The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-03-14
Two Dollars a Year.

| publicans brought from Mississippi fot
the purpose, an examination in which
the rules heretofore held by courts and
committees were ignored. an examina.
ton not only into the res gesiU of the
election and of the political canvass pre-.
| cedlng, but was an inquisition also into
the laws, customs, manners, the public
and private business, social and domestic
relations of the people of that State an
examination that not only demanded OF
witnesses what they saw and knew Of nc
tual occurrences, but what they heard
thought, and believed, and what other
people thought and believed and vet
the whole mass of testimony absolutely
amounted TO nothing, and, as one of the
republican Senators on the committee
told me, "could have no practical re.
suit"
The good name and character of the
people whom | have the honor in part to
represent have been assailed at all points.
and their vindica'ion is the result The
testimony showed an ardent, Jealous, and
energetic effort of noble people, he.
termined to rule themselves and united
as one man in heroic effort to combine
every moral, physical, aud legitimate
agent to accomplish so laudable a pur-
pose. The gentleman could have spared
himself the ungraciOus act of insinult-
ing apprehension in US of possible in
vestigation which has already become
matter of record and to which we appeal.
Republicans here have been accustomed
to plant themselves on the color line and
they fail to understand how man can
L., L., L. i
as well say that n man cannot be
black and appreciate low taxes,
good government, and material
prosperity. They do not give the
negro whom they claimed rs the
ward of the nation and the protege of the
republican party credit for that in
teligence and independence of political
action which they assume for themselves.
They have for many years attempted TO
support an unnatural condition Of things
at the South, The Federal power was
invoked to keep the pyramid standing on
its apex, wheE the memorable and per
sistent law of gravitation demanded that
it should rest upon its base. The day
has been, but it will never be again,
when the ignorance and barbarsm of
Mississippi, joined with the rapacity Of
strangers, controlled Mississippi and her
destinies.
But, Mr.. Speaker, to return from this
depression provoked by the speech of the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Lawronce) to
the subject-matter before the House. /
repel the accusation that it is at any
compromise Of honor or good faith that
we resist under the La,O Itself the achieve
ment of this iniquity. We have a duty
to perform for those who sent US hore.
We deny that it was a game Of chance.
1t was not the intention of this House to
leave the settlement Of so grave a qucs-
ton, involving the rights Of millions,
upon the uncertain decision Of
Fortune, that goddess blind,
Who stands upon a rolling. rc.tles, stone.
And if it were true that we played
game Of chance we did not expect our
to deal from pack of cards
that held eight jacks. | am not an eX-
pert, but believe they are called knaves.
Nor as compact are we bound when the
compact has been violated; for this com
mission has violated the law Of its being,
annulled it and the Federal Constitution,
abused a sacred trust, insulted common
sense, and outraged common justice. Its
illegal and inconsistent decisions
can neither be palliated nor denied.
Whatever the past regulations Of the
majority may be, whatever their perform
ance Of public duty in its highest sense
may hereafter be, they cannot tear away
the damning record which they now COM
plete, and which Ike the shirt Of Nessus
will burn and blister them to the core.
In the light Of these transactions Of the
the incoming administration
casts an adumbration over the land dark
with apprehension and distrust, because
its imminent of title is founded in fraud
fraud that taints all it touches, and
whose agency in the transfer or perpetua.
ton of power marks the decay Of nations.
l foTbode, sir, that the electoral farce
whose last act we witness is but the pre-
lude to the nations tragedy--pot the
heroic tragedy of the sword and AK, but
the lingering tragedy Of moral decay,
slower butnot less sure Of the catastrophe.
1t may be, Mr.. Speaker, that we have
fought the last battle for constitutional
liberty; but | hope there yet may be
among the people, in republics the source
both Of power and of virtue, that robust
and vigorous love Of freedom that has
been saliant feature of American char
acter and that has held its more than
vestal vigis for one hundred years Of our
national history that the people may at
the next election rise in their sovereign
dignity and with one inspired GESTURE
wave from the theater Of public action the
party that participates in and profits by
this fraud.
To my mind the Republican party has
won pyrrhIc victory, from whose de-
there is no recovery. If
should be mistaken, if the people are
for usurpatiOn 50 gross and bald
as this, if they patiently extend their free
hands for the shackles of slaves, then
shall | have arrived at conclusion which
in Rome was deemed the highest crime,
shall have despaired Of the Republic. |
Sir, this conclusion of the Presidential |
question cannot bring peace or prosperity !
Recognizing fully that the peacs senti-
nent is stronger than any other n our I
recognizing that scarcely anv
would drive TIE people TO
war, and those dreadful hor- !
-nrs which are its natural cOncomitaDts, /
yet there will not be that peace which /
brings content. A resentful and sulen /
submission may be had, but fraud has
aid its frozen hand upon the government,
md the chill running along the electric
,hain that binds these States together,
md reaching every citizen, the industries
If the country will wither and perish be
heath the touch. The Administration
,wing its power to such agency cannot
De successful without the sunshine Of the
peoples appreciation. You might as well,
ir, expect the gorgeous effioresence, the
uxuriant fruit of the generous and re
lundant tropics to be evoked by the will
,f man from the harrenness and desnla.