The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-08-22
"We Must Carry Them.

Under this significant caption the fol-
lowing editorial article appears in the
Mississippi Brookhaven Ledger of May
g 1878:
Because the people of Mississippi have
resolved to elect six Representatives to
Congress this fall. the jackson Times
wants to know if the election is to be
conducted on the bulldozing plan. Yes,
if necessary-on that or any plan to keep
the Radicals out of power. The hrst
thing to do is to resolve to carry every
district and the next is to do IT. IT lnde-
pendents and Radicals league together to
defeat Democratic victory, treat them
alike Mississippi is Democratic and
must remain so. Let the Times not lose
sight of that fact. And it is well enough
to state here the walls of the Times do
not amount to anything. The people
pay no attention to them. They know
their duty and will main tain it, and the
Times can shake the bloody shirt from
now till doomsday without effect VIII
the Times wall again 2
And the Columbus Miss. Independent
of Nav 4, on the same subject, says:
I'VE repeat, we advocate pitching the
canvass on high key. Native sons OF
Mississippi who haze prOved themselves to
be as base as carpet baggers, and native
sons who mag prove themselves to be
equally base by accepting the support Of
| the element which has been used to in
suit and oppress the people of the State,
merit, and must be subjected to, the
same heroic treatment practiced upon
aliens.
"In this district Republicans and
would be called Democrats, who have for,
| feited the respect and confidence of their
party friends, are endeavoring to infu-
ence some prominent Democrat to be-
come an independent candidate for Con-
gress, promising him the support OF their
| black cohorts If such a one can be
found weak enough to yield, the Demo
cratic nominee must hunt him down as an
enemy to the safety of the community.
1--WE have conquered, and, having once
conquered, must hold firmly and for
| ever"
Now, what are some OF the facts as to
Congressional districts in Mississippi
In Republican times the State elected
five Republican Representatives at ma.
jorities ranging from 5000 to 10000, and
one Democrat at majority of about
5000. The districts were blocked out OF
contiguous counties, and without gerry
Wandering that could be complained of.
When the Democracy came into power
by the shotgun policy of 1875, they i'm
mediately redistricted the State without
any regard to decency or right, and with
the sole view of electing a nearly solid
Democratic delegation. There is pub
lie crime connected with this unprece
dented wrong which the people of the
country should know
By the act of 1876 five Democratic dis
tricts were created, two very close, ano
one Republican comprising all the coun
ties on the Mississippi river from Mem
phis to New Orleans, a distance of nearly
five hundred miles. It is known as th'
"Shoe String" or BLACK Snake" district
being all length with little breadth. II
some places this district is less than ter
miles across, and in no case wider than
} COUNTY 1t embraces the negro belt,
} and by the census of 1870 has $4,000 col
ored majority of qualified electors. Thi
district was labelled Radical by its ere
ators, and the most inveterate bull doze
had no idea then of its ever being carried
: by his party. But the political robber
and murderers who could subvert ma
, iority of 10000 in the State by meditatet
and publically organized crime wer
, equal, by the same means, to lS,OO0 Ii
} district A fitting leader was 1oun'
in General Chalmers, the lieutenant c
. Forrest at Fort Pillow, and by sys
| JomaGlZeu lnllIuiuatlOH, pull ooHlnS, !
oting ballot box stuffing and false count
ing, Chalmers was returned electe
with majority of $500 Three hur
dred pages OF testimony before Senate
Morton's committee tell of the terribl
prosecutions Republicans suffered in thi
stamping out of their political life; thi
!. ty or more being hung to trees or shot
death in single county. One thousan
e pages could not record the atrocitie
4 committed in that campaign in this sill
$ gle district. Chalmers is now in Congress
: and is feted by Bostonians in Faneu
: Hall as representative of Southern goo
: will, honor, and conciliation.
The Ledger above quoted frankly a.
e knowledges the spirit in which the al
l preaching canvass is to be conducted
and solid Democratic delegation frol
Mississippi secured by whatever NEAR
n may be required, just as was done in lo1
Yes good natured Republicans in tn
: North credulously wonder if these thing
T can be so, and imagine they are made u
for campaign purposes. Let them G
, there and see. MIssIssIPPIAN.