April 15, 1863, Daily Mississippian (Jackson, Mississippi)
Jackson–Its Public Streets–The Negroes, Bond and Free–Nuisances–a Suggestion.
To Editor Mississippian: Jackson, like all other cities, has its public and private evils, that require the waters of purification, the hand of correction, and the pruning hook of reformation. While there are portions of this, the Metropolis of our State, evincing the presence of refined and elegant taste, homes of neatness and of comfort surrounded with the silent evidence of intelligent cultivation, “shrubberies that Shenstone might have envied,” and–
“Flowers rich in hue, and many of their class;”
while her citizens are courteous, and upon all occasions evince a proper and strongly developed local pride, yet he whose business or pleasure calls him at any hour of the day along either of the two great thoroughfares leading from the Capitol to the New Orleans and Jackson Railroad Depot, must, if a Mississippian, blush for shame of the chief city of his proud State, and if a stranger, pity and execrate the miserable meanness of the authorities of a really pleasant city, who quietly permit these two streets to remain in a condition not only next to impassable, but dangerous to the existence of any thing on wheels, and imminently threatening the safety of the necks of those who attempt to pass through them in any vehicle.
We have seen, the public have seen, every body has seen, poor, badly conditioned horses, oxen and mules, vainly laboring under the ruthless lash of unfeeling drivers, to pass through the almost “bottomless pits” that abound at the lower end of these streets. We have seen these animals, and even fine young horses, fall down utterly exhausted, in the vain attempt to pass these “Stygian pools, these “Sloughs of Despond.” We have seen them lying prone bleeding at the nose, and we believe rendered comparatively useless ever after by their struggles and throes through the deep mud and mire of these streets. And while our feelings for the poor dumb servants of ungrateful man were keenly aroused, these uncomplaining creatures, ever ready to do his bidding, and lashed even in their attempt to do it, we have been greeted by the smiling face of some respectable “city father,” who quietly looked on, seeming even to enjoy the disgusting scene; while, at the same time, our ears were saluted with deserved slurs from stranger lips on “Mississippi and Mississippians,” and the want of public spirit in Jackson, a city that permits the existence of a nuisance which the meanest little Mugginsville in their own State would not tolerate for a day. These things are unpleasant and humiliating, but they are sadly too true, and if the caustic of public opinion will not burn out the lethargy that allows this state of things to remain, and demand from the authorities the application of the city funds to city improvements, Jackson will become a byword and reproach to every man, woman and child that live in it.
State and city pride, wisdom, respectability, safety of the life and limbs of those who ride, humanity, ALL demand that the disgraceful condition of these two streets be improved, and the highway made passable. If these influences are impotent with the city “powers that be,” for God’s sake let the improvement be made; and if our respected city fathers are a Godless set, then let them be compelled to drive in weak springed hacks three times a day from the capitol to the Confederate House and back. If they don’t act, after that experiment, “Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone”–elect new men who will do their duty.
“The negroes have taken Jackson–horse, foot, and dragoons,” was remarked by a friend of our as we walked along one of the fashionable promenades of Jackson a day or two ago. He was a South Carolinian, accustomed to the respectful deportment and subordination of the slave population of that excellent State. His remark was elicited by a group of well dressed negroes, who, arm in arm, were striding along the pavement, smoking cigars, talking and swearing, loud and deep, and perfectly oblivious of the proximity of Caucasian blood. Several times during our walk we saw those civilized descendants of Ham mimicing the air of foppish whites, and carelessly indifferent to the presence of any but “colored gemmen.” Indeed no man can be in Jackson twenty-four hours without censuring the insolence of our negro population. Everybody remarks it. Servants swell along our streets, giving the sidewalk to no one, hardly touching the hat when addressed, and scarcely yielding the way even to ladies. It is becoming as great a nuisance as any of the city has to endure, and if not corrected will lead to the demoralization of the slave himself, and call out from the white man the exercise of that personal chastisement always to be deprecated. The best servants are those kept under proper restraint. Remove that restraint and leave the negro to himself and he becomes a nuisance, and it would redound as much to the well being of the slave as to the good of the city to not only prescribe a line of conduct for him at home and abroad, but to designate a style of dress suited to his condition. Jackson should learn a lesson on this head from her ancient and honorable sister, Charleston, of South Carolina. The streets and the negroes–these two, let them be corrected.
Observer.