The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-04-30

his illiterate race, with their few whit
supporters who were mostly office
holders, and by force and fraud stiff
the Republican majOrities, and thu
fastened upon the Independent an,
old Whig element a bourbon democ
racy for which they have more con
tempt than affection. And for year
many of those who opposed secession
have truly desired, for the sake o
peace, to lend their moral AID if no
more, in support of the great Naliona
Republican party of the North, bu
ever holding aloof from the Radicals
of the S5HlSwho brought odium upon
the veryDnfne of Republican through
a suicidal policy formed and enforced
by close corporation of officc-holderl
having in view only party prefermen
and spoils. The colored mans great
est crime has been his ignorant, child
ish devotion to the leaders of "A party
he honestly believed he owed allie
glance as the representative of the
source of his freedom. My blood boils
with indignation when think Of the
wrongs that have been heaped up.
on those kind-hearted, good natur'
ed, simple, coniiding, dark-skinned
Sous of toll who have faced 50 many
dangers TO cast their ballot to elevate
men to high positions, and yet how
little has been done, 10y all that have
represented them in Congress and
elsewhere, to improve the wretched
condition of this Woodworking mass
of ignorance. Knowing this l natur-
ally inquire if the vote of the colored
man has not been used almost solely
to advance the interest of set of
sharp tricksters-and whether the use
of this ballot has not been of great dis
advantage to the colored race--leading
them into temptations and pitfalls of
dishonest practices-making of them
tools i'm the hands of INSCRIPTIONS,
designing men, and costing them in
the end many valuable lives and un-
told suffering and misery, leaving them
unsatisfed, disorganized, scattered
like sheep that have been visited by
wolves and have no shepherd. Will
it result to the temporary advantage
of the colored race to fill the various
Federal offices in Mississippi with
men of any color, who have not a
white following, expecting such Off
cials to reorganize the Republican
party and look for success by slfeer
force Of dark numbers? AS well
might the thugs and ward-bummers
of New York expect the honest citi-
zens to allow the old Tweed ring to
quietly get control of their city, as for
Mississippi Republicans to expect Mis-
.issippians to permit the old Radical
clique to again govern their State.
know II to be n fact, and am sorry to
admit it, that a certain class Of politi-
clans, knowing and admitting TO
themselves that they cannot reorgan-
ize the Republican party in Missis-
sippi, have agreed that they will fol-
low certain line of policy, making a
pretense of reorganization to cover
their designs, get possession Of all the
paying Federal offices, and then
wage war on all who dare dispute
their claim to leadership and control.
These leeches must retire to private
life, be provided with official blood
or find a common grave
with the emaciated party now rapidly
dissolution.
After dilligent inquiry am finally
that this fusion of Greenback-
ers, Independents and Republicans, at
Jhis time, har but frail hold save in
m the minds of a few disappointed
of doubtful political faith
md about dozen of the old leaders
If the Republican party, who have
combined for a common purpose, and
nave scared away on a siill-hunt for
he official carcass. Doubtless some
II the originators Of this compact have
re this, cried Justify unto this admin
stration for its moral support t-mean-
ng the nimble distribution of the ,
federal patronage-which is all there |
$ in the movement as long as it re-
Mains in the hands of its present man
gers. The threadbare politicians that /
oncocted this scheme would bank
upt any cause, no matter how good. as
oon as they attempted to foster it. /
A movement of this kind / am in /
avor of, but to be successful il must {
pring from the people and be under :
he leadership of men who have not !
linging about them the nauseating s
dor Of party schemers and wreckers. !
But two plans are favorably pre- :
ented for Mississippi Republicans to 5
blow with a a fair chance Of ultimate a
uccess. One, to attempt no reorgan-
sation for some time to come. Let 1
he freedman vote just as he pleases, v
nd III this way he is sure to be pro- o
ected in his suffrage by whichever y
action he votes with. In a year or z
wo the whites will naturally divide I
hen the Republicans can re-organize ?
nth honest, respectable white and y
olored material.
The other, TO put new men forward Il
] leaders-yOung men Of nerve, char g
cter, untried ability and untested y
irength. Young men who have h
ways been favorable to the party but 81
ave never appeared prominently be- :
re the public as Republicans, owing y
, the fact that they have never held ?
or wanted an Office, and therefore 4
ave been a little modest in asserting b
,eir political belief in q State where g
has been no honor TO be known as n n
eUuliean. Such men starting out with e
ear records and backed strongly by a
,fiuential white friends would dlsarm n
ourbonism Of its worst weapon, and .
" the foundation for Republican as y
'ndancy. since 1858 1 have frequent
! visited different portions Of the =
-