458 



MISSISSIPPI. 



abhorrence. That policy consists not only in the 

 continual advocacy of proscription, but, in a time of 

 profound peace, such revolutionary doctrines as excite 

 and direct against the "white men of the South and 

 their families a most dangerous animosity, such ani- 

 mosity, indeed, which, with continuation of the same 

 fuel, would inevitably lead to a black man's party 

 and a war of races. 



Neither are such doctrines preached with an honest 

 desire to ameliorate the condition of the freedmen, or 



Rromote the ends of peace, or strengthen the Kepub- 

 can party in the South, but solely to alienate from 

 the planter the time-honored confidence and affection 

 of this race, in order that the new political element, 

 under the banner of Kepublicanism, might be entirely 

 controlled and subordinated to their own purposes 

 of power and aggrandizement ; and to this class of 

 men, whom you foiled in their attempt to force upon 

 the people of Mississippi the odious constitution, re- 

 jected at the ballot-box, you now give the hand of 

 fellowship and support, and spurn from you that 

 other class who, accepting the invitation of the 

 Kepublican party, in good faith, came en masse in 

 Virginia and Tennessee, as they will come in Missis- 

 sippi and Texas, to stand upon its platform and 

 advocate its principles. 



The nominating convention was held at 

 Jackson on the 8th of September, and con- 

 sisted of 320 delegates, representing forty coun- 

 ties. The principles set forth in the platform 

 of June 23d were reaffirmed, and two resolu- 

 tions added, to the following effect : 



That we announce ourselves in favor of a liberal 

 system of free schools, and of such equitable distri- 

 bution of the public school funds as may secure the 

 largest degree of harmony and good feeling among all 

 classes of our citizens. 



That we cordially invite the immigration of capi- 

 talists and manufacturers into our State, and pledge 

 ourselves to such legislation as shall most effectually 

 protect and foster all the industrial pursuits of our 

 State, and thoroughly develop all its resources. 



The nominations to State offices were as 

 follows: For Governor, Louis Dent; Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor, E. Jeffords; Secretary of 

 State, Thomas Sinclair; Auditor of Public 

 Accounts, A. W. Wills; State Treasurer, 

 Joseph McCloy; Attorney-General, Eobert 

 Lowry ; Superintendent of Public Instruction, 

 Thomas S. Gathright. Mr. Sinclair, the candi- 

 date for Secretary of State, was a colored 

 citizen. 



The radical Republicans of the State, or, 

 as they styled themselves, " the Republicans of 

 Mississippi," held their first convention on the 

 2d of July, and adopted a platform of principles 

 consisting of no less than seventeen resolutions, 

 in which they by no means supported the 

 position taken by Mr. Eggleston and his associ- 

 ates in the preceding winter. The first seven 

 declarations of the platform were as follows : 



1. Unfaltering devotion to the Union, first, last, 

 and forever. 



2. Faith in and fidelity to the principles, objects, 

 and aims, of the great National Republican party, 

 with which, and with the President and Congress, 

 we are in full accord and sympathy. 



m 3. A fair, impartial, just, and economical admin- 

 istration of the Government, national and State. 



4. Full and unrestricted right of speech to all men 

 at all times and at all places, with the most complete 

 and unrestrained freedom of the ballot, including pro- 

 tection to citizens in the exercise of the suffrage. 



5. A system of free schools which shall place the 

 means of liberal education within the reach of every 

 child in the State. 



6. Eeformation of the iniquitous and unequal tax- 

 ation and assessments which, discriminating against 

 laborers and labor, have borne so unjustly and un- 

 equally upon the people. 



7. That all men, without regard to race, color, or 

 previous condition, are equal before the law, and 

 that to be a freeman is to possess all the civil and 

 political rights of a citizen, are not only enduring 

 truths but the settled and permanent doctrines of the 

 Kepublican party. 



The eighth recognized but two great national 

 parties, under the rule of one of which the 

 "material and industrial resources of the 

 country will languish," while under the other 

 the people of Mississippi will be " rich, pros- 

 perous and contented." 



The ninth favors the removal of political 

 disabilities as soon as "the spirit of toleration 

 now dawning upon our State shall be so 

 firmly established as to warrant Congress" 

 in declaring them at an end. 



The tenth is as follows : 



10. That the present modified condition of public 

 sentiment in this State renders it wise and expedi- 

 ent that the Kepublican party should embrace the 

 opportunity, which is to be presented in the ap- 

 proaching election, of ratifying the new constitution, 

 so far modified, in the franchise and general provi- 

 sions thereof, as to conform to the Constitution of 

 the United States, and the reconstruction laws ; and 

 that, as Mississippi shall be fully reconstructed ac- 

 cording to the true intent of the laws, all disabilities 

 imposed upon the late rebels should be entirely 

 removed. 



Then, after recommending the adoption of 

 the fifteenth amendment of the Federal Consti- 

 tution, declaring in favor of universal amnesty 

 and universal suffrage, and inviting immigra- 

 tion to the State, the convention gives utterance 

 to its approval of the Administration of Presi- 

 dent Grant, its confidence in and admiration 

 for General Ames, and its belief that Congress 

 is " the assembled wisdom and expressed will 

 of the nation." 



On the 23d of August, the radical Execu- 

 tive Committee issued an address to the people, 

 calling upon them to support these principles 

 and cooperate with the party. Their nomi- 

 nating convention met on the 30th of Septem- 

 ber, and adopted the following ticket: For 

 Governor, James L. Alcorn; Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, R. C. Powers; Secretary of State, 

 James Lynch; Auditor of Public Accounts, 

 Henry Musgrove ; State Treasurer, William H. 

 Yasser; Attorney-General, Joshua S. Morris; 

 Superintendent of Public Instruction, Henry 

 R. Pease. 



A platform was also adopted, made up of the 

 leading declarations ot that already given. 



The Democrats did not enter into the cam- 

 paign as a distinct party opposed to those 

 which had already taken the field, but a large 

 proportion of those citizens who had formerly 

 acted with that party joined the forces of the 

 Conservative Republicans. On the 5th of 

 August an address to the people was published, 



