The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-07-18
The CoIored Voters.

:
ed a great deal in the school of expert
ence. They have played various parts
on the stage where they were called to
act, and have reached point where they
| should cease to be regarded as foot balls
for designing men and governed through
their passions, or charmed like children
with a toy. When they became free,
they saw that large number of the
Southern whites were not permitted TO
vote nor to take part in making the laws
of the land. They had the best reason for
believing that this class were hated and
outlawed by the government, and falling
under the leadership of the strangers who
came here to rule and to rob, they fol-
/ lowed what seemed to be the temper Of
the government, and looked upon the
Southern whites with hate and distrust.
The carpet baggers cultivated this spirit.
They had but one object in view, and
that was to control the colored vote and
build up party for their own advantage
at the expense Of both races. To carry
out their selfish plans, they frequently
maneuvered colored men into places they
were not qualified to fiji, which was any
thing but kindness to them. 1t was
said truthfully by a writer that it is
great wrong to an ignorant person 10
assign him a part he is not able to
perform, because he will so murder it
that the Disguised spectators viii ridicule
him rs the fool Of the play. In this way
matters went on from bad to worse
Corruption and plundering, taxation and
poverty, anarchy and strife, were the
fruits of this rule. The laws were bad,
because bad and incompetent men made
them for wicked purposes. Figs are not
gathered from thorns nor grapes from
bramble bush.
Such was the experiment Of Bepubli-
can rule until the movement led by the
whites who, from their experience in
government understood the situation,
and aided by the blacks, broke the rod Of
the oppressors and reclaimed the State.
The carpetbag office-holders and their
scallawag allies assumed that they and
their heirs had an indisputable ownership
OF the coored vote, and that wheaever a
colored man did not cast his ballot for their
ticket fraud was practiced upon them.
On the other hand, the Democratic the
DRY was that the colored man was a free
agent, authorized to consult his judgment
and conscience in voting. The Demo
Gratis argued furthermore that after the
numerous and fragrant examples of the
wickedness Of Radical rule and the evils
which had sprung from it, the colored votes
could not fail to discern that the welfare
of their own, as well as of the white race,
demanded that both races, as they valued
the blessings of good government, should
unite to put it under their feet.
Inefec,ing the cooperation and union of
the two races for the common good, the |
Democrats had almost insuperable obsta-
cles to contend against. The colored |
people were told that if the Democratic
party composed in the South largely of |
their former owners, should come into |
power, they would be deprived of their |
civil and political rights. That they
would not be permitted to vote again.
That they would not be permitted to en-
oloy their time and labor as they
pleased. That the public schools would
De broken up and they would be de-
orived Of their educational facilities.
And finally as Il capstone to this huge
pile of humbug and falsehood they were
old, that they would be put back into sla-
very /! Now, the Democrats have had full
control of the State government for nearly
wo years, and it has been nearly six
months since Mr.. Hayes, Republican
President, yielding to the demand Of the
Democratic party which had become the
embodied will of the nation, has re-
moved the troops, so that there might be
10 shadow Of interference with home
'ule, and what is the result? Peace and
rood will exists between the two races.
Mutual confidence has been established.
The colored man equally with the white
nan enjoys his political and civil rights.
Sot a single act passed at either of the
sessions Of the Democratic Legislature,
makes the least discrimination between
White and black, and the word 'tcolored,"
5 not mentioned ia any bill that passed
hat body. And finally, the colored peo- t
lie, SO far from being put back into sla-
cry, are freer than they have been since
heir emancipation was declared, for
hey are not oAly free in name, but free
rom the yoke of ignorance and preju {
ice which the alien adreuturers had put
pGn their necks in order that they
hight be their political slaves, to come 4
nd 70 go, to bring and to carry, at their Y
idding. As it has been in the past, so
will be in the future The Good Book :;
AVS that the tree must be Judged by its
.uit. The Democratic party must be b
ldged BY it, acts. 1t is the party of ;,
Istice and equal rights 20 all men. In 5
spensing the blessings of government, g
initiates the example of Heaven in +
nding down the genial showers. 1t 4
pes not look into 4 mans face to see the ;,
,lor of his skin, nor inquire upon what .
ii he was born; but with trumpet y
ngue sends forth its greeting, come all a
no are weary and heavy laden and you =
Iall have rest. :.
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