National Republican., 1878-08-09
FNrEDON or spEICU,

FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
The Democruts of the South became stick
lers for freedom Of speech in that section
when JEFF DAVIS uttered his reasonable
speech recently, and Il was criticised by on
outraged sentiment ofpatriotism. That was
freedom Of speech for the rebel side, but
thus fur can It be tolerated, and no further.
No Republican need to look for or hope for
free and uninterrupted utterance of Re-
publican sentiment either in Mississippi or
Alabama. Indeed, Il is not safe for q Repub-
lican now to reside in Alabama and assert
his Republican principles as freeman. We
are brought to this conclusion by the fol-
lowing bitter, vindictive, and threatening
article which we clip from the Selma (Ala)
Daily Times, and which has reference to
JERE HARRISON, whose ouly offense is that
he is q stalwart defender Of the Republican
faith. Read and ponder upon language such
as this in free country, where freedom of
speech and political action is guaranteed to
every citizen
TO JERE HARRISON.
You have In times past slandered and Wilt.
fed the white people Of Dallas County, and
have done your level best to have Federal
troops sent here TO terrorize and deprive them
Of rights guaranteed by the Constitution and
the laws Of the land. You have used your best
endeavors to incitc the negroes to riot and to
bring about collisions with the white people
you have been indicted for crime, the penalty
Of which Is confinement In the penitentiary,
and escaped conviction through the favor and
connivance Of the prosecuting officer. In
short, you have done countless acts Of outrage
against the white people Of Dallas County and
yet have been allowed to enjoy, undisturbed,
= residence In the county. Mistaken In the
forbearance Of the white people, no doubt
ascribing II to cowardice, you have returned
on the eve of an election once more
to plague them with your internal ras-
cality and arouse them to .he commits
sion of violence. Well, JERE, these white
people are forbearing and are of a for
giving disposition but we hereby, In
spirit Of kindness, give you due notice that
you have exhausted their patience, and unless
you stop your devilish doinRs instanter you
will feel their vengeance. Now, we know
exactly what we are talking about. and have
weighed well every word We here put in
print. You are In danger, you devil. aud bo-
fore you know 1t, will bite yourself with a
snake. You cannot longer go over Dallas
County making incendiary speeches to the
negroes, and using every means IN your
power to create riot and bloodshed In do
ing such acts you become a public enemy,
aud you arc liable to he shot down by any
one. Now, while we will not advise any one
to shoot you. VIC are free to say that IL you
continue In your present course, and 1t is
done, we shall shed no tears over your de-
mise. We understand that you were sup
piled by the Radical Executive Committee
with funds TO return to this district aud
whoop 'em up In the style we have alluded
to. If this Is so, you had better use your un-
expended balance in getting away from this
county and section. Your iucendiary
speeches must be stopped somehow or some
how else. DO You understand'
Here is an American citizen, a defender
of his adopted political faith, an advocate
for the principles which sustained the Union
against rebellion and the nation against
overthrow. and man whose right and
privilege it is to announce his principles
openly anywhere in the Union-North ol
South East or West-who is warne out Ol
the State of Alabama because his political
sentiments and actions are not in accort
with the Bourbons who have literally robbed
the people of that State of their politica
rights HARRISON is warned not to Y,
through Dallas County making incendiar,
speeches to the negroes" which means tina
he will not be allowed to advise coloret
citizens as to their vested rights ant
their duty in sustaining that party an,
those principles which gave them freedom
on the penalty of death-ior, disguise 1t a
they may, this warning means that ant
nothing less. If JERE HARALsON goes l.
Alabama under the auspices of the Repub
lican executive committee, let those un
reconcied rebels who thus threaten, harm
hair of his head If they dare. That woul,
be full justification for retribution such q
the colored people of Alabama could visi
upon the Democratic element in singl
night if they were not restrained by re
spect for the laws of the country. The col
ored people of Alabama, to use the phras
of the Times, "are forbearing and are of
" iorgiving disposition" or they would lon
ago have asserted their physical supremac
over their prosecutors and oppressors.