The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-07-28
Address Of the Mississippi Republican
State Committee.

To the Republicans of Mississippi: With
an acknowledged majority of more than 81,
600 voters, under ordinary circumstances,
the approach Of a political event so i'm
portant as the election of State and county
officers would bring together the representa-
tives Of the Republican party from the sew
eral counties in State Convention, to an
nOunce their principles and to nominate
candidates, while our opponents, the De-
mOcracy, il they relied for success upon
numbers alone, would doubtless repeat their
stratagem of 1873 at Meridian, and disband
their hopeless minority.
But this reasonable and logical order OF
things has been reversed in Mississippi. II
is the majority party that now abandons the
field and surrenders the control of the State
Government to the minority. While the
Republican party, with its conceded major
ity, can not find men in its ranks sufficiently
desperate to aspire to and contend for the
State offices, the spectacle is presented to
the American people, bOastful Of their lib
critics, of not less than five Democrats eager
ly and ungraciously scrambling for the office
of Governor, in confessedly minority, in
which, however, the nomination is confident
ly regarded as the assurance OF election.
This political paradox may appear strange
to the people Of a State in which the ballot is
free. With us it is a stubborn necessity.
Your committee, after carefully consider
ing the situation and prospect, and after a
very general consultation with leading MEM
bers Of the party throughout the State, have
State Convention Of the Republican party
shall be held in Mississippi this year and that
no candidate be nominated. In profering
this advice 1t Is not our purpose to indulge in
sullen complaint nor spiteful ordinations.
The facts Of history speak for themselves:
tically disfranchised the Republican party
in this State, and until the time shall come
when we can stand erect in any presence as
freemen, and assert and enforce our rights at
the ballOt-b0x, we believe 1t to be the part
of wisdom to refrain from the unequal and
hopeless contest. With the recollection Of
the campaigns of 1915 and 1876 fresh in our
memory, we decline to engage in conflict
which promises an increase Of bitterness,
with equally disastrous results.
In his endeavOr to elevate the politics of
the country to plane Of true PATRIOTS m
and craftsmanship, we tender to President
Hayes all we have to give: our prayerful SYM
specially entreat those Of our Northern, as
well as Southern, brethren who, under the
influence of personal grievance and other
causes, inconsiderately complain of his
Southern policy" to remember that the
political condition which we now deplore
existed long anterior to his succession to the
Presidency, and the course which we now
adopt had become a necessity before he was
ever nominated for the high Office which he
now holds. To this fact we would direct the
special attention Of those who are now most
active in sowing the seeds of strife against
the President, but who, we well re-
member, neglected at the prop
er time to adopt the means for
preventing the calamity which the present
Administration, with limited means, seeks
to cure. We have confidence in the wisdom
and patriotism of President Hayes, and par
alyzed and powerless rs we are, we pro-
foundry regret any effort, coming from any
quarter, to weaken his arm, or which might
tend In the slightest degree to render UNI
successful the high experiment in states
manship which he is now making. To OBJ.
literate the color line in politics, to enforce
the laws by the civil power, to reconcile hos.
tile sections, and to bring into one harmoni.
GUS national brotherhood all the conflicting
elements Of our common country, Is an
enterprise % grand in its conception and 60
holy In its purpose, that It should, and we
trust will, command the admiration and
united support Of all good men without
regard to personal or partisan considers
tons. $500 s.---5 .F.l,s =,
The idea seems to prevail quite extensive.
" that the success or failure Of the Presi-
dents Southern policy win depend, In some
measure at least, upon the action Of those