The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-08-17

uIlLtItlb Who ttiS ihtO VI u ~ III
the Cincinnati Convention. His fol-
lowing was almost contemplate in mum
beers. He was rudely pushed aside by
that Convention, and was then expell-
ed from the cabinet of President Grant,
because he had shown a disposition to
punish spectators on the public
treasury. A porty, which, acknowl-
edging it's administration Of affairs to
be inefficient and corrupt, at the same
time notwithstanding and furnishing
real reformers, cannot be trusted to re-
form the abuses which have grown up
nnler it's patronage and favor. The Re
publican party reformed would lose Its
identity and cease to be itself. RefOrma-
ton i'll that party can result only IRON
dissolution first, and resurrection after
wards. Let its dissolution come now,
restoration be left to that period when
a lust but inscrutable Providence may,
with pestilenoe and famine, add to the
reforming agencies for a sinful nation,
the curses of misrule.
The Republican party has grown cor
rupt, through long years OF Wastefui
expenditures and abuse of administra-
ton.
1t is far otherwise with the Demos
cratic party. For sixteen years it has
been excluded from power, and under
gone discipline of adversely. 1t has
been the victim, not the beneficiary, of
bad government. Its aim. its politics,
and its traditions all lead it to a pure
and Just administration. 1t had its
birth with the Constitution; it witness
ed the rise aud subsequent progress OF
this great nation, and directed, III the
main. the agencies through which this
greatness wa achieved. 1t will perish
only when the Constitution itself shall
no longer be revcrenced and obeyed.
It's policies have been broad and nation
al; its aims have been, by Constitution
al and legal methods, to do the great
| est good to the greatest number, IN all
parts of our common country. All its
struggles with the great old Wing par
ty, were but contests Of generous rivals
~, how best, and how most to promote
the public good. 1t has always been
the firm friend Of the laboring classes,
who, in great part, have always been its
chief support. AT the same time, it haF
been Just and conservative to capital
1t has kept down, when in power, all
antagonism between labor and capital,
by being Just to both. Under its lea
dership and management, the nation
acquired it's marvellous growth. and the
people steadily advanced in enlighten-
ment. morality and material prosperi>
ty. Under its policy We had no over
grown wealth, no squalid poverty. The
opportunities for the sudden acquisi
ton of immense individual fortunes,
and the circumstances which ground the
poor to a harder and more hopeless
poverty, were alike wanting under its
rule.
But let us see what local reasons,
pertaining to the State of Mississippi,
exist for preference for Mr.. Tilden. In
dependent of the manifold and weight
reasons which should, and We firmly
believe will, control the preference Of
the American people for Mr.. Tilden, we
have still others Of even greater mo-
ment and concern to us in Mississippi,
which should cause every citizen of the
State to use every exertion in his pow
CT to secure the election of the Demo
cratic candidates for President and
Vice President.
The history of the Republican party
in Mississippi is a sad record to the
people, and a blot upon free institu-
tons. Its advent into power here
found the people indeed poor from q
long aud ~exhausting war, yet lightly
burdened with taxation and engaged in
ar earnest efiIst to restore prosperity.
The5xo rae MEswaliy.ng in harmon4
no e4onsiss zed lie nh
tual dependence % eaThF, Q n the othx
The Offices IN She main were filed Ivy
honest and capable men. This state OF
affairs did not suit the adventnrers who
had migrated hither to better their for
tunes. The colored people We're organ
lied into secret leaugues, and taught to
regard all Southern white men as their
natural enemies. They got possession
of the State, and most of the county
governments, and there ensued a carnI-
val or crime and official maifeasance,
that beggars description. The salaries
and fees of all officers were largely in
creased, new and useless offices We're
created, and taxes levied almost to the
extent of confscatiOn. The officials they
placed In power were, with afew excep
lions, incompetent or corrupt. and,
frequently, both. Judges we're APP
pointed to Office who had never even
studied law; others were selected whose
legal learning was of that mcagre sort,
that defied discovery in their official &C
ton. Clerks, SSheriffs and Tax Collec>
tors, Assessors and Supervisors were
elected who could not read nor write,
and who were utterly irresponsible.
Their straw bonds were generally made
bv a class of penniless bond makers.
A United States Senator, and after
wards Governor, was elected-a strane
ger to our people and without sympa'
thy in their destlnies and fortunes. He
was not even a citizen of the State prior
to his election. and on his election from
Office, he renamed in doubt whether he
would renew that shadowy and fitting
soiourn, which, in Republican practice,
constituted residence and citizenship.
The Legislature, charged with the
high duty of making laws for a great
commonwealth, was composed, III the
main, of ignorant negroes, who owned
LlelT tleCtiOn W laCO Pl'JuNANS "hiSA
they skillfully infamed, and of schem-
ing and corrupt aliens, and strangers,
who sought power solely for their per>
sonal advantage.
The administration of justice became
a farce, and the entire government was
a grotesque, sham, possessing no pow
er for good, and effective only for evil.
Sudden and large fortunes were made
by officials, and the people grew poorer
and poorer every day. Taxes were in
creased more than 1000 per cent. and
yet the public debt was increased at
the rate of nearly $500, 900 a year.
All this was done for the mere ordina-
nv expenses of the government'-for no
public works of any sort were made.
Under this great calamity, the want of
credit by the State, usually considered
a misfortune and a reproach was a Sig
nal benefit; money could not be borrow
ed on the faith of the State. Our situation
was so calamitous that the mistakes and
errors of all former administrations be-
came a refuge from plumber and OPP
preston. Reference is here made to
the appendix for some figures showing
the waste and corruption of the Rad
aa1 Nnrfu