The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-12-03


II need not recapitulate the mistakes and
criminal blunders of that session-our
threat 10 withhold the appropriations until
certain repeal measures We're approved by
the President; our indirect announcement
70 the world that We intended to ignore the
Executive part Of the Government, and to
make Congress with its fractions turbulence
the absolute dictator Of this country: our
unsuccessful effort to repeal the election
laws, not upon the ground of mex pediency,
but upon the ground of their unconstitu-
/ tIonality, and vehemently pressing that
objection IN the face Of the following sec
ton OF the Constitution The time places
and manner Of holding elections for Sena-
tors and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the Legislature thereof
but the Congress may II any time, by law,
make or alter such regulations, except a to
the places Of choosing Senators The dis
cussIons upon these various questions made
the impression upon the Northern mind
that Democracy WAS nothing but State
rights run mad; that we would sweep from
the statute-b book the last war measure if We,
as party, were in power that secession
and rebellion would again follow a neces-
sary c0nseq uente of this extreme view of
State rights. Thus that most wholesome
axiom, Support the State governments in
all their rights as the most competent ad
the surest bulwark against anti Rcpu 0lican
tendencies was perverted by the impolitic
speeches of our unwise leaders into the rock
upon which our party went to pieces. Then
we had the wild effort to create excitement
about the use of the army at the polls.
Had there been an army AT the polls there
would have been some sense in this theatre
cal display, this rehearsal Of providing an
imaginary foe. There should be no army
at the polls, and our countrymea, while
they enjoy their liberties, viii never again
permit an armed soldier at the ballotbox.
His presence there is Il symbol Of despotism,
but one of the first acts of President Hayes
after his Inauguration was 10 Withdraw the
army from every Southern State where they
had been stationed in violation Of law, and
during this entire war Of politicians there
was not single soldier interfering with the
ballot-bOX in any of the States, and we had
the direct assurance from this patriotic
President that during his term of Office no
soldier should approach the ballot-bOX to
interfere with the freedom of elections.
Yet we received his protestatiOns with
ribald jest and biting sarcasm, and his
frauJUlency' was the mildest cpithet we
applied 10 this President who, for this pa
triotic work, should receive the respect and
gratitude of every Southern man. | need
not continue these recitals these demonstra-
tons of incapacity, of blind passion.
Suffice to say that our Democratic Congress
has alarmed the Northern people. They
are afraid to ntrust the administration of
the Government in the hands of violent
men. They would rather risk the perils of
Capitalization than again endure the horrors
of revolution. They would as soon see the
Government shot to death rs to have it
Starved to death. All this has been the
work of our self constituted leaders.
"Ihe great mass Of the Democratic party
are conservative i'll their opinions, and
true to the Constitution and the Union.
Yet the toiling millions, particularly in the
South. are unjustly held responsible for the
vaporng follies of these hot-heads. In adj
dition to these plumbers of the extra session,
there have been in some Southern localities
outrages upon law and the freedom of the
ballot-box, which, though they may not ex-
coed in violence similar outrages in the
North, vet have served to influence the
Northern mind against the Southern people,
who as a whole, condemn such outrages rs
heartily as any man IN the North-the Dixon
murder, the Chisolm murder, the frequent
acts of intimidation, and the efforts of the
advocates of caucus dictation to drive,
Tens UoLcns, all men into the support of their
nominees. | repeat, these acts of violence
and attempted violence, while not confined
to the South, and many of them greatly ag-
gravated, have contributed largely to the
present and prospective defeat of the Dem
ocratic party, and if we fail next year in
electing Democratic President, which now
seems inevitable, | can only say: Demecra-
cy has been slaughtered in the house of its
friends
''You ask TO what extent the Independent
movement is spreading in this State an
swer, it promises to sweep the State from
the mountains 10 the seabord next year. /
believe our next Governor and majority
of our next Congress and of our State Leg
islature will be elected as Independents.
The honest and intelligent citizens of this
State are determined to throttle and over
throw that organized Bourbonism which
has wel-nigh destroyed the very bulwarks
of genuine Democracy, that never learns
and never forgets; that stands as a barrier
30 our material progress, narrow, selfish and
ilIiberal its only bond of union a struggle
for spoils, its only hope of success the tricks
of the caucus and the lash of the party Its
fruit has turned to ashes in the hands of
our countrymen, and Georgia Democrats are
resolved to rescue the Democratic party
from its destructive grasp. Independentism
does not rely upon party machinery; con-
fides in principles; enthrones country, and
trusts the people rather than party leaders.
"You ask if Tilden's nomination would
be satisfactory to the people of this State,
and if the South would give him a solid and
cordial support. The people of Georgia
would not be satisfied with Mr. Tilden's
nomination He might, and think he would,
carry the State, but it would be by the
skin of his teeth The people of Georgia
are convinced that he loves his money more
than the Democratic party. They believe
that had Mr.. Tilden never been heard of.
the Democracy would to day be triumphant
in this Union. They are tired of his
grievances, and hundreds of the best Dem
ocrats in the State will not vote if he is
nominated There is no use in talking
about MI Tilden. | imagine that to-day's
work in New York will quietly lay him
away among the other relics of Anticipated
Bourbonism, and hereafter men will study
him as a rich specimen of the ways that
are dark and the tricks that are vain. ]
believe there is but one man in the United
States who, as a Democrat, can win the
Presidency next year. That man is David
Davis. of Illinois Mr.. Bayard is an honest
incorru ptible man, but his position on the
silver bill at the last session of Congress-
and his financial views generally, will array
the whole Greenback party against him.
And here, let me say, that party is not
dead nor does it sleep. The people believe
that if Mr.. Bayard's views on finance are
correct, then Gen. Grant and Secretary
Sherman, and other Republicans are enti-
tied to all the credit of their establishment,
and should enjoy all the honors which may
accrue from their successful advocacy. In
addition to this objection, his candidacy
would fail to quiet the North. The SCARE
crows that Republican leaders, aided and
abetted BIZ Bourbo fanatics, have erected
among the people would not down at Mr.
Bayard's bidding. David Davis would be
acceptable to conservative men in all Sec
tions-to Greenbackers, to Workingmen, to
Capitalists, to Democrats, and to thousands
of Republicans. His candidacy would re-
assure the North. 1t would give assurances
that the Democratic party would be con-
sentative, and that the party would not
starve or shoot the Government. But he
will not be nominated. He is not the sort
of man who is popular with the manipula-
tors of State and National Conventions.
"Your last question is: What effect will
the spirit of reputation have en- the COM
,,,aroiaI ralatiops of the South Let me-