Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-02-05
LETTER FROM GEN. ALCORN.

To the Editors OF the Clarion:
GENTLEMEN. In your daily issue OF
yesterday appears what purports to be a
report, /" in substance" of the speech
made by me before the Legislature on
the evening of the 25th inst.
1t could not reasonably be expected
that a clear idea of my address of two
hours could be gathered from report
covering no more than column and a
half in your paper; that this compress.
sion would present me in rambling and
disjointed form, might be expected. 1t
is not of this that / complain, but that in
several material points, am radically
msconslrued. know this was not in
tended believe the Clarion is ready
to do me at least justice. l now ask you
to insert this correction on some of the
more important points, so that my cor
rection shall appear in your weekly issue
side by side with the report made.
| am represented as having said that
preferred political affiliation with the
Radicals North, to coalition with the
Democrats in the same section; here lies
an error in the report. | expressly ad-
vised against any coalition or affiliation
with any political party or faction North.
/ said that the Democrats, like all other
men North, had fought US in person and
by substitute, and so far as their course
towards us in the late struggle was con-
cerned, they were known to us only as
our enemies. That | would not look at
any question or party in its relation to
the dead past; that my face was to
the future; that / was now searching
for our lost liberty, that we might
once more rise to the dignity of free
men in a permanently restored Gov
ernment; that, looking to the future
without prejudice, what hope had we
in the Democratic party2 that it was
poor, and not able to take care of its
Northern friends; that it had been routed
in every conflict with the young and
growing Republican party; that its issues
were dead issues; that the party was
stronger to-day than it would ever be
again; that for that party there was no
resurrection, and even if it had power,
what inducement did it offer the people
of Mississippi as reason for the resto-
ration of former alliances? The mem
bers of that party had voted unanimous
In in Congress against striking out the
third section of the constitutional amend
ment. They had voted unanimously
that treason was crime, and traitors
ought to be punished; this vote, as all
knew, was in reference to Southern
people. They hadall voted in Congress,
all, except four, against Mr. Schencks s
resolution to apportion representation
according to the number of male citizens
having the qualification requisite for the
most numerous branch of the Legisla-
ture, which resolution, had it passed,
would have increased the representative
power of the South, in this, that while
the South would have lost representation
for four million of blacks, the North
would have lost representation for ten
million of foreigners. Finally, that the
Democratic party at the North had no
mower to help us, if they would, and
their record showed that they would not,
if they could.
Next | spoke of the sections of the
Constitutional Amendment sertdtim.
OF the second section, said The Con-
stitution as it now exists gives the South
full representation for all her blacks,
that the same Constitution gave us while
these blacks were slaves, representation
for but three-ffths Could we expect to
go back to. Congress stronger than when
we came away Could we hope for an
increase of political power as a resalt Of
the war? And could we contend for
this increased representation when by
every Southern State constitution, the
/ 81 q
tion in the apportionment OF representa-
tion. As the question now stood we denied
fiat the negro should be represented IN
,he political power of the State Govern
ment. How could we contend, with the
hone of success, that the negro should be
comnuted in estimating the representa-
tive mower of the United States Govern
In speaking of the Amendment as
whole. | said: That / was opposed to It's
adoption-that it was submitted to us
upon the simple question Of its merit )
that no Southern man could vote lor II
in this form-that there was no induce,
ment. But that II the Constitutional
Amendment was submitted to the South
In the form Of final adjustment OF al
questions in the way OF restoration,
then the question Of its adoption was
another and a different one-it then be-
came question Of diplomacy, ques-
ton Of expediency, and in this spirit |
bsd no hesitation In declaring my
willingness 10 adopt st once, the
6rst second, fourth and fifth sec.
tions of that amendment and
stood ready to debate the justice and
the propriety Of the third but that II
= iori- in The spirit Of q inahty that