New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-16

u
not repeal, Is q disgraceful and revolutionary
proceeding which the Republican party vii
resist to the bitter end.
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THE MEMBER FROM THE SUGGESTING"
General Chalmers, of Mississippi, Is another
of these Southern Brigadiers who are holding
seats in Congress to which they have no
moral right, and are trying to shape legisa-
ton upon the principles of the late Confed-
eracy. He is reported to have remarked the
other day that he thought the Legislative
Appropriation bill would pass in some form,
but he was not in favor of passing any
Army bill at all this session, which means
that he wishes to stop the pay of the gallant
men who are enduring privatlons and facing
danger on the frontiers, and deprive them OF
food and clothing, while making careful
provision for the punctual payment of
his own salary. Secure in the enjoy
ment of his $1,000 year, this high
toned and chivalrOus Congressman will
watch with complacency the process of starry
ing the soldiers who received when they en-
listed the pledge of the Government that it
would give them rations, clothing and pay
during their term of service.
We beg leave to suggest to General Chal-
mers that, IN the interest of the Democratic
party, of which he is a conspicuous champion,
be would do well not to express his
views quite so freely. There is a
prejudice in the North against having
the Army starved to death by the
same men who recently spent four years in
trying to shoot il to death. If the starving
process is resolved upon by the Dem
ocrats it would be wise for the Con-
federate Brigadiers to let somebody else
shoulder the butt-end of the responsibility.
The Brigadiers no doubt think this Northern
sensltiveness exceedingly unreasonable, but as
politicians they would do well not to lose
sight of it as often as they have been doing
of late.
There is another reason why this Army
abolisher should keep little more in the
background. His record is somewhat I'M
palatable. We do not mean his Army record.
History makes him figure as the Commander
of the Rebel forces who. i'll cold blood, shot
down the negro defenders of Fort Pillow
after they had ceased all resistancej but
we are willing to accept his statement
that he was not responsible for the
slaughter. 1t is only to his recent political
career that we desire to refer. He was one
of the orlginatOrs of what is known in the
South as the Mississippi Plan" by which
counties, districts and States are carried
for the Confederate Democracy against
the will of a mai Ority of their voters.
The plan did not originally contemplate muir
der, and this was its chief point of difference
from the old Ku-Klux and White
League systems. It's methods of suppress
ing the negro vote were tw0-first, organic
ing the Democrats into red-shirted rifle-clubs
and artillery companies to parade the roads,
break up Republican meetings, and terrify the
blacks by the spectacle of Il powerful mill
tary organization; and second, fraud at the
polls wherever the machinery of elections was
in Democratic hands, or could he captured
by force or corruption. The plan worked so
well in Mississippi that it was adopted in
many other Southern States. 1t did not
always operate in a blOOdless way, however.
An over-zeaOus rife.cIub would some
times fire into n Republican meeting
and kill accidentally few men, and the
members of these belligerent organizations,
when returning from muster infamed with
Democracy and whiskey, would frequently
shoot q negro on general principles. The in
vestigations of the Boutwell, Committee devel-
Oped Il long and horrible catalogue of muir
ders and outrages resulting from the opera
tons of the "Plan in Mississippi
After General Chalmers and his friends got
control Of the Mississippi Legislature through
the success of the "Plan," they redistricted
the State so as to make it feasible by its
aid TO elect Democrats to Congress in every
district except one. We must give the
"nggers one district" they said I'm order
&" to make the others sure for u.s." In that
district they put all the heavy negro counties
lying along the Mississippi River 1t stretches
from one end of the State to the other,
and is called the "Shoe-string District" be-
cause of It's great length and small width. In
a direct line from end to end it is $50 miles
long, and to traverse it by following the river
is IL journey of over 500 miles. The Republican
majority in the counties joined to form this
fantastic district was about $4,000. The