The Portland daily press., 1884-02-01

doubt about their authenticity. Inc Copl6h
Democrats were not ashamed Of them, but
had them published in order that every Re-
pub lean in the county might know what to
expect If he presumed to organize an oppo-
sition to the Democratic minority who were
resolved to rule by might IL not by right.
Two Senators and seven members of the
House sit In Congress by virtue Of long,
consistent, and bloody pursuance of the pol
Icy here proclaimed, and by no other right.
Nine votes will be cast in the next electoral
college for the Democratic candidates for
President and Vice President because of
bsrbarities similar to the killing of J. P,
Matthews, for which no man has ever suf-
Tered punishment under tho Democratic adj
ministrstion of that State, which was itself
established by violence aud crime and not
by the free suffrage of the people.
Here are the resolutions adopted in mass
meeting Of the Democrats Of Copiah county
Immediately after the assassination Of
Mathews:
Whereas certain rumors are current that tho rel
atiyes Of the late j. F. Matthews have threatened
tho peace of society, in order to avenge his DEATH
By killing Democrats and destroying ther property;
Now, therefore
Be Is resOEcsd, BY the people Of Oopikh county In
mass meeting asssmb LED this day, ct the court
house OF said county; that If any person shall 10
injured. Or IN attempt made to in1urs him. either
In person or in property, In any manner, by tho
said relatives or friends Of said j. P. Matthews
that We hereby declare that we will hold his said
relatives and friends Who participate accountable
for the same and that will regard them as with
out tho pale and protectisn Of the law and common
enemies Of society, and that will visit upon them
certain. swift retrisution.
Be Vt further resolved. That 20 long the friends
and relatives of the said j. P Matthews obey the
laws and besoms good citizens, ve hereby pledge
then tho PROTEST Ion Of the law.
Resolved farsker, That in the opinion of this
meeting 1t Is necessary the safety Of society and
ths welfare Of all races and classes In this county
that Tho Matthews family shall keep cut of politics
In Cepiah county.
Resolved, Jurthsr. That from heAeeforth no man
or set of men shall srganrs the negro race ssainst
the whites In this county, and If it shall BIO At
tempted in the future hereby give notice that it
shall be At the peril Of the person or persons at
tempting 80 to do.
@etestpcNs 4nhb W 90 hofoDy pl6OE8 ourfciYtB,
each 10 the other, our lives and fortunes, and cur
sacred honor, that We will, all and individually,
from hsnestorth, hold ourselves In readiness to en-
force the foregoing rssossisns and to meet at any
time upon the call of the chairman Of this meeting.
Resolcsd, That committee OF tvonty-four from
sch supervisors district ss 2olp.ad y he chair
% presents copy Of these revolutions to tho broth
'r and sons of the late j. r. Matthews, aud that
lhs same Be published In the Copiah signal and the
Crystal Springs Meteor.
Chairman.
JEssn THOMPSON, JR..
Q. ). ALLEN,
Secretaries
It only remains to be added to complete
the fairness Of this illustration of the spirit
of the Copiah County Democracy that the
man who shot Matthews dead at the polls
came within very few votes of being nom
mated rs the Democratic candidate for may
or, few days afterwards, and was nominal
ted and elected to another good Office In re-
ward of his party services. He was never even
much less tried, for his foul crime
These facts were all made public several
weeks ago. They are und-niably true; but
we have never seen in the Argus, or the
New Age, or any other Democratic paper in
10 reserved for those who
venture TO suggest that this way Of carrying
IN political contests is net legitimate, and
hat the people of the North where elections
are fair, Except In spots where the Demo-
rrats have control Of the ols), ought not to
allow the party which in the South commits,
and IN the North connives, st saeh crimes
against equal rights, to be successful In its
ambition to govern the nation. The Demo-
cratic organs are willing to profess allegiance
to any reform but the most important one
of all, the reform which will secure the
right of citizens Of the United States every
where to vote as they please without fear of
or prescription, and to have
their votes honestly counted. Civil service
reform, tariff reform, labor reform, temper
ance reform, are each and all important and
worthy Of serious consideration; but there
is one reform which is more fundamental,
more vital, more essential than either of
them, if our institutions Of liberty are to be
maint aimed. 1t is the reform which will Sc
cure the light Of every citizen to vote as
he will, unawed by lawlsss power.
To this reform the Democratic party is
defiantly and Indignantly hostile; aud
for this plain reason, that all its>hopes of
success are dependent upos maintaining
the rule of the minority in six or seven
of the Southern States by whatever means
it thinks necessary to employ. The records
of history show that murder is Its main re-
lance in extremity, and 1t is alarmed from
Texas to Maine whenever its right to carry
elections by murder is called in question.