Natchez Weekly Democrat, Sep 21, 1867

Natchez Weekly Democrat, Sep 21, 1867

RADICAL STATE CONVENTION.

This body, composed of bad men, misguided men, interlopers after lucre, and negroes, met on Monday, September 10, at Jackson.

Col. Duggan, of Vicksburg, who has the official United States printing, moved Alston Mygatt of Vicksburg into the chair, and George C. McKee, Registrar in Bankruptcy, into the Secretary’s seat.

Among the prominent members from the Southern section of the State, were Richard Cooper, of Rankin, (alas, how fallen!) Mr. Castello, of Natchez; L. W. Perce, Registrar in Bankruptcy; Chas. W. Fitzhugh, a sprightly and intelligent mulatto from Natchez; A. Alderson, of Fayette; Rev. Mr. Jacobs, colored, of Natchez, who was for excluding everybody not delegates from the floor of the house; and Josh. S. Morris, of considerable notoriety in Claiborne county, and who before and early in the war was noted as a most rampant secessionist, as he is now one of the most violent and vindictive of Radicals. On the latter’s motion, each committee was directed to be selected of an equal number of whites and negroes.

Mr. Alderson, of Fayette, had the dishonor of being selected as permanent presiding officer of this tar and molasses convention, assisted by a negro as Vice President; Mr. Registrar McKee, of Vicksburg, assisted by a very likely darkey, Henry Mayson, was confirmed in the Secretariat.

Josh. Morris was chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, with several associates; the earliest on the list being Mr. Perce, Registrar in Bankruptcy, and Chas. W. Fitzhugh. Certainly Natchez cannot complain; her white Radicals, and their colored associates, having a full share of the honors.

Speeches were made by Mr. Flournoy, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Castello, M. T. Newsom, a Captain Pease, and others. The flow of eloquence from white and black seems to have been interrupted by a rude motion of some naughty member, who proposed to put the word “colored” on the minutes after each black man’s name; whereupon James Lynch, a darkeyed brother, proposed to put the color of each delegate’s hair also on the minutes. The white brethren forgetting to amend by appointing a committee to examine whether it was not “wool” instead of “hair,” and to report accordingly, the Convention wisely concluded to lay that subject on the table, and proceed to make a platform, which they did, and here it is in black and white:

1. Resolved, That we do most cordially approve all the principles of the National Republican party.

2. Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to keep step with the National Republican party in all its progressive political reforms of the age.

3. Resolved, That we heartily adopt as our own the plan laid down by Congress for the reconstruction of Mississippi.

4. Resolved, That we will spare no pains or influence in our power to give free education to every child in Mississippi, and the ballot to every man not disfranchised for crimes including treason.

5. Resolved, That in neither education, the ballot or other civil or political right, will we ever recognize any distinction of race or color.

6. Resolved, That honesty industry is in all respects honorable, and shall always be protected and encouraged.

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