Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-07
Il as government de Iacso for the preserva.

4 A.
| ton Of the public peace.
| (U.1 Your committee find that the resigna
| ton OF Governor Ames was effected by
| body OF men calling themselves the legisla-
ture OF the state OF Mississippi, by measures
| unauthorized by law, aud tn AZ be is OF right
the governor OF that state.
i (lS.) The evidence shows, further, that the
state Of Mississippi is at present under the
control OF political organizations composed
largely OF armed men whose common pur.
exercise of the right OF suffrage and to estsb-
lsh and maintain the supremacy OF the
white. lire democracy, in violation alike OF
the constitution OF theirown state and Of the
constitution OF the United States.
THE EVIL.
Mississippi, with It's fertile soil. immense
natural resources, aud favorable CONNER
cisl position, is in fact more completely ex-
Guided from the influence OF the civilization
and capital OF the more wealthy and at-
Sanced states OF the Union than are the dis
tant coasts OF China and Japan. Men who
possess capital are anxious 10 escape from a
state ia which freedom Of opinion is not
Tolerated, where active partici patton in
public affairs IS punished often with social
ostIscism, always with business losses, and
lnfrtquently, as the record shows, with exile
a sl the aoSnoonment OF property, through
Consequently lands depreeiste In value.
the rewards OF labor become more and more
uncertain, taxes more and more burden.
some, the evils OF general disorder are mutt.
Piled and intensified, and by an inevitable
rule of social and public life. the evils
sg
disorder, Unless this tendency can DE ar
rested, every successive chapter in the
annals OF that state will be darker and
bloodler tnan The preceding one. This ten
dency cannot be arrested by the unaided
efforts OF the peaceful, patriotic and law
abiding citizens. There is a small body of
native While persons, who, with heroic
courage, are maintaining the principle of
Justice and equality, There is also a small
body OF men from the north, who with equal
courage, are eIdeavoring to save the state
IA y loft
themselves, the negroes would co operate
with these two classes.
But arrayed against them all are a ma
Jority of the white people, who possess the
larger part of the property; who uniformly
command leisure, whether, individually,
they possess property or not; who look with
hatred upon the white men who are their
political allies; who are habitu ated 10 the
use OF arms In war and In peace; who in for
mer times were accustomed TO the exclusive
enjoy ment OF political power and who nov
col slider themselves degraded by the eleva-
uon OF The hegro to the rank OF equality IN
political affairs.
They have secured power by force, and, IL
LETT To themselves, they will by fraud and
force retain it. Indeed, the memory OF tue
bloody events OF the campaign OF 1875, with
the Know ledge that their opponents can
command, on the instant, the presence of
organized bodies Of armed men at every
voting place, will deter the republican
party from any general effort To regain tue
power vrested from them. These disorders
exist also In the Deighborlng states, and the
spirit and IDEAS which give rise TO the dlsor-
ders are even more general.
The REMEDY.
TIE power OF the national government will
be Invoked, and honor 2rd duty will alike
require Its exercise. The nation cannot wit
ness with Indifference the dominion of law
tssnesS and anarchy IN state, with their
incident evils and q knowledge or the inevi-
table consequences. IL owes a duty 10 the
citizens OF the United States residing In
Mississippi, and tnfs duty IL must perform.
II has guaranteed 10 the state OF Mississippi
q republican form OF government, and this
guarantee must be male good.
The measures necessary and possible IN
an eXigency are three:
!. Laws may be passed by Congress for the
protection Of the rights vi citizens in the
respective states.
?. States Ia anarchy, or wherein the affairs
are controlled by bodies OF armed men,
should be denied represent ation in Congress.
3. The constitutional guarantee OF a repab-
Hcan form of government TO every state will
require The United States, If these disorders
Increase or even continue and al milder
measures shall prove Intellectual, to remand
the state To a territorial condition, aud
through system OF pablic education and
Kindred means OF Improvement cnange the
ideas Of the Inhabitants and reconstruct the
government upon republican basis.