American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-06-14

CORR ESPONDHNCE

1he communication signed Ira
Halrs," which appeared in the las
issue of the Canton Mail, calls upol
the candidates for the Legislature
Offering themselves for our suffrage.
at the coming election, to expires.
their views upon the importan
measures that will probably come
before that body. Gray Hairs sug
gssts those matters which, to hi.
mind, Will Be of TIE greatest mo.
ment, summing them up as follows
Negro muscle aud its necessity ;ioul
duty to protect the poor, down
trodden and oppressed freedman
The lien law, its evils and its repeal
the reform of our penal statutes by
expunsihg all trivial misdemeauOrs
from the list of crimes and last.
but not least, the reduction of the
magistrates and constabie's fees to
fifty cents, III any and every case.
Gray hairs are Suggestive of wis
dom; but when an evil is discovered
it is the part of wisdom to suggest
a remedy. The minister paints to
our minds eye the exceeding wick
edness of sin:'the horrors Of he'll
and the joys of heaven, and then
teaches us how to avoid stu, shun
hell, and enjoy the untold blessings
Of the Spper kingdom. Does Gray
Hairs do this! 1t is an easy matter
for any school bog to say, and say
truthfuily, there are evils in our
midst that ought to be remedied; but
it requires the brain of statesman
to give the cure for the existing
troubles.
Gray Hairs says the negro is onr
III eat and bread, our muscle. and at
all hazards he must be protected.
What would be the natural infer
ence DRAW ! by Il Northern reader
of tbis. It would be that Gray
Hairs thinks The negro is honest
and Industrious, prompt to comply
with his obligations. and shat our
laws afs not, as they claim To- b.,
the same for all men, res 'ardless OF
race, color or previous eopd, ton.
He says, "the lien law must be
-epealed." Repeal what lien !. w
He does not say, and conse9nentl.
We infer that he means to s'expSn ge' |
Ill lien laws from our code. The
landlords lien for rent, the Yaborer'S
len for wages, the right of be iner-
;hant to secure himself for supplies
Dy deed of trust-all, all hurst go
lnder the relentless 6 hammer" of
Gray Hairs. From this we conci ude
hat we are prepared to return to
The good old dnte-belium systematic
negro to trust the white man. the
white man the negro, and the Iner-
chant everybody. We are in favor
Of a modification of the lien laws,
but a total repeal would be ruin to
the planter, bankruptcy for the lner.
chant, and starvation Tor the negro.
. But, alb the browning shame OF
our land is the magistrates Office.
says Gray Hitirs, call
trivial offrnses from the list of
crimes" He draws no line oil de-
and the law draws none
for ns, except that those offenses
which are not felonies are misde !
meanors. All tribes, then-such as
carrying concealed
weapons, aud petit larceny (these
little matters are som etiIpes trouble
some to fife " muscle" of our conn-
try, and tie law works IA peculiar
hardship to that class. ''Expunge
all trivial offenses from the list oil
crimes" We are not told where
these offenses stop, but all must
share the fate OF the lien laws.
Reduce, he says, the "fees of justice
of the peace and constable to fifty
cents in each case"-twenty five
of the trouble.
suppose he means, adept the old
be one of honor. We take il for
granted that there are many gentle
men in our different beats who
wonid take pleasure in devoiing
their time to the pleasant and
agreeable task of performing
duties far ths hom2rs Of
tie oG'e.
Now, who is the gentleman that
desires so much reform Who is
Gray Huns. For the benefit of the
| will make few guesses.
] guess, if gray hairs be an indica~
ton of wisdom, he has not fifty in
his head. guess i<c is net dent
list, i;or IA photographer, uQr a drug
Sist, nor doctor of med [ mean
divinity. | guess that some one of
his hands, cut of whom he gets his
bread AND meat, has Tecentiv plead
guilty OF petit larceny, ans! escaped
from justicc-tor which he did not