The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-02-03
EPIsT.LE FROM GEN.
ALCORN.
He is going to Stand Byhi. Radieql friends
From the Kinds County Gazette.
FRIAR's PoINT, MISSISSIPPI.
January Sth, 1870.

/
/ From the Kinds County Gazette.
FRIAR's PoIxT, MISSISSIPPI,
January Sth, 1870.
4 Hon Geo. ". HaPer, Raymond, Miss,
DEAR SIR: have much pleasure In ac
knowledging the receipt of your letter o
the 9th ultimo. The delay that has takeI
| place in discharging duty so agreeable ha'
been occasioned by my absence from home
| The personal memories which your lettel
| awakes are amongst those which hold mos
! pleasant. Our Intercourse has always been
| that of friendship fact whose obligations
IN every instance of its existence between
my old associates and myself consider due
| 10 my sincerity as man TO permit no con-
| scientious differences of opinion to ever i'm
| pair.
The Wing school of thought is, as you
| suppose, that to which / belong. In this
/ have no more voice than yourself or any
| other man whose mental individuality is OF
sufficient force TO keep his thinking in har-
mony with his moral and intellectual cast
/ Many men are, it is true, found in religion,
in morals, and in politics, out of the associ-
alton proper to their natures. But men OF
| originality are thrown together, and after
| divergenceS of passion must, in the end.
come again together, in their thinking, by
| that inherent power of community OF
| thought which constitutes the vital princi-
| pie of party. Confident in the operation OF
| iations, / entered on my present course
| counting positively, as still do, on the ul-
innate support of every man who had lever
been in heart and soul Wing"
But the Wing party, as such, is dead as
Henry Clay. do not Contemplate the folly of
attempting its resuscitatioA. am man Of
the day. Accepting things as find them in
actual existence, 90 on to the reconstrue-
ton of party new to the politics of Mis-
sissippi, a party which, applying the Old
mode n fhOnOhf "A l.
together new, shall be found, with new idea :,
instinct with physical life.
No partisan spirit of the past governs me
in my present relations with men. The pro-
gressive and the conservative temper proper
to wise dealing with the fact around us, is
one that may be well supposed TO embrace
large masses of men who have been consci-
entious supporters of the old Democracy. L
look confidently for the cooperation of
these in the ranks of Republicanism
which, while in harmony with that of the
North and West, shall be rGcy Of the soil Of
the South. And in proof of the correctness
of this expectation | may cite the fact that,in
my recent canvass some of my most earnest
supporters had been lifelong Democrats
w lille we remember that it was Alr. Cal
hOun who insisted that the Union should be
held subject to dissolution, we should not
forget that it was Gen. Jackson who said
that it ''nnust and will be preserved"
The views present here when coupled with
place you in possession of my opinions fully.
If any further informatian on the points you
and your friends raise be necessary Tor their
guidance and yours, L shall be happy to give
il without reserve. / may add now, howev-
er, that | have no hesitation in giving the
assurance you ask fOr-the assurance that /
'.hold out the olive branch" to the old
Wings of Mississippi and give it, in pres
ence offender memories, with an outgoing
of my heart.
''to hold OUT l hold out to all good citizens.
hold it out to not only old Wings, but with
equal sincerity to old Democrats who stand
ready TO join my ..palty in good faith on the
Republican principles OF universal educa-
ton, universal suffrage, and the equality be-
fore the law. l aIn ready to hold both those
classes of good men and true, as you say
your friends wish to be held, ''brethren In
the common cause of restoring Mississippi
to the Union'-uuder the banner Of RepU6H
cdniSm.
Il certainly have mo enemies to punish"
| wish it, however, distinctly understood,
that have, on the other hand, large num-
Der of friends to reward" If they shall
not be found to have the last claim on me,
they certainly shall be found to have the
first.
In the late contest 1 inquired not where
the man battling at my side was born. 1
asked him not when he came into the State.
| shall not entertain any such questions now.
During IndC struggle ulQ not pause To LOOK
into the face OF the man who fought under
the banner that l bore and still bear, to as
certain the color of his skin. MY very
manliness would protest any such discrimi
nation in the distribution of the prizes of
war which that man has done so much to
win. Those who stood by me in the hour of
trial. old Wings or old Democrats, whites or
blacks, Northern men or Southern men, l
shall stand by now, taking their devotion in
that trial as proof against all questions Of
faction, color or nativity.
My personal devotion to my friends is,
however, not the only consideration that
shall guide me in my distribution of patron
age. 1t must operate within the limits of
my duty to the best interests of the State,
the protection of free labor. and the CONSOLE
dation of the Republican party of Missis-
sippi.
The colored man is opposed politically by
the great mass of the social influence opera
ting on his material interests. This state of
things is one very much to be regretted on
every hand and is, furthermore, one that,
in the nature of things, cannot be expected TO
last. Here, then, find food for thought
Shall [, now that the freedom of the colOred
people is settled forever. stand listlessly by
acItile they 90 Orer to the influences surround
ing their every day life? Or shall 1. in an
ticipation of that result, take action under
which those influences shall be led to come OCer
to him? AS Republican l can have no
doubt in this case, as to the choice of a wise
fOrethOught. In pursuance OF that fore
thought, all undaZZled as l am by the great
victory of the party, l have determined in
applying considerations of party policy to
questions of Office to encourage such over
lures of honest support as you make, so far
and mind you, only so far-as l may do so
without violation of this fixed general rule
of my conduct-nerer TO abandon the man leho
stood By me in the day Of trial.
Wishing to deceive no man, have sought
to answer your letter fully and frankly. In
doing so hope j shall have met the reason
able expectations, and conciliated the con-
scientious opinions of yourself and your
friends. By my honesty in dealing here
with them, / challenge their honesty in deal
ing with me, and expect that, if they come
over TO me, they will do so in perfect good
faith as members Of the great Republican party
of the State and Nation. Whether / may
have the qualification of witnessing the ac-
cession of such influential supporters to the
ranks of republicanfsm or not, assure you
sincerely Of the great pleasure that 1 feel at
the pI aspect of that accession.
Very respectfully and truly, your friend,
j. /. ALCORN.
From North mississippi.