The Copiah signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1882-1883, 1882-07-14
A southern VUice.

uEJ uOtiCc w ouA AAoS~ 6sA "eA
ron of the New Mississippian, in the
N. o. Picayune:
At tho close Of the war nany
noble family was left stranded, II,
property gone, it's strong men fallen,
its women and children compelled to
struggle for the food repaired Ia
preserve life. Untaugh! 10 labor.
uneducatpd to sustained effort, these
people wero Ike the untraincf year.
lings CT q famous stab!ct pretty
nearly useless withou. time and
teaching. but full Of The courageous
blood which wins. OF such family
in Mississippi, boy. without school
ing or any thing else, strayed into q
newspaper Office y few years ago,
and by dint of turning his hand to
whatever he could see to DO has
risen to tho editorial snnc'um. Be-
ing of the people his voice isa voico
Of the people, and to read his edi-
torials is much like feelin the pop
ular pulse. He is unedrcaIed yet.
His opportunities for schooling, lost
in the general wreck OF prosperity,
cannot be regainod, altho us years OF
tho hard work Of journalism will un-
doubtedly give him certain abuud-
ance of Information which his native
genius will exercise itself upon with
increasing facility. Qaick to rejoice
in friendship, quick to resent HOSTILE
,y, ready to slap your jsws II you iu-
sui. him, ready to join hands if you
beg Lis pardon for q thonshilcss
word, such a mali-or rather ench q
thouSlitloss boy-is Elsar Wilson,
editor Of tue New Mississippian, pub.
lishcd at Jackson.
The New Mississippian celebrated
the Fourth of July by an article
which deals largely with general
principles OF political management,
and especially with the question Of
The colorcd vote. 1t declares the
SJuth docs not wish to belittle the
results OF the war. but Is rs q people
rs much startled at its out come as
tho North. Tao predomiue ling mo.
live with the SJu.hcru citizan .is to
preserve the State Government in
tho hands Of honest and competent
officials. III, wishes to bs real:z ID
from political turmoil. He desires
TO arbi;ra,e and adjust tho selection
OF public officials in homo Affairs with
his colorcd ncighbors, without max
ins tho election of II justice of the
peace or a member of the Bard OF
Supervisors dependent upon the re-
mo,o choice Of Presidential nominee.
The result Of the celebrated Eecto-
rial Commission contest is valuable
lesson, for It shows that the whole
North or rather the whole nation
prefers that tho Southern States
should be controlled by white intel
ligence, but at tho samo time will
not permit shadow Of peril to be
cast upon the results Of the war
through the control OF tho general
Government. The S,uth, further
more, is willing to pay n full equiv
alent for the co!ored vote, but wishes
to purchase through first hands and
not through political tricksters who
havo gone to Washingtc TO procure
commissions to farm il out.
Tho lesson OF those reflections is
that State and national elections
should be separated as fur as posi-
bic. They should occur at different
timcs-a point already secured in
Louisiana. Thero should be no con.
nection or relation between them.
Double tho lopg.h Of term OF State
officers and forbid reelection.
Tao strong point of tho Now Miss
issippian's suggestions is, deal direct
ly with the colored people, and not
with their white leaders.
The readers of tho Picayune al.
ready know that the plan OF dividing
out local eff ,es with the colored peo-
pie, and iguoring their white leaders
is in successful cpperation in many
counties in Mississippi.
The final suggestion Of the New
Mississippian is TO extend this policy
to congressional affairs. 1t proposes
to let the colored people having dis
tinct representation in Congress
according to their voting strength" J"
Tdis is not practicable, because The
State cannot be Jumped aud the Con-.
gressmen elected on general ticket;
but al approximation to the propos,
ed plan can be made by electipg a
4 colored man in each district where