The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1889-10-26
4 FREE BALLOT.


In Sundays Oregoaia,s was pub
lished in the telegraphic columns an
address by the state executive Repub-
lican committee of Mississippi. We
dislike very much to be constantly writ.
ing on intimidation in the south, but
while the facts remain that the laws
are not enforced in a portion of the
country, that citizens in this free gov
ernment are deprived Of the right of
suffrage, and that assassination and
intimidation are employed to influence
the ballot, it is justice that the state
of affairs should be spread before the
American people. The address is as
follows:
As Republicans of Mississippi
we are compelled to withdraw
our state ticket. We knew that our
votes would be stolen and our voters
driven from the polls, but We hoped
that in the larger towns and cities at
least the semblance of free speech
might still remain to US, but our cam
didates are not safely allowed to dis
cuss or protest. We desired especially
to 60 before the whole people of the
state and challenge the Democrats to a
comparison of principles and records.
When the armed revolution of 1875
wrested the state from US, Mississippi
was the only Southern state unbur-
dened with state debt. She has a
Democratic one. Mississippi Is gov
erned by minority despotism, and
we appeal to our country for redress.
The constitution that we adopted Is
the only one In the South so satisfac-
tory now that it has not been changed.
Our laws stand substantially un-
changed and unrepealed, but we
are Republicans and this is our
ofense. For fourteen years, ever
since the Infamous Mississippi plan
was adopted our path has been mark
ed by the blood of our sla;n-not
only the well-known leaders who
bravely died, but faithful followers
known only in the cabins of the lowly.
We refer not only to such well-known
slaughter as those of Kemper and
Copiah, Clinton and Carrolton,
Wakalak and Vicksburg, Yazoo city
and LIE Flore, but nameless killings
by creek and nayou, on highways and
by ways. These are the Democratic
arguments which crush US. We can
do no more. We dare no longer
carry our tattered, blood-stained
Republican flag. We appeal to the
nation. Is national law and honor
but delusion and snare2 When
we rely upon the guarantees of the
national constitution, do we lean up
on a broken reedY If so announce
the policy boldly and acquit us of fur
ther effort.
When the amendments to the con-
stitution were adopted it could not be
expected that the colored race would
from a condition of slavery to
one of intelligent citizenship imme-
diately. There must of necessity be
some lapse of years before the negro
could take his place as an intelligent
factor in the body polite; but in the
interval he must be educated to the
of the right granted him,
md no sort of bull-dozing will ac-
'omplish this object Intelligence has
lever been made a requirement of
citizenship, the only requisites be-
ng race and patriotism, and the
ormer was abolished by the amend
nents passed after the war. Full
privileges as citizens have been
ranted our colored people, and there
) every reason that the law should be
nforced by the full power of the gov
rnment if necessary. 1t is disgrace
o our free institutions and the chiv-
lric spirit of the south that the
1ost cowardly and cruel means should
e used to destroy the Republican
ote in that portion of the country.
Ve are glad to notice that the leading
Democratic papers in some of the
outhern states have boldly denounced
be methods in use, and there is hope
hat in a few years public sentiment /;
7ill demand equal protection for the
allot to all classes and races in every
tate of the union.