The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-07-04
Letter from Col. =. N. Meek. De-
clfninS 90 be 81 Candidate
for Attorney General
CoLUMpUs. MISS. june 81. 49,

state convention as candidate IOr eAS
nomination fer Attorney General. The
press, too, has spoken in complimentary
terms of my attachments and qualifications
for the Office. and for this l cordially thank
them.
But am not a candidate for the office
do not desire it, and could not MI IL il elected
scittout sacrificing my personal and proressIo"
al interests
1t is a high and res 2onsible Office. and
one whose varied and important duties call;
for commanding ability, Iipe experience
and a thorough knowledge OF the law IN ali
of its branches. Among the eminent gen
tIemen who have been suggested in connec-
ton with the position, and others in the
ranks of the legal profession, who have lot
the Convention will have no difficulty in
selecting a man who fill the office with high
credit to himself and satisfaction to the peo-
pie.
Whom soeyer the Convention, in its wis
dom. may nominate, shall earnestly sup
port.
For positions of honor and trust, we need
our best men now Never in her history
has our commonwealth stood in greater
ellis. The Convention doubtless will feel
im PEELED by every sense of duty and patri-
otsm at this trying hour of our history to
select from the able material at their COM
mand their wisest and most experienced
statesmen, and ablest and most thorough
business men. who have Vigor, manhood
and firnmess to hold aloft the standard OF
their party in the approaching canvass
Honor, patriotism, duty, and the best and
highest interest of society dictate this con
clu>ion. Any other course would be the
height of folly. Mississippi, just having
emerged after fearful struggle from the
darkest cOndition-almost amounting
to despotism-n which free people
were ever placed to a state of COM
parative prosperity and happiness, would
be poor indeed were She, by any mistake
of those in power, again be reduced
to carpet bag misrule and domination. She
has just been rescued from the hands of the
spoiler-her destiny now, is in the keeping
of her own children, and there, it should
remain, forever. Her fate was never more
imperllled, because sense of security
weakens vigilance, and diminishes that
zeal which should ever characterize a
wAtchful guardianship.
[ trust that it is not improper for me to
add in this connection, that l think it in
cumbent upon our people to exercise now,
far more than ordinary caution, in selecting
men 10 represent them. Their political en-
emies have their watchful eyes constantly
upon them, ready to strike a ia al blow at
their vital interests, and to reduce them
again to the deplorable condition under
which they had SO long suffered and
groaned. The measure of their redemption
has been great, and the harpies should
never be permitted to lay their foul hands
upon the reins of government again.
When the late civil war was over, the
people of Mississippi, having surrendered
in good faith, the principles and the cause
they loved so well, wanted only to be ''let
alone" and to manage their own affairs in
their own way. subject only to the provis-
ions of the Federal Constitution and the
laws of the land. And yet, the slightest
pretext is eagerly seizeu upon to vilIify
and traduce them with savage ferocity. \
ebullition OF passion-a piece OF
awlessness, perpetrated by portion of The
people in an interior county, who had
been for the past twelve years goaded and
,rodden upon, plundered and outraged by
set of bad men, has been magnitied into
State crime, and has called forth volumes of
and abuse from great por-
ion of the press of the country. The whole
people of the State have been stigmatized
md held up TO the scorn and contempt OF
he wtri d, and the right to their Statehood
Questioned, because an outraged commu-
lity, well-nigh driven to frenzy, arose and |
lark, but in the broad light OF day, the |
re1tureS, who had murdered some of their |
loblest and best citizens, and who were the |
thief authors of their woes.
These demonstrations of the disapproval
f'mOb law" excite no special wonder.
While none can justify a resort to vio-
ence, instead of submission to the
peaceful forms of law, yet there
5 in this case, much to palliate and to strip
: of its hideous feature. Scenes like the
II emper tragedy" with varying degrees of
Dagnitude, have occurred, perhaps, in all
he States. Very little mention, however,
las been made of them And vet,
orsooth, this unfortunate affair, occurring
pom the soil of Mississippi, has afforded
or months perpetual themes for the denuu-
iatiOn OF her people. Her present firm and
bic Governor, who has fearlessly discharg-
d his every duty relative to the affair with
igulty and tirmness, has not escaped the
hats of venom and malice, but has had his
onduct severely and bitterly criticised; and
er Judiciary, than whom no State can
cast purer or an able, or whose ermine is
lore unsulhed, has been held up to public
spersiOn and reproach. This is the kind OF
pod upon which our enemies love to feed
nd fatten. We cannot and hence do not
tempt to justify such acts of violence and
but we can afford to wait until [
1ch charges undergo judicial investigation ,
] the due course of law. The faults :
nd shortcomings of the few should
f an entire people. There is no better 6
opulation in Mississippi or elsewhere, in
he older or the younger States, than in this
l. fated county. l know them well. They i
re not "barbarians and savages' as they G
ave been called; and | doubt not that 8
lev, in common with the people of tile
tate, regret the tornado OF passion, raised :
= their enen.ies, and which impelled a por- a
on of their people to aVenge their wrongs +
the blood OF the me-. who were slain La
Ich outbreaks the innocent often suffer,
ut this does not intensity the wrong. but
realty adds to the measure of sym pathy q
nd regret. This unfortunate affair Is :
lied upon by our enemies, and We are de-
ounced because reGrlbution, as swift and
erciless as the movements OF the ''mob" Z
self, is not visited upon these supposed :
iminals Justice does not move with
rapidity. To be sure it must be
ow. The law can, and l doubt not, will {
. fearlessly executed there, and crime, =,
hen Gscertdined by prOcf, will be punished.
These reflections are suggested by the a
.rce and unrelenting attacks which are Il
lily made upon our people. BY those G.
no covet their distraction and division h
ississippi then must take care Of herself, "
visions must not exist in the Democrat C u
rty, but we must sink all petty differences, p
ssipase all private animosities if there be Il
FUNDS from the contests of the pas;, let us a,
4 IN and heal them, and present bold and :"
,ady front to the enemy. Unity and So re
ify our co umns, strike all independent OIL
hters" from the roll, obey all legal COM at
ands, both Federal and State, and we can
t march to victory. "
whilst aspiring to, and asking for, no of al