Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-01-12
LAMARo LOYALTY.

New York Tribune.
Senator Sawyer is reported as saying
that he sees no objection to the contir-
nation of Mr.. Lamar, and holds him to
be truly loyal man. He will answer to
his constituents. Among them are vet
Grams, their sons and those who hold them
in honor, to whom it may not seem fit
ting to place on the Supreme bench a
man who labored nightly to instigate
the rebellion, who broke his oath of allie
glance to the United States, seeded from
Congress, and took an active part as a
traitor.
But concerning the immediate present,
Senator Sawyer shows that he does not
know the meaning of the word "loyal."
Lamar this very day upholds his party
in the exclusion of colored citizens of the
United States from the right of suffrage
guaranteed them by the Constitution
In his own state, at the city of Jackson,
Miss, a Mayor was elected January 2, by
the effective disfranchisement of colored
citizens, which dispatch to the Demo-
cratic New York Sun thus describes:
Jackson, although Democratic town,
has, for years elected John McGill, an
avowed Republican and an honest man,
Mayor, and until this year McGill has had
practically no opposition.
But white Democrats became excited
because it was asserted that a cOlored
man, who had killed a white man, was
encouraged by colered policeman
Meetings were held, General McHenry,
a straightout Democrat, was nominated,
and this circular printed in red ink was
issued":
We hereby warn thenegroes that if any
one of their race attempts to run for of
flee at the approaching municipal election
he does so at his Supremest peril; and we
further warn any and all negroes of this
city against attempting by vote or infiu-
ence to foiSt on us again this black and
damnable machine, miscalled a govern
ment of our city.
The dispatch states the subsequent
proceedings as follows:
To prevent trouble, McGill then propos-
ed to McHenTy'S supporters to have the
white men decide the election with their
ballots, pledging that no negro should
vote, and that no negro would be appoint
ed on the police force or run for Office
This was declined.
The negroes on Wednesday evening
held meeting and decided that, as they
were informed that the Democratic
Committee of Jackson had invited Dem
ocrats from various parts of the state to
be here on election day to prevent colOred
voters from participating in the election,
that in the interest of peace and harmony
the colored people refrain from voting
and remain away from the polls.
The election took place to-day, the Ne
groeS refraining from voting The entire
Democratic ticket, which included May
or and Board of Aldermen, was elected.
This is the sort of loyalty which Sec
retary Lamar pos 5es. He will uphold
and justify white Democrats of Missis-
sippi in thus defying and multiplying the
Constitution and the laws of his state by
threats, and if those do not serve, by
deeds of blood and crime. If Secretary
Lamar were in fact loyal to the Consti-
tuition he would not hesitate.an hour to
condemn in no measured terms this out
rage in his own state. Everybody feels
IlldI nc Will AOIJ IOI Illo cACclISuI I6tlSOu
that he was himself elected to the Senate
as the fruit Of just such an overthrow of
constitutional and lawful government
throughout The state of Mississippi. No
man who accepts Office as the fruit of
such a crime is loyal man. No man
who upholds the Democrats of Jackson,
and of other Mississippi towns, in de-
priving citizens of their constitutional
rights, has himself any right to be called
loyal by Senator Sawyer, or by any other
man who processes to represent law-abi-
ding citizens.