The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-08-16

from THIS t1at the ClIlS Ildi DCSb 80 AN<NA
fully tax. ridden after all, and, unde
Democratic rule, no fuss Is likely to b
made about taxes, though the rate 0
levy may not be reduced. And nov
as to
THE ELECTION OF 1875.
By the terms of the peace conference
entered iuto bv Gen. j. L. George, tht
Chairman of the Democratic State Com
mittee, and Governor Ames, on the 1871
of October, 1873, the attempt to organ
lie the militia was abandoned, Genera
George, on his part, agreeing 10 secure d
peaceful election, aud the full and free
enjoyment of the elective franchise by
every citizen. The stipulation on the
/ part OF the Governor was faithfully kept,
| but the promise made by General George
was systematically disregarded by the
| Democrats in the larger portion OF the
State.
The outrages perpetrated by the white
people in the canvass and on the day OF
election find no Justification whatever, In
the acts or the policy of Governor
Ames concerning the State militia.
The effort on his part to organize 4.
militia for the preservation Of the public
peace seems, to the committee, to have
been not only lawful, but proper, and
the course Of the Democrats i'll organ
izing and arming themselves to resist
the Governor in his efforts to preserve
the public peace, was unlawful, and the
proceedings should have been suppressed
by the State authorities, if possible; and
in case of failure on their part, by
the Government of the United States.
The Constitution of the State provides
that the militia shall consist of the able
bodied male citizens between the age of
eighteen years and the age Of forty five
years, and the Legislature provided for
its organization by an Act passed at its
first session in the year 1870. 1t was the
duty of the Governor to use the militia for
the suppression of such riots as those Of
Vicksburg and Clinton, and this without
regard to the question whether the white
or the black race was most responsible
therefor.
In the opinion of the committee, the
riot ut Clinton was in harmony with the
policy previously adopted by Democrats
in that vicinity, and that it was designed
to intimidate and paralyze the Republi-
can party. The testimony shows that
the riot was inaugurated by a body of
eight or ten young men from Raymond,
who acted, apparently, under the advice
of the Raymond Gazette, Democratic
newspaper, edited by q. w. Harper, an
aged and highly respected man, accord
ing to the testimony OF Frank Johnston,
w Montgomery (p. 500 and others.
The riot occurred September 4th, and
the Raymond Gazette, as early as June
or July, gave this advice:
There are those who think that the
leaders of the Radical party have carried
this system Of fraud and falsehood just
far enough in Kinds county, and that
the time has come when it should be
stoppcd-peaceably, if possible forcibly
if necessary. And to this end it is pro
posed that whenever, radical pow WOW
is to be held, the nearest anti Radical
club appoint a committee of ten discreet,
intelligent and reputable citizens, fully
identified with the interests of the neigh
borhood, and we'll known as men Of We
racity, to attend, as representatives of
the tax payers of the neighborhoUd and
county, and true friends Of the negroes
assembled, and that whenever the Rad
zeal speakers proceed to mislead the ne
groes, and open with falsehoods and de-
ceptions and Misrepresentation, the COM
mittee stop them right then and there,
and compel them to tell the truth or
quit the stand"
Nor do these outrages find any excuse
in the statement made repeatedly by
witnesses, that the negroes were organ
ling or threatened or contemplated or
ganizing themselves into military bands
for the destruction Of the white race
The evidence shows conclusively that
there were not onl y no such organizations,
but that the negroes were not armed
generally; that those who held arms
were furnished with inferior and second
hand weapons, and that their leaders,
both religious and political, had dis
countenanced a resort to force. Many
rumOrs were current among the whites
that the negroes were arming and mass
ing in large bodies, but in all cases these
rumors had no basis.
In sentence, it may be asserted that
all the statements made that there was
any justitiable cause for the recent pro
ceedings in Mississippi are without foun-
dation.
On the other hand, it is to be said
part, and, we think, a majority, of the
white Democratic voters of the State
were engaged in a systematic effort to
carry the election. and this with a pur-
pose to resort to all means In their power,
including, on the part of some Of them,
the murder of prominent persons in
the Republican party, both black and
white.
There was a minority, how large the
committee are unable to say, who were
opposed to the outrages which, by this
report, are proved to have taken place.
This minority, however, is, for the time,
overawed and a. p1Eerless to resist the
course of events As are the members Of
the Republican party. Under more
! favorable circumstances they may be
able to cooperate with the friends of
| order, and redeem the State from the
control of the revolutionary element
O. The committee find that the
young men of the State, especially those
who reached manhood during the war,
| or who had arrived at that condition
since the war, constitute the nucleus and
the main force Of the dangerous ele-
| ment.
As far as the testimony taken by the
committee throws any light upon the
subject, it tends, however, to establish
the fact that the Democratic organiza-
ton, both in the counties and in the
State, encouraged the young men in their
course, accepted the political advantages
of their conduct, and are, in large de-
gree, responsible for the criminal re-
] aultz
/
60 There was a general disposition
on the pat of white employers to com