at free in
situations, and these with us are practically
a mockery. This violence will destroy all
| other interests, social, educational, financial,
| business and religious. Under its bighting
| curse all other interests and industries
are paralyzed. TO us. this is the great and
vital issue, as it will be to the whole ceun-
| try, if it is ignored and discarded by other
| sections.
| Z. In behalf of those we represent we
| tender our gratitude to Senator Morton for
| the interest he has manifested in the pro-
lection of Southern Republicans in their
personal freedom, and in the sacred right
| of free speech and tree ballot. He is en-
| titled 20 our thanks and gratitude tor his de-
votion to those principles.
THEIR ELEcToR AL TICKET.
| First District-James w. Lee.
Second DiStrict-DeWitt Stearnes
Third District-Jason Miles.
Fourth District-W. B. Cunningham.
Fifth District-Harvey B. Ware.
| Sixth District. l.. Morris.
FOR THE STATE AT LARGE
Hon. Geo. G. Mckee, and Hon. James F.
DELEGATES TO CINCINNATI
j. w. Lee, James Hill, r. w. Flournoy'
lobe Hum phries, j. M. Binum, f. lei. Little
Geo. M Buchanan, J. S. Little, Jason Niles,
i. j. white, I'll. w. Warren, j. j. Spelman.
w. I'll. Harvey, AZ. Shaughnessey. G. w
Clark, j. ID. Cessor
On motion of Mr.. Gray, the report of the
committee was amended by substituting the
names of J. L. Alcorn, B. K Bruce. K. C.
Powers and Adelbert Ames, in lieu of those
reported as delegates for the state at large
On motion of Mr.. Blackman, the name of