Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-10-19
REvELS VS.. BOUTWELL,.

"
Revels, the colored ex-United States
Senator from Mississippi, is as unim-
peached as that Of Senator Boutwell,
Against the recent garbled. unfair and
false presentment Of alleged facts made
by the Massachusetts, Senator touching
the last election in Mississippi, it is
sufficient to set the facts, as attested by
Senator Revels, who was present in
Miss. before and during the election, and
could not but be aware of every thing
that transpired. The letter was. writ
ten and published few days after the
Democratic victory was assured, and
unquestionably accounts for the great
change in the vote since the preced.
ing contest. 1t is as follows:
HOLLY SPRINGS, Nov.7, 1875.
To has Ercehency y. S. Grant, Presi-
dent Of the United States:
Mr. DEAR SIR: In view of the re-
suits of the recent election in our State,
| have determined to write you letter
convassing the situation, and giving nv
views thereon. will premise by say
ing that am no politician, though hav-
ing been honored by seat in the Uni
ted States Senate. inever have sought
political prefcrment nor do ask it now,
but am engaged in my calling Uhc min
istry), and feeling an earnest desire tor
the welfare Of all the people, irrespec-
tive of race or color, / have deemed il
advisable to submit to you, for consid-
Grafton, few thoughts in regard to the
political situation in this State. Since
'feconstxucfon, the masses Of my peo-
pie have been, as it were, enslaved
in mind by unprincipled adventurers
who, caring nothing for the country,
were willing to stoop to anything, no
matter how Infamous, to secure power
to themselves and perpetuate it. My
people are naturally Republicans, but
as they grow older in freedom so do
they wisdom. A greatportion ofthem
have learned that they were being
used as mere tools, and as in the late
election, not being able to correct the
existing evils among themselves, they
determined, by casting their ballots
against these unprincipled adventures,
tooverthrow them. My people have been
told by the schemers, when men were
placed upon the ticket who were no.
toriously corrupt and dishonest, that
they must vote for them; that the saliva
tion Of the party depended upon it.;
that the man who scratced a ticket
was not Republican. This is only
one of the many means these malignant
demagogues have devised to perpetuate
the intellectual bondage of my people.
To defeat this policy at the late cleo
ton, men, irrespective Of race or party
affiliation. united and voted together
against men known to be incompetent
and dishonest.
cannot recognize, nor do the mas
ses of my people who read, recognize,
the majority OF the Off, ials who have
been in power the past two years as
Republicans. We do not believe that
Republicanism means corruption, theft
and embezzlcment. These three Of
fences have been prevalent among the
great portion Of our ofice-holders. To
them must be attributed the defeat OF
the Republican party in the State, il
defeat there was, but l, with all the
lights before me. look upon il as an up
rising Of the people, the whole people,
to crush out corrupt rings and men
from power. The Bitterness and hate
created by the late civil strife, have, in
my opinion. been obliterated in this
State, except, perhaps. In some locali-
ties, and would have lCug since been
entirely efsaced were it not for some
unprincipled men who would keep alive
the bitterness Of the past and inculcate
hatred between the races, in order
that they may aggrandize themselves
by Office and its emoluments to control
my people, the effect of which is to de.
grade them. ! give you my opinion
that had our State administration ad.
hered to Republican principles, and
stood by the platform upon which j,
was elected, the State to-day would
have been on the highway of proSperi.
ty. Ifthe State administration had ad.
vsaeed only patriotic measures. ap-
pointed only honest men TO Office, and
sought TO restore confidence between
the races tloodshcd would have been
unknown. peace would have prevailed,
Federal interference been unthoaght Of
and harmony. friendship and mutualcon
6dence would have taken the place ofthe
bayonet. In conclusion, let me ssy te
you, and through you to the great Re-
publican party ofthe North, that deem
il my duty in behalf Of my people, thai
present these facts. IN order that they
and the white people (their fcrmei
ownersl should not suffer misrepresen.