New-York tribune., 1882-04-29
TIE HSSISSIPPI PLAN ONCE MORE.

TIE MISSISSIPPI PLAN ONCE MORE.
On Thursday John X. Lynch, of Mississippi,
presented to Congress the reasons on which he
bases his claim to the seat of the With MisSis-
sippi District now occupied by that fine Old
Bourbon James Il. Chalmers. Mr.. Lynch has
the reputation of being the ablest black man
now in public life, and this plea for justice
will confirm that impression of him. It is alike
clear, compact and convincing. 1t possesses
the eloquence born of a clear apprehension of
cardinal American principles, hearty abhor-
renee of those crimes which turn the right OF
suffrage into ghasty mockery.
1t reveals the Mississippi plan of to-day in all
its enormity 1t is not 50 brutal as the plan that
was III vogue a few years ago, but 1t is none
the less nefarious. The torch, the bludgeon
and the shotgun have been laid aside. But
the Bourbons still count those who disagree
with them in politics their enemies still look
upon Republicans as offensive persons who
have no political rights which they are bound
to respect; still spit upon the doctrine OF fair
play and equal rights for all. The facts which
Mr. Lynch presents constitute terrible indlct-
ment of Chalmers and his party associates in
Mississippi. No more outrageous fraud upon
the ballot-bOx was ever perpetrated than that
by which Chalmers hoped to profit. He was
beaten fairly and squarely by large majority.
Out of 21, ,113 votes pOlled he received about
5000. In sundry counties votes were counted
for him which were cast against him, aggregat-
ing some 5000 more. And yet allowing him
all these Lynch came out ahead by 663. To
add to Chamerss discontinue, Yicksburg, the
CITY in which he has his home, showed its in
Al. l.. Il. 4,
giving a majority of 1852 against him. If
Chalmers had been a generous opponent had
he been an honest man, he would have bowed to
the will of the majority and left Lynch i'll un
disturbed possession of the Congressional seat
to which lie had been fairly chosen. But
Chalmers is Bourbon, and what care tho
Bourbons for the popular will in case il doesn't
happen to be their will He found no difficulty
III putting up job with certain election com
missiOners of the district, who kindly con-
sented to throw out as many votes as he found
it convenient to have thrown out And this
DONE a result was secured which elected him.
Passing from lucid statement of the nature of
the frauds by which Chalmers swindicd himself
into a reelection, Mr.. Lynch touched upon race
prejudice at the South only to deny that IT still
survived. He reports that a man is not pur-
sued in Mississippi these days on account of hi,
color. but that he is placed under the ban, that
his standing for Office is d" "a fools errand if ne
be Republican. On this point he remarked
that the Bourbons are simply determined not
= to tolerate honest differences of opinion upon
"politcal questions; they look upon those who
disagree with them aS the enemies Of the South
and of its interests" This is the testimony
of a perfectly competent aud trustworthy wit
ness, who sets down nothing in malice. What
do patriotic Americans think of this state of
tbingsY The speech aboundcd in other telling
points, some of which were referred to in our
Washington dispatches. That it produced
marked impression goes without saying. A
man pleading for his sacred rights, protesting
against a colossal wrong committed not only
against himself but against his race and his
country, is always eloquent and impressive.
1t is the fashion in certain quarters nowadays
to assert that the Republican party has fulfilled
its mission, and that the time has arrived for it