American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-10-25
The Southern Outrages Of 1879.

The Southern OutrageS OF 1879.
An able philosopher calls our atten-
ton to the curious fact in connection
with these deplorable blots on civiliza-
ton and the census known as ''South-
ern outrages," that t'Southern out
rages' are never committed until inst
after the Republican nominations in the
North have been made and the CAM
paign orators begin to paw the dust
and below. The fact is indubitable.
The explanation of it demands reflec-
tion. 1t seems to show analogies with
the action OF that law of hextraordinary
condolences evolved by Professor An
thony Weller from his study of stage
coach accidents and elections to the
House of Commons. But it has pecu-
liarities of its own. No State or Con-
gressional elections is, no State
elections of consequence-take place in
the South this year, for example, SO
that there can be no special political
necessity felt there for bull-dozing and
committing outrages yet, if we are to
believe our Republican contemporaries,
the Southern demons are it again with
the recurring autumnal equinox. 1t
might reasonably have been expected
that out of natural interest in the sue
cess of their brethren at the North the
Southern Democrats, who exhibited
such patient magnanimity and perfect
self-control throughout the summer of
1876 and the spring of 1877, would
be slow to furnish the Republican cam
paign orators with patent kindling for
the firing of the Northern heart, and
not over-anxious to tap negro gore
wherewith to reimbue the multitudinous
and weather-faded bloody shirt. It
iohf
put off their murderous recreations say
till the second week in November, after
getting on so comfortably without them
well on into the early autumn. Alasl
if we are to believe our Republican
contemporaries Southern Demo-
Gratis are as reckless of their own in
terests as they are of the lives of man.
kind in general. In the days of Grant
and the .carpet-baggers the Southern
Democrats used to live at peace with
their negro neighbors from the begin
ming of November in one even-num-
bered year till the middle of August in
the next even-numbered year, when
just about the time at which English
aristocrats go cunning after birds the
Ku-Klux would sally forth and begin
shooting holes through the hats of the 9,
friends of Senator Spencer and chevy
such ferocity that a paternal Govern
quarter troops throughout the
country and to keep them there
till the Returning Boards had
completed their work. Why have they
abandoned this sweet periodieityisin
the carpet-baggers, ceased out of their
Iandp Another symptom of popular
dementia, if we are to believe our Re-
publican contemporaries, has recently
made its appearance among these de-
testable Southern Democrats. We are
assured that in kind of frenzy they all
insist on comprising new rebellion,
and on tipping the Union up on end,
rather than submit to the operation of
certain clauses of the Federal Election
law which were meant to worry the
great cities of the North and do not
affect their section of the country at all.
How is this to be explained? Another
popularity of these strange creatures
eminently deserves notice. Though born
with shotgun in his hand, as one
might say, and accustomed from his
cradle up to use it freely upon all ami
mated things, from the Judge chewing
his quid upon the bench to the negro on
dead run for tht swamps, the moment q
that the close season for colored Re-
publicans is over and the Southern
Democrat goes out cunning for them
in company with the staff correspond
ent of our esteemed Republican contem-
poraries, all his skill deserts him Six or
seven years ago the best he could do WAS
to shoot the hat of Mr.. Hester. This
year at point-blank range his wavering
bullet only perforates the clothing of a
Postmaster. Everything favors him