National Republican., 1883-09-01
A NEW MISSISSIPPI PLAN.
Terms on Which Democrats VIII Abstain
from Political aIurder and Robbery.


from Political RIurder and Robbery.
Notehes (Miss) Democrat, Aug. %, 1853.
We copy the following from the Times Dem
ocrat Of Thursday morning. 1t shows that
what is known as the fusion movement is not
understood by the psragraphist Of that
newsy sheet It says. "The Mississippi
democracy declines TO affiliate with the fusion
or any other hybrid movement. With solid
front presented to the enemy, it is not haz-
ardous to predict a gratifying victory"
1t would be supposed from perusal of
this paragraph that proposition had been
made to the Mississippi democracy as q state
organization for q political fusion with the
republican party in the same capacity. This
is not the case. Fusion of the voters in the
two parties has been sought in several of the
counties, not to reconcile or unto their po-
litical differences but simply TO select good
local officers whose position is not in any
manner connected with politics. Sherihs,
clerks of the courts, boards of supervisory,
and other officers whose duties are simply TX
ecutive are those for whose election fusion
of the better element of both has been sought.
The mass Of the republican party Is made up
of persons, who however honest thoy may be
in their choice, are hardly qualified to select
competent men for the important county of
fees. To save themselves from being at the
mercy of the corrupt or incompetent men
who court aud too often control the ignorant
masses, one of three courses were found to be
necessary for the intelligent and tax paying
portion of the community TO pursue. These
were either to keep the ignorant men from
the polls, or bulldoze them; to SO manipulate
the ballot box as to prevent the republicans
from electing their men, or in other words to
stuff or rob the ballot box or to compromise
with the most sensible and conservative por-
of ia uiyinB
of the Offices on tho condition that they select
men of sufficient character to enable them to
make q bond. Bulldozing, including murder
and violence of all kinds, or ballot box stuff
ing which embraces crimes of even meaner
class than bulldozing, were put in the scale
with an honest compromise by which some of
the offices were parted with it is true, but
those which are necessary for good local gov
ernmcnt were placed in the hands of compe-
tont persons of one party or the other upon
whose bond the responsible men of the COM
munity would be willing to place their
names
In q choice between those three courses we
can scarcely imagine how q community of
ri ght thinking men could hesitate. In this
county, at all events, after tho advantages of
the compromise or fusion plan were carefully
elaborated, very little time was required to
enable the peaple to decide in favor of adopt
ing it. 1t has entirely obviated all necessity
Tor revolutionary methods, and neither blood
shed nor robbery has been necessary. 1t has
drawn the colored voter to the side of his
white neighbor, and established confidence
between them that had not existed before
1t has accustomed the coored men to vote
with their white neighbors, and has already
in great measure destroyed in his mind the
idea that there is an antagonism politically
between the races, and is gradually fitting
him for taking sides upon political questions
uyit II Tn, ,,l1 nuptu a Hrs
love of the negro, the republican party, he is
beginning to find can be false to them, and
his attachment to it is weakening.
As the democrats then sacrifice no principle,
as they give up only few offices of no polit-
ical significance, and in return gain so much
in the way of peace and self respect, we can
not but think time will only be required for
more thorough knowledge of the benefits
flowing from the system for it to be uni
versaly adopted throughout the south.