The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-06-14
1--WE MUST CARRY THEM

Undor this significant caption the Following
editorial article appears IN the Mississippi
Brookhaven Ledger Of May 2, 1878:
Because the people OF Mississippi have re-
solved to elect SIX Representatives to Congress
this fall, the Jackson Times wants to know If
the election 10 TO be conducted on the BULLDOG
Ing plan. Yes, Il necessary-on that or any
plan to keep the Radicals out OF power. The
first thing to do is to resolve to carry every dis
trict. aud the next Is to do it. If Independents
and Radicals league together to defeat a Dem
ocratic victory. treat them alike. Mississippi Is
Democratic and must remain 60. Let the lines
not lose sigh, OF that fact. And it is well
enough 10 state mere the walls OF the Times do
nor amount to anything The people pay no
attention to them. They know their duty and
Will maintain il, aud the Times can shake the
bloody shirt from now till doomsday without
effect. Wlll the Times wall again
And the Columbus (Mss) Independent of
May 1, on the same subject. says:
We repeat, We advocate pitching the canvass
on high key, Naive sons of Mississppl who
have proved themselves to be as base as car
pet -baggerr, and native sons who may prove
themselves 10 be equally base by accepting the
support oil the element which has been used
to Insult and Cypress the people OF the State
merit and must be subjected to- the same hero
&c treatment practlced upon aliens.
In this district Republicans and would-be-
called Democrats. who have forfeited the re-
spect and confidence Of their party friends. are
endeavoring 70 influence some prominent Dem
ocrat to become an Independent candidate for
Congress. promising him the support of their
black cohorts Ii such 4 one can be found
weak enough to yield. the Democratic ominee
must hunt him down as an enemy to the safety
OF the community.
We have conquered, and. having once con
quered, must hold firmly and forever.
Now. what are some OF the facts as to Con-
gresslonal districts in Mississippi?
In Republican times the State elected five
Republican Representatives at majorities rang
ing from 5000 to 10000, and one Democrat at
majority OF about 5000. The districts were
blocked out OF contiguous counties, and with
out gerrymandering that conld be complained
OF. When the Democracy came into power by
the shotgun policy of 1875, they Immediately
redistrcted the State without any regard to
decency or right and with the sole view Of
electing nearly solid Democratic delegation.
There IS public crime connected with this un-
precedented wrong which the people OF the
country should know.
BY the act Of 1876 five Democratic districts
were created, two very close, and Que Repubi
can comprising all the counties ON the Mlssis
sippi river from Memphis to New Orleans,
distance Of nearly five hundred miles. 1t Is
known as the Shoe String :" or Black Snake
district, being all length with little breadth. In
some places this district is less than ten miles
ACROSS and in no case wider than q county. 1t
embraces the negro belt and by the census
of 1870 has $4,000 colored majority OF qualified
electors. This district was labelled Radical"
by its creators, and the most inveterate bull
dozer had no idea then of it's ever being carried
by his party. Bnt the political robbers and
murderers who could subvert majority Of
10000 in the State by meditated and pubhcally
organized crime were equal, by the same
means. to $4,000 in a district. fitting leader
was found in General Chalmers. the lieutenant
OF Forrest at Fort Pillow, and by systematized
intimidation bull doing, rioting ballot-box
stuffing, and false counting, Chalmers was re-
turned elected with majority OF $500 Three
hdndred pages OF testimony before Senator
Morton's committee tell Of the terrible prose-
cutlons Republicans suffered in this stamping
out OF their political life: thirty or more being
hung to trees or shot to death IN single coun-
ty. One thousand pages could not record the
atrocities committed in that campaign in this
single district. Chalmers is now in Congress,
and is feted by Bostonans IN Faneul Hall as a
representative OF Southern good will, honor,
and Cancellation.
The Ledger above quoted frankly acknowl-
edges the spirit in which the approaching can
vass Is to be conducted, and solid Democratic
delegation from Mississippi secured by what
ever means may be required, just as was done
IN 1876. Yet good natured Republican IN the
North credulously wonder if these things can
be so. and imagine they are made up for cam
paign purposes. MISSISSIPPIAN. /