New-York tribune., 1877-08-04
THE MISSISSIPPI Dk MDCR4CT


There is something almost sublime in the
composue with which the Democrats of Miss
issppi sit down under the eyes of mankind
and proceed to ignore the universe. IL only
bappens once or twice in n decade of years
that their swamps and wildernesscs their reso-
lutions and their police, attract much or the
attention Of the outside world, and under Or'n-
nary circumstances they might commit any
number of abSurdities without remark. But IL
does happen just now that the world Is look-
ing at them and that their behavior Is OF some
consequence to the Democratic party elsewhere
Since they obtained control of their state, by
methods which. to put it mildly, are open to a
GREAT deal of criticism, theonly important event
in Mississippi has been a political massacre
so horrible in its incidents rs to arouse the
whole country. The Democratic county officers
have failed to punish the criminals The Dem
ocratic Governor has failed to teach them their
duty or to interest himself at all i'll the affair."
The Democratic press has kept silent about It,
Everybody, outside Of Mississippi. seems to
realize that the Kemper County massacre has
placed the Democracy of the whole nation at
disadvantage, ilnperilled the permanence of
President HayeS's Southern policy, and thus
tunes One might have thought even Mis-
sissipp Democratic Convention capable OF un-
derstanding the situation.
1he first act of the Convention however was
formally to ignore the kemper County affair
by renOminating Gov. Stone and then 1t pro-
ccedcd to discourse upon the limitations OF the
Federal authority, the sovereignty of the States,
the right of every free people to be let alone,
and the other commonpDaces of a past era.
| What the country wishes to know Is whether
Mississippi has the will and the power to en-
force her own laws, now that the general
government has resolved to let her alone !;
whether she will protect Republicans In their
lives and liberties now that military guards have
been taken away whether "home-rulc" means
immunity for Democratic murderers ; and the
reserved right for which the State is so
anxious is the right to encourage political as
saSsnations. Butthe Democrats of Mississippi
have not heard from outside. Surrounded by
the complete works of John G.. Calhoun they
draft solemn resolutions upon obsolete issues
of politics. and pay no more regard to con
temporary facts than if all beyond the barrier
of cOtton-leld and cypress-swamp belonged
to n world with which they have no concern.
1t is a waste of time to debate theories of
government in a State which does not protect
It's citizens from assassination Oh account of
the unpopuarity of their politics. There are
some hundreds of thousands of sincere people
at the North who believe that the Federal au-
thorties ought to keep such State under
military care, and import carpet-bag Govern
ors and legislators for it; and to talk to them
about the reserved rights of the States is like
arguing with northwest wind They had
their way for the first ten Yeas of reconstruc-
ton, and there is no guarantee that they VIII
not have ii again. Certainly Mississippi is CIV
ing them great deal of help.