Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-08-21
For the SWORD AND SHIELD
CIfntO1.'S Quota Of the 1916.
Aug., 10th. 1886.

/ On the 4th Of August the Prohibi-
tionists, met "in solemn and terrible
earnestness,' at Raymond-as you
know. When the preamble and reso-
luton, appeared in print, the Anti
Prohibitionists conceded them the vic
tory, as you know again. Forthwith the
Ants began to cry out against intimida-
tion and such like, and this you know
also. Since the elections the insinua-
tions of some county papers with refer
ence to the fairness, or rather unfair
ness, of our methods, have done some
communities grievous injustice. Hav-
ing been Chairman of the Prohibition
Executive Committee of the county un-
til my resignation, and being still a
member, have been urgently request
ed to give an account of the work in the
Clinton precinct, whose dry majority of
337 more than offset the wet majority Of
jackson, the stronghold of the Anti
Prohibitionists. In fact Clinton has
been Prohibition town for about IF
teen years We had had much work
done among the colored people before
the election was ordered. Then when
the election was ordered, the moral and
religious aspect of the subject was kept
before them and many of them won over
to Prohibition. True they did not have
such conUiction about it as to make them
proof against deceivers and tricksters,
but, Notwithstanding their appetite for
whiskey wewere winning many of them
by appeals to conscience and duty in
view of the widespread ruin caused by
drunkenness. But when the opposite
party saw their hope of gain was being
taken away, they raised the race issue
and color line Our moral work, which as
[ have said, was not deep-rooted in con-
viction, was swept away like the chaff
before the wind. One morning talked
with negro who was a clearly defined
Prohibitionist the night of the same
day the race issue was urged upon him
and the next morning he was loud in
his championship of whisky. 1t seemed
that one night of the race issue talk
threw us back ten years. But the
whisky men reckoned wrongly. The
effect of the Raymond resolutions in
this precinct was most fortunate. 1t
settled the race issue and brought us
back to the real question-saloon or no
saloon, and from that time until six
O'clock on election there was more
constant, more earnest, and more efec-
tive work done than | have ever wit
messed. Male and female, white and
black, old and young, became enlisted.
From three to FIVE meetings were held
every night in the precinct, in Clinton
he Executive Committee held daily
sessions and mass meeting was held
,very night. Sermons on Sunday were
in which men were urged to
,ray as well as work, prayerm meetings
we're held by the women, and the /
,hurch prayer meetings were temper
nee prayer-meetings. The climax of
enthusiasm was reached Sunday night /
t the Methodist Church, before the t
lection. The colored people came in d
arge numbers, stirring and deveutsongs /
Vere sung, speeches of great power and 5
'athos were deliverd, and mighty prapers 4
Vere offered, and when opportunity was
iven for all who wanted blue ribbon
0 come forward, nearly every one
resent responded. Still the work con n
inued, and on Tuesdey we met on the S