The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-09-20
Letter from =. \. Sessions Giving
His Reasons for Supporting
Tildca and Hendricks.

ridden and Hendricks.
BEooKHAvES, Miss, August, 1876.
General }. L. George:
DEAR SIR:-NOur very Eind letter Of the
Goth has been received.
The statement which sou have seen that
l am supporting Tilden and Hendricks is
corr, c..
My earnest desire is to see Federal ad-
ministration installed which will not only
reform existing abuses in the National
Government, bat which viii make no dis
tinction in ITS conduct towards the different
sections of the Union-which viii occupy,
not hostile, but friendly attitude toward
the impoverished States Of the South.
Both of these objects, in my humble judg-
ment, will be attained by the election OF
Governor Tlden.
Gov. Hayes is, have no doubt, sincere in
his declarations for reform; but surrounded
as he will be, II elected, by the same polit-
ical leaders under whose management has
grown up the existing abuses and extravs-
gance, he will find it impossible to avoid
the controlling influence which they will
exert on his administration. IL is safer, /
take It, to entrust reform TO the hands OF a
party which has been out of power many
years, and which has given an earnest of
economy by the reduction made ia public
expenditures by the present House OF Rep
| resentatives; especially when the candidate
| of that party has shown by his record as
| Governor of New York. that he is an ag-
| gressiVe reformer, from whom rings" aud
| thieves may expect no mercy,
/ Rut n : earnestly a we drS5 re IN eaa a -
turntO the honest and economical methods
| of the earlier days of the Republic by the
| general government, the Southern people
| recognize the fact that with them the over
| shadowing question is how TO escape the
evil and ruinOus results OF the bluuders of
| reconstruction, and to secure that peace and
quiet which must preeede prosperity, and
which they can only have by bein. per-
mitted TO manage their own local affairs as
the remaining states of the Union are al
lowed to do. The present aud past military
interference with the local affairs of the
South is rs unjust as 1t is unwise.
The armies OF the Conlederacy eleven
weary years ago surrendered in good faith.
The attempt TO establish an Independent
government was forever abandoned.
The Southern people, without reservation,
returned to that allegiance which many of
them, under force of circumstances, had
severed with sOTrowing hearts. We only
desire an opportunity to build up our
broken fortunes And this Centennial
, year would have witnessed the raw.
ages OF war repaired, the South prosper.
, Gus, and the whole country thorouyhIv
united in feeling and sentiment had moi
party exigences prevailed over discretion
and patriotism, aud prematurely thrust the
I ballot INTO the hands of so many persons
utterly unprepared to use il. But this be.
, came one OF the conditions of the re-habiIi.
tatlon oil the Southern States, unwisely1 be.
cause premature, we think those who i'm.
posed 1t, must themselves now see. The
duty, the necessity desolved upon us O
= adapting ourselves to our altered situation
:. The sou OOO newly-made voters ignorant OF
! the duties of citIzenship, were necessarily
dependent Tor advice ia the exercise of theii
+ newly acquired privileges. From "A nom
partlzan stand point, il was entirely imma
terial whether they acted with one party
or the other, or both it was only importAn
J. that they should not become the easy anl
ready tools of designing men. They wer
, largely in the aseendancy in Aumber q
e the States. Unfortunately, the bardshin
and Ia some Instances, the eruelties insep
eTaDle from ghe condition of slavery, from
Y winch they had just emerged, together via
feeling Of gratitude To the North 10
their emancipation, made them the cas-
: | prey OF the adventures who came anon Os
TEEN, reeountiBs their trials as slaves. an
proelalmlng themselves as the representa-
IVes OF those who had given them freedom
\
| TO passion the Southern whites patientl,
{ labored F'''
e Recognizing the solemn fact that every
thlng-Soeial order, local government, ant
yoa might add civilization itself--gas inn
perilled, we were prepared 10 make an,
sacrifice, not dish0norabIe. 10 aver tbe I'M
, pending, and to Iedy the existing evils
! Actuated by tails feeling, the South fo,u
i years ago, with one accord. accented Mr.
greeley tine earliest aud most steadfast irien,
= tne negro ever had, because we knew tina
. ms grea, heart and sound Judgment woIilf
never consent that wbDle States shonld D.
sacrificed, and their Inhabitants reInandsd +,
a semi-civilized condition for mere nartv
advantage.
In our own State, party organization wa,
abandoned, and Republicans, men in who's
honesty the party had confidence. vrer
; brought forward by their former onDonent
, TOT lne highest Offices, with view OF liyid.
6 ing the colored vote and diverting at lea. ,
part OF 1t from the support of those win
= were controlling the II ichinery of our To-
n cdl governments with view TO their owr
personal advantage, aud regardless Of IN
: good OF the State ."
Many Southern men perseyered IN tbe At
Tempt 20 accomplish tile same end With,
! | the party organization TO which the blaeks
aiiuOst WITHOUT exception yielded A hin,
u alieSianee7 but Il was ali To 10 DrrDosa
{ interruptions men, lavish IN their I,ro,,,i. =
70 the blacks, and ever ready 70 appeaI :
race prejudice as against their fornoe,
8 owners, with rare exceptions. Continued ;,
control them, and through them the Re.
PuoIlc&n party, until every one, actuated b,
e desire Tor the public good, must be con.
WINGED that no relief can come thron0b ~.
republican organization as il exists In the
q South. The only hope is in united oI,nosi,
uon 70 All attempts 70 Continue ia. or 10 re-
9 store 10 authority that class Of men VIII
nave welded their aseendaney over the -
groes for corrupt and selfish nurnose.
4hereDy, as recent events have indicated
our deliveranee may be assured ifthe Sonfh,
n ern States are not subjected 20 unwarraDfef
:. FEDERAL Interference. As difficult as 4 ~,
:. problem OF maintaining good governments
g lcireumstaneed a. we are the sslutfor ~ :
. Is rendered impossible as long a. the stron,
arm OF military power stretches out from
washington TO uphold and encourage cor.
ruPtion, oppression and ingnorance.
Let the responsibility Of preserving peac,
rights be placed in the hand of our ovv,
local authorities, and believe it will B,
done. -. y
!, The North mus see that iftbe Soutber,
Ie people are capable OF self government. tbs
L Federal espionage and supervision an,
a military interference Is wrong. lfthey ar
not capable, then they cannot be eluc.fef
!. by the bayonet, and the sooner our svsteu
3: OF Republican government Is aekaoEi Ice,
70 he sesi..se lie better. But have 4,
abiding faith that the people OF the Nort
Is will not longer tolerate The poiic7 OF i,Ifs.
Il ference which has 50 long prevailed tow AZ
l. the Southern States, that they will no Ionvr
RI consent that the Interests of the Who
country and Of our Republican form Z
government itself shall be imDerillea /
4 order that party purposes may be subsefyed
le and that the time is near when seefionalisT
. viii be unknown, and the auimosities- r
= the war forgottrE forever.
= Very truly yours.
JF SESSIONS.