The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-08-29
CARPETBAGGERS HAD TO CO
How Old Mississippi Was Wrest-
ed From a Black Death.
NEGROES IN HIGH OFFICES
Even to the acknowledgements The
lamented Lamar's Appeal For Votes
and,a Young Lads Promise.

The words were spoken by young
man whose age could not have been
more than IS, and the stress he laid upon
the latter half of the sentence would in
dictate that ha had just cause for taking
the side Of the masses In the political
field.
why are you proud OF being a demo-
crat?" asked an elderly gentleman,
whose clothes and manner indicated he
was not of the south.
Wei. SIR said the young man, II am
a Mississippian,. and if you will indulge
me for short time will tell you lit
tie of what know of the days that
tried mems souls.
1.-THE first I knsw of politics was when
school boy Of 10 and just beginning to
realize that I had been put in this world
for purpose. One day accompanied
friend to Jackson, the capital of the
state. We went to the state house and
walked into the gallery of the lower
branch Of the legislature. Imagine my
horror at discovering more than a ma
jority of the members of that body to be
negroes. Yes, sir, negroes whose looks
indicated that they -wsre ignorant and
better fitted for the pillow handles than
the halls of the legislative chamber of
the state.
Il asked my companion why the ne
groes ware there, ard his answer was:
By the suffrage of a people powerless
to prevent it. I noticed the sad tone in
which he answered me, and 1 put the
question to him: is there no remedy
for this curse?' Yes he exclaimed in
tone of desperation there is a remedy
and we will take advantage of IT,
''The next place visited was the upper
house, Or senate chamber. Here my
blood fairly boiled when L beheld a cop
per colcred negro seated in the most ex-
allied seat in that body, a gavel in hand
My instinct tod me he was the head of
that body.
" Who is that nan?' asked. That is
Lieut.. Gov. Davis. said my companion.
aye GODS I cried aloud, forgetting
for this moment whore was. is this
disgrace to remain always upon white
men" My words were evidently heard
by the official, and 1 soon noticed him in
earnest conversation with man who
shortly thereafter came into tbs gallery
and asked my companion and 1 to re-
tire. We did SO, but my parting look at
the negro who occupied the second high
est place in the gift of the peopl4 of my
state seemed to penetrate deep, as I had
occasion to know afterward.
I'VE returned to our hons, in east Mis-
sfssippi, and soon the memorable cam
paign of '76 was on; the campaign in
which the sovereign rights of the people
of the United States, like those of my
hons state, were ignored and brushed
aside, as it were, and a man not the
choice of the people was placed in the
presidential chair. Samuel ]. Tilden, the
'noblest Roman of them ALL was robbed
OF this office to which more than a ma
jority of the people had called him.
"As the campaign progressed the fight
times when the women of the state fear
ed to go ont of their houses after night
fall, and as for Sunday night services
at the churches. it was for the time be-
ing al thing of the past. Talk of a reign
of terror! Never in the history of tbs
world, perhaps, has there been another
such time as was experienced by the
white men of Mississippi during that
m norable campaign.
zone day, while was in Macon, Miss,
theme was democratic meeting, and the
orator of the day, ait the invitation of
the young democracy of old Noxubee,
under whose auspices the meeting was
held, was the honored and lamented La
mar. How well can recall the gran
deurNof the eloquent appeal of that man
whom all Mississippians loved and re-
Yered-an appeal which rang loud and
clear, and in no uncertain tones told the
men of the downtrodden state that the
hour of their deliverance was at hand.
we want votes, he cried. We want
votes he repeated. In the excitement
of the moment, and recalling in the
twinkling of an eye the seems at Jack
son, jumped from my seat and ex-
claimed moro loudly than did the old
leader, BY the gods, you shall have
themr
Naturally was the observed of all,
and for a moment the speaker was forced
ito pause. SO great was the applause.
Now, go to work, you older heads, and
take this youngsters word as slogan
ard let your wa'tchword be, Never de-
Did we give him our votes? Well, I
should say SO. The hour of Mississippis
bondage-a bondage far worse ahan
deauh-had arrived, and when the returns
from the horse mails were in the grand
old state had been wrested from the
llarIds OF the Philistines and given to her
fathers, the rightful owners of the soil.
"'You may ask why the words just used?
Pardon me ff tire you, but the story can
be told in few words.
when bull a little boy I remember the
negro as he was-a steady, sober, indus
drious person. There were few who were
not reliable They were good citizens,
even though they had been but recently