Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-01-21
THE /" MISSISSIPPI PLAN"

on Monday, January ?, serves an H.
iustrati0n of the absolute truth of
the charge, insisted upon by all Re-
publicans that believe that free
ballot and an honest count are vital
II the boosted freedom of American
institutions is to he preserved, but
denied by Southern Democrats and
ignored by their Northern mudsill
allies, that there is a practical sup.
preston of the will of the people in
certain states Of the South. The
real facts. in the Jackson election
were concealed in the dispatches
sent North. which briefly said:
The election has been one of the most
quiet an peaceable ever held here. The
negroes voluntarily obstdined from eoting.
The facts arc these. The popula-
ton of Jackson is made OF over g..
600 negroes and about 1900 whites.
The city ifs small place can be
called a city, has been Republican
for many years the only place in
the state in which the majority has
been allowed to rule. MCGILL, the
Republican candidate for Mayor, has
held that Office for fourteen years
past, and it is acknowledged, even by
the Democrats, that he made good
officer. The Republican administra-
ton OF municipal affairs was econom-
81 ical and effective. Why, then, the
sudden change, and why did the ne
groes voluntarily abstain from
voting?
Briefly stated, the cause of this
was as follows: On Christmas even.
ing some young and tolerably drunk
en- young white Jacksonians, armed
with pistols, got into quarrel with
negro, said to be a notorious bad
character. He was unarmed, and
when he left the party was in state
OF rage, for what reason does not ap.
pear, for his side of the story has
never been told. He armed himself
with butcher knife, said to have
been given him by a negro police.
man, and single-handed attacked
the crowd, the result being the kill
ing OF the white ring leader, the
wounding OF one of his companions,
and the killing of the negro. Thus
far it is easy to see that the unfortu-
nate affair was the result of whlskey
and race prejudices, and that only
those directly implicated were re.
sponsible.
1t, however, was enough to " fire
the Southern heart" and was made
pretext to overthrow the majority.
A mass meeting of the "youpg dem.
ocrats " of Jackson was held, includ
ing all the white Bourbons between
the ages ofnineteen and forty. a man
named HENRY was nominated for
mayor, and committee of one hun
dred was appointed to see that the
ticket was elected. "A proclamation
was issued, which was printed in red
Ink, surmOunted with cuts of shot.
guns and revolvers, containing,
among other things, the following !:
We hereby warn the negroes that if
any one of their race attempts to run for
office in the approaching municipal cleo
ton he does so at his supremest peril. and
we further warn any and all negroes of
this city against attempting. at their ut
most hazard, by vote or influence. to foist
on us again this black and damnable ma
chine mis-called government of our
city.
An invitation was also given, at
the close of this pronunciamentO, to
all the young white men OF the city
and surrounding country TO lend a
hand to accomplish the desired result,
and the statement made that the
"expenses OF visiting Democrats will
be paid" The colored voters inter-
preted the bloody proclamation right.
ly as threat of murder, and held
meeting at which the following reso,
lutions were adopted:
WHEREAS, The colored people have
been reliably informed that the Demo
cratic club or committee of Jackson have
invited Democrats from various other
places and adjoining counties to be here
election day for the purpose of prevent
ing the colored voters from voting or par
ticipating in the city election next Mon
day. January 2. 1888 therefore be it
Resolved, That in the intere t of
peace and harmony and the protection of
life and property, the colored people re-
frain from voting or in any way partici-
pating in said election
Resolted further, That the colored can
didates for aldermen are hereby with
drawn.
The negroes thus abstained from
voting how voluntarily" the rea
der can judge for himself. The cleo,
ton was held, none but white voters
participating. The Democratic can
didate for mayor was electeG-but
by a majority of only 90 This shows
conclusively that all the whites of
jackson are not Democrats, and
probably also that many votes were
cast for MCGILL in order to protest
against the brutality of the 6 Missis.
sippi plan (which, it should be re-
membered, was favored and urged
by LAMAR, now an appointee of
GROVER CLEvELAND's to the SUI
pIeme bench.-T'OledO Blade.