The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-03-02
The CITY Election.

1t was at one time hoped that the city
election, to take place on the 9th inst,
would be non-political in its character, and
to this end a mass meeting was called to
nominate candidates that would be at
once suitable and satisfactory, without re-
gard to present or past affiliations. Re
publicsns and Democrats-whites and
blacks, were all invited alike to attend and
participate in its proceedings and decide
who was best calculated for the respective
places to be filed. The meeting was &C
cordingly held, and a ticket, embracing
men of both parties, was nominated. But
notwithstanding this effort Of the Demo-
Gratis to compromise. and have an election
unembittered, by party strife, white Re-
publicans and negroes were not content
until the lines were drawn, and, as if in
defiance of anything like compromise,
forthwith called another meeting, under
the fallacious guise of "a citizens meet
ing" and put forth another ticket; which,
though embracing a few good men to give
the thing a color of fairness, is composed
for the most part of avowed Republicans
and ignorant negroes. Twas then the
Democrats called a strictly party meeting
and. on last Wednesday night, nominated
the ticket of gentlemen which appears at
our mast head this morning.
With this brief review of the situation,
no true Democrat can long hesitate as to
his course. Our enemies have drawn the
lines. and once more shown a determine
ton to uphold party, though honesty, ca
pacity, intelligence, everything bearing up
on the best interests of the city, crumble in
the effort. The negroes particularly
though We do not deny THAT they were
prompted by their white allies-have
shown = contempt for the spirit of com
promise exhibited by the better class of
our citizens, and insist upon forcing upon
the CITY as Aldermen and School Trustees
a number of their own color, whose noto-
rious incompetency and ignorance is only
equalled by their im~pudence, If they felt
that they had a right to representation in
the city government, why did they not at
tend the first meeting, and exercise this
privilege then and there, where they might
have had the advice and appreciation of al
our hes: citizens in the selection of men o.
their own color, Or, if they belived theii
element as powerful as their subsequent ac'
ton would" indicate, made..a choice with
out such advice and appreciation - and
the whites. could, at worst, have only done
what thev were finally forced to do.
The Democrats Of the city, despite the
independent course taken by Radicals, have
a clear majority, and if every man calling
himself a Democrat will support the chos-
en- candidates of his party, the result of the
election on the 9Th is a foregone conclusion.
Let every man do his duty, and in his re-
sentiment, to the defiance hurled at us by
our enemies disregard personal prefe rences
and ties, ignore Independents and Boilers,
and vote only for our nominees. We have
heard il intimated that some good Demo-
Gratis, from personal grounds, are pledged
TO vote for candidates holding a place on
the msngrel ticket. Be this az it may,
the action OF our enemies affords ample
ground for the absolution Of all private
nledres and in the face of this the man
who longer regards them, is guilty of trea-
son to his party.
The nominees of the Democracy are all
men of intelligence, integrity and capacity
and are strictly identified with the inter
ests Of the city. And while this may be
said of a few who have a place on the 9th
or tick.t-while some of them are gentle
men who have never affiliated with the
party. the Radicals are using their names
AZ so many cats paws to rake votes from
the Democratic ranks, and if they are
thus successful will take unto themselves
all the glory, and gloat over it as though
it were a signal Republican victory.
A, the case stands we have everything tn
gain, nothing to lose. We have been forced
into an issue that We would have gladly
avoided. But now is not the time to fal'
ter. Let II. rise in our strength and, arm
ed as we are in righteousness, when thu
dav Of election comes, Brookhaven Radi'
calism will fully realize that, for once, ii
had been better to leave well enough alone