Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-01-22
An Eloquent Tribute Paid to that Instru-
ment and the Position of The
Leader Endorsed.
CoRsI CANA, TEX, Jan. 10, 1895.

with humiliation the notice of contest
filed by A. M. Newman vs.. j. G. Spen-
Ger as published in The LEADER of the
1st inst. Your comments were not in
appropriately entitled, "Toying with
Dynamite" After years of the most
anxious solicitude and earnest endeav-
or, the political side of the race ques-
ton, at least, was peaceably solved,
solved peaceably, legally and honestly.
A result, which the most sanguipe
dreamer few years back scarce dared
to hope for, was achieved without jar
or jostle, aud the grand old Ship of
State, with all sails set, proudly tloated
in quiet where erstwhile the breakers
Numbered. We were ready to move
on to other reforms The outside pres
sure no longer kept the whites solidi-
fed, enduring wrongs and permitting
abuses, not daring to attack them,
fearing thereby, that greater evil
would come upon them by reason of
the dissensions engendered. The white
people did not dare to organize politi-
cal parties except upon the one line of
white supremacy, which then meant
Democratic ascendancy.
The constitution given Mississippi
in 1890, is entitled to a place with the
great State papers of all ages and of
all nations. 1t deserves place along
side the Magma Charta, the Bill of
Rights, the Declaration of Independ-
ence and the Omaha platform. 1t ac-
complished what few men thought was
a possibility,-the peaceful allotment
of each to its own sphere of two races
dwelling side by side with the same po-
litical and civil rights, and SO differ
ent in all else, whether of natural en-
dowment or acquired capacity. To
touch it with hostile hand is little short
of sacrilege-it is handling of the ark
by unsanctified hands.
The old regime was responsible for
nearly the entire catalogue of ills and
crimes suffered in Mississippi and by
Mississippians, since the day the bars
and stars floated for the last time in
the high places of the battle. Political
corruption, personal degradation, the
lost sense of honor, the corpse of chiv-
airy, all find common roofing and
draw common sustenance from the
conditions which necessitated ''white
line" democracy.
That nightmare over, the pressure of
thumb-screw removed, the bed of Pro-
crustes destroyed, the white people
we're once more free. The intellectual
shackles were broken. Crime was no
longer justifiable because necessity.
Populism under the conditions which
existed from 1875 to 1890, was an i'm
possibility. The preservation of home
and an Anglo Saxon civilization was
vastly more important than who should
issue the money of the nation, and how
much "per capita" there should be. 1t
was a question whether there would be
any 'capita."
AS one who, over the bloody and
mangled corpses of Martin and Gam
brell, martyrs to the old system, swore
eternal enmity to the Democratic par.
ty because it regarded assassination as
a legitimate political argument, have
the right to plain speech. would be
a recreant and a renegade if l did not
speak in uncertain tones. These con
tests are wrong. Not only so, but are
blunders, which are said to be worse
than crimes. No party can succeed
and no party ought to succeed, which
would turn back the hand of reform
on the dial plate of time, and plunge
us once more into that night of horror
from whence we have emerged with
fear and trembling, as one who passes
through the valley of the shadow Of
death, where Gods blessed sunlight
never comes with comfort and cheer
No temporary partisan advantage car
justify such crime against civiliza
tion.
Again, if it could be done and hat
no moral turpitude to befoul the act, il
is poor politics. In fraud, in the ma
nipulation of the floating and purchas
able vote, the Democrats could give VI
cut. shuttle and deal and beat us in The
game. They could catch our Jack
with only one lead. To meet them il
a contest when fraud would "judge thu
strife" is as wise as for a wren to seel
on wearied wing to reach, and with it:
feeble breath blow out the sun. or fol-
pack of Digger Indians to charge {
fortress from whose frowning crests
Krupp guns look out in eager search
for victims and behind whose protect
ing earth works lie seasoned veterans
armed with machine guns charged tt
the muzzle.
We have enough to overcome in meet
ing the false charges of unscrupulous
enemies; and if to those are added 8
truth so damning as an effort to re
store anarchy in Mississippi; then fare
well, Hope-welcome, Despair. The
letters will be bound closer. Resist