MISSISSIPPI. 



513 



stitution, the convention finished its platform 

 with a resolve that a committee of five bo ap- 

 pointed to prepare an address to the people of 

 the State, " explanatory of the principles and 

 views which govern this organization." 



An address to the Democratic Associations of 

 the State of Mississippi, signed by John D. Free- 

 man, chairman of the Executive Committee, 

 was published on the 27th of April, reiterating 

 in the strongest language the sentiments which 

 animated the party in this political campaign, 



and "eternal vigilance" to " defeat the Radical 

 constitution now, and succeed in the presiden- 

 tial contest," and so "preserve the present 

 constitution and laws." A plan of organiza- 

 tion, including a constitution and set of by- 

 laws, was framed, and submitted to the county 

 associations for their acceptance. It was de- 

 clared that the Republican organization was 

 " secret and oath-bound," and under its " bale- 

 ful influence " the negroes might be made to 

 sanction a "fearful crime against themselves 

 and the superior race on which they depend 

 for all that is valuable in life." "It is the 

 mission of the Democratic party as now organ- 

 ized," the address continues, "to save them 

 from political suicide and the Government from 

 absolute overthrow. 



" Then let the lovers of liberty assemble, or- 

 ganize, and prepare for the great work before 

 them. There is a registered majority of seven- 

 teen thousand votes to overcome in this State 

 it was that majority that elected the present 

 military convention by negro votes they will 

 soon put forth a constitution for the disfran- 

 chisement, impoverishment, and degradation 

 of the white race let the foreign invader and 

 the domestic foe feel the power of those they 

 seek to destroy." 



Another convention was called by the State 

 Central Committee, to meet, on the 12th of 

 May, at the capital. The convention met ac- 

 cordingly, and determined to nominate candi- 

 dates to be voted for at the approaching elec- 

 tion, but declared that such candidates should 

 be "nominated with a view to secure the defeat 

 of the constitution, and with reference to the 

 preservation of the honor of Mississippi and 

 the maintenance of the constitutional freedom 

 of her people, disregarding any tests of qualifi- 

 cation whatever not prescribed in the present 

 constitution of Mississippi and of the United 

 States." The Democracy of the several coun- 

 ties were called upon to disregard local ques- 

 tions and personal considerations, and unite 

 their energies for the election of men of "un- 

 questioned fidelity to the social and political 

 institutions of the State." ~With regard to the 

 presidential election, the following was adopt- 

 ed: 



^ That inasmuch as there is strong ground for be- 

 lief that the aforesaid constitution will be rejected by 

 the people of this State, and that they will not there- 

 fore be permitted to participate in the presidential 

 election, it is deemed inexpedient to nominate can- 

 didates for presidential electors at the present time, 

 VOL. vni. 33 A 



but, if necessity should hereafter arise for such action 

 the power is hereby vested in the State Executive 

 Committee to make the said nominations, or to reas- 

 semble this convention for that purpose, us shall bo 

 deemed expedient. 



The zeal of the Democrats was not wholly 

 expended in State conventions and addresses 

 to the associations, but mass meetings were 

 held in all parts of the state, and the ablest 

 men of the party were put into the field to 

 rouse up the people to hostility against the 

 new constitution. Meantime the canvass was 

 carried on by the Republicans in the constitu- 

 tional convention, and through an organization, 

 said to be more or. less secret in its character, 

 known as the " Loyal League." In an address 

 to the freedmen of Mississippi, published in 

 June, the Democratic Executive Committee 

 denounced this Loyal League, and warned the 

 freedmen to have nothing to do with it. It 

 was organized, they declared, by James Lynch, 

 a colored preacher from Philadelphia, "as an 

 oath-bound, secret, religious* society," and all 

 the members were sworn to vote the Repub- 

 lican ticket. This address to the freedmen 

 closes with this paragraph : 



Freedmen of Mississippi, look before you leap. 

 There is an awful gulf now yawning before you. 

 The vote you may cast in this election may be de- 

 cisive of your fate. If you abandon the people with 

 whom you have ever lived and who now invite you 

 to their protection for the future, you cast your des- 

 tiny with an enemy between whom and us there is 

 eternal war. The system of plunder and robbery 

 they have inaugurated hy their convention proceed- 

 ings can never be indorsed by any people. The 

 entire products of the earth and the industry of the 

 people cannot support the burdens they_ impose. The 

 State and all its interests will wither in their hands 

 and become as sterile and denuded as the sands of 

 Sahara. 



An order was issued from the military head- 

 quarters at Yicksburg, on the 19th of May, 

 giving full directions with regard to effecting a 

 registration of the qualified electors of the 

 State, and laying down the rules to be observed 

 in the conduct of the election, which was to 

 be held on the 22d and following days of June. 

 Precautions were taken to prevent fraud and 

 preserve the peace, by the following sections 

 of the order : 



7. None hut registered voters will he permitted to 

 challenge the right of others to vote, and no challenge 

 except as to residence and identity will be entertained. 

 While it is the imperative duty of the commissioners 

 to do their utmost to insure the purity of the election, 

 care must be taken to prevent the abuse of the right 

 to challenge hy evil-disposed persons, who may de- 

 sire to impede the election. 



8. The sheriff 'of each county is made responsible 

 for the preservation of good order, and the perfect 

 freedom of the ballot at the various election precincts 

 in the county. To this end he will appoint a deputy 

 who shall be duly qualified under the laws of the 

 State for each precinct in the county, who will he 

 required to he present at the place of voting during 

 the whole time the election is being held. The said 

 deputies will promptly and fully obey every demand 

 made upon their official services, in preserving the 

 peace and good order, by the commissioners of elec- 

 tion. Sheriffs, in making their appointments, will 

 exercise great care to select men whom they know 



