The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-02-02
The Proposed Change I'm our City
Charter.

BOtn sldeS OF the q question: OF cHauSAnS
our city charter in consequence of the re-
suit of the late election, have been so
fully discussed that it would seem a |
waste Of time to recur to it. But there
are some facts which we cannot too
strongly impress upon the Democratic
members of the Legislature. 1t is
wrong in principle to throw out of the
corporation limits and disfranchise, so far
as our municipal government is concern
ed, a large class of our population on ac-
count of race and political opinions.
1t might also be stated that among
the number proposed to be os-
tracised are colored men who are
staunch and unwaveriDg Democrats
Such legislation would be an imitation
of the odious policy we have so
strongly denounced in the Radicals
! the Acknowledgement of counties in which
tie white element predominates by de-
priving them of their rightful represen-
tation. While we are urging the undo
ing of that wrong, it will comport neither
with propriety nor consistency to Perpe-
trate another Of the same class.
Another fact not to be overlooked Is
that the whites and the Democrats can
carry this city in any election in which
J they will unite. They did it trium-
phantly and overwhelmingly after the ex-
: tension OF the city limits, and can do 1t
again unless they fritter away their
strength by division among themselves
as at the last election. 1t must be re-
membered that it was not the negroes
who defeated the Democratic ticket. The
Democrats lost it by their own want OF
unity and cooperation. After throwing
e away the election, it lily COMFORTS with
. our idea of true manhood TO 60 to
: the Legislature for redress. That
e body may say, and ought to say,
to the petitioners for such a
measure, as the strong god said
to the WAGNER who asked for help
to get his wagon out of the mire, put
your own shoulder to the wheel.
Weremember similar case in Virginia,
to the one now before us. By dissen-
sions among themselves, the Democrats
threw away the offices in the city of
! Petersburg, and sought redress for the
: injury they had inflicted on themselves
q by an appeal to the Legislature to change
I the city charter, The Legislature weakly
lent itself to the scheme Governor
Kemper vetoed the bill on the ground
3 that it would be violation of the de-
: clared principles and solemn pledges OF
the Democratic party, to adopt discrim-
7 mating legislation against any class OF
1 citizens on account of race and political
: creed, and that it would be better for a
single community to suffer the conse-
quences of their own folly, than for the
party at large to stain its escutcheon by
an act of bad faith. The Legislature on
reconsideration, almost unanimously sus-
tanned the Governors veto and the peo-
pie universally applauded his manly ac-
, ton. The Democrats of Petersburg,
though disappointed at first, were not
$ long in discovering the rectitude of his
I course, and taking courage by the coun-
sci of Hercules to the WAGNER, put
their own shoulder to the wheel and
, remedied the evil themselves which they
had prayed the Legislature to correct
Should the bill be SO modified as to
, restrict it to fair reduction Of salaries
and general retrenchment of expendi-
lures, in strict accordance with the plat
5 form Of the Democratic Convention,
) which nominated city officers at the late
) election, it will meet with our approval;
but if the present city administration are
not deaf to the demands of justice, they
will step forward and do the work them
selves, and thus save the Legislature the
pretext for tampering with our local al
fairs.