The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-06-09
THE sRGX&.
BEL AIR, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1876.
A Voice from the South.

The following is an extract from letter
written by leading lawyer Of Mississippi TO
a distinguished Democrat in Washington-
1t is believed to contain fair statement OF
the average feeling and opinion in the South
on the political question. The writer
says:
81 take it for granted that all the Southern
States, except South Carolina and qossblu.
Florida, will vote for the nominee of the
Democratic party, without much regard to
his views on the financial question; simply
because to them (the Southern States) n
change OF administration, with all that i'm
plies, is OF more consequence than the ques-
ton Of gold and silver, or greenbacks"-
important us they recognize the latter to be.
This will give us 1877 electoral votes to start
with, and, us 1876 is n majority, there will be
only 5S more necessary in order to succeed
To most Northern people il would no doubt
have the appearance of political hercsy to
state that any question is of more Importance
than the one Of finance. BE that rs il NAV,
1t IS none the less true, as regards us Of the
South. lfthe North knew the situation ofthe
South, especially, if they had fH it ms we
nave Tor years, they would, perhaps, look at
the matter rs we do.
Promising that any candidate who will be
nominated will get the 1877 Southern votes,
as above specified, would not the votes of
New York, New Jersey and Connecticut,
making 90, and those of California and Ore.
gon, making 8 more, be safe for the Demo-
Gratis with II bard money man? This would
give us 1856 votes, and that would be n ma
jority aOiROat another State. 1t is apparently
very doubtful, even with soft money plot.
form, about carrying any of the Western
States; and such platform would probably
lose us all the above Northern and Pacific
States. The chances to carry those above
mentioned for the Democracy with hard
money platform are evidently much better
than TO carry the Western States, or any of
them, with soft money platform An in
'"rmedihtc platform would probably carry
neither BESIDES, If the Western States saw
determination to carry out the above poli-
cy, enough fthem would probably acuuiescc
to make the triumph assured for n larger
majority; if, indeed, any of the Western
states can he carried by the Democracy at
ali, which is more than doubtful.
The South, i think, does not favor con.
'racllon; but hard money platform can be
made without contraction, and without re.
snmlng as early as 1879; if resumption be,
rs is generally held, impossible without CON
traction. | think the entire South, with thc
exception Of the two States previously nam
ed, would go for the nominee of the Demo.
cratlc party upon hard money platform,
II there were no contraction feature in it,
That is the way it looks to me.
1he desire for change of administration is
more arelu0B 1cth as than dny and ece1Y
thing besides. All this say without intend
ing to give an opinion on the mooted ones.
ton of gold or grecnbacks;" but to show
the only way, as it seems to lis here in the
South, TO secure change of Administration
"A thing the South needs, and at present
wants, more than any change in finance and
currency, important us that may be.