The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-16
ALECK STEPHENS.
HE WILL BE A CANDIDATE FOR CON.
GREss WHETHER NOMINATED ny
THE DEMOCRATS Or NOT.
Letter TO the Democratic Executive Gem
npIttee,

Letter to the Democratic Executive Gem
mittee.
WASHINGTON June 10, 1873
Hon. Henry R. Casey, Chairman Democratic
Executive Committee. Eighth Congressional
District. Waverly Hall, Appling. Ga:
My Dear Sir-Your kind letter of week or
more ago, informing me OF the action Of the
committee over which you preside, in calling
q convention OF the party to meet on the fit
teenth OF August, at Thomson, to nominate O
candidate for the next House OF Representa-
tives in Congress, and inquiring what con-
struction should be- placed upon my telegram
Of the twenty-fifth ultimo, to Col. III. q.
Wright. Of Augusta, etc, was duly received.
In my brief acknowledgment at the time you
were informed that would answer you at
large ct as early day as possible. This is
the first opportunity have had to give you
such full reply as all the points ia your letter
require for clear understanding OF the whole
matter by my constituents.
AS to my position toward the convention to
meet at Thomson, In view OF the present
surroundings and the tone of several Of the
leading protested Democratic papers of the
State, [ wish it to be distinctly understood
that shall neither seek nor decline O noni-
nation at their hands. [ never sought @ NOM
fnation from any body OF men for any office In
my life and | never shall.
1t is equally true that I never failed to
yield to @ call of the people made In any
formal manner to serve the country. in any
capacity or position where saw any hopeful
prospect OF doing good, and never shall fail
so to do. The Democrats OF the eighth dis
trict did, two years ago. by O. convention Of
delegates at Thomson, Of their own accord,
present my name to the people OF the district
as fit person to Representatives. interests in
Congress, aud asked my consent to allow it to
be so represented. The consent was given, as
it was also given under like circumstances
two years before that to the request OF sim
liar convention assembled at Augusta
but in neither OF these instances did
seek the nomination or the presentation
of my name so made but did feel the
profoundest gratitude for these renewed evil
dences of popular confidence. Allow me
further to say that served the people OF the
eighth district for several years before the
war, and for not q single one of these terms
was my name presented by any nominating
convention. / stood before the people for
their suffrages upon my record, and not upon
any license or ticket OF permission to be o
candidate granted by any intermediate body.
That record showed q life devoted to the
maintenance of personal truth, honor, in
tegrity and justice. as well as the mainte-
nance Of the rights, interest and everything
| that tended to promote, physically, intelleG-
tually and morally the glory and renoWn OF
! Georgia
| In this connection will also say do not
| at all object to conventions as O very proper
| mode, in many Instances, Of selecting Candi-
dates, especially where all persons partici-
| pating in them agreed upon certain prinCi-
| pies to be maintained, and certain pOltceS to
| be pursued, and where there are several or
many aspirants for the position, and when
success can only be reached by concert and
unity of action, nor do object to anything
| done by your committee In the matter Of cali
| ing the Thomson Convention, nor their
Recommendation touching the two-thirds
rule. That rule always regarded as unjust
| and unfair In it's operation, and utterly out
| of place in any other except Federal noIni-
mating conventions.
/ One other point Gin conclusion wish to be
distinctly understood upon. From the tone
of that class Of papers In Georgia to which /
have referred, 1t would seem that am to be
considered hereafter as having abandoned the
Democratic party, and placed myself in an
| tagonism to its Organization by the telegram
referred to. Parties are properly character
lied by the principles by which they are
formed, and not by the name they may as
sumo in their organization II the question
of my political principles or utilization, there
fore, Is raised in that convention, then plead
to its Jurisdiction. Ii am not Democrat OF
the straightest sect in Georgia. then who Isl
You, my dear sir, know the material and stuff
OF which my Democracy is made. You know
we'll who, Ia one Of our darkest hours In 1870,
framed that platform OF principles which
maintained the integrity and equality OF the
/ several States, and rallied the people OF
Georgia to rescue OF their constitutional
rights in this memorable campaign Of that
yeaF. You know that you were one of them
and was another. In the event. therefore,
DEaB JElFS convention small T6pulIHb6 IlB rs al
unfit representative of Democratic principles
and shall attempt to rule me out of the Demo
cratic party because Of that telegram, or any
thing else connected with my recent public
acts or ger timents, then / say to you and to
them, pFsinly and distinctly, that I shall re-
gard their edict as but o bT5tt1tH1 futzpen issued
| by an irresponsible faction of trieksters, and
tie question whether / or they are sound in
the faith Of the fathers shall be left for the
true Democracy OF the district, to be settled
OF the polls. II this shall produce any division
or dissension in the party, then the RESPONSE
bility for the consequences must rest upon
those who have so assaulted and 50 grossly
misrepresented me. / hold my present com
mission, not from the Thomson convention
of 1876, but by the will Of the people Oh
the eighth district. legally and constitution
ally expressed at the polls. All questions
therefore, touching my fidelity to principle
and integrity in the execution OF the trusts
cOnfided to me by them shall be ultimately
decided by them. If they, In their judgment,
shall pronounce sentence of condemnation,
SHALL / trust, receive it with rs much fortitude
and philosophy as Socrates received the hem.
lock, and with as much dignity and eomposure
as Caesar received the blade Of the enviOus
Casca and the final stab OF the migrate Brutus
Yours truly,
ALEXANDER II. STEPHENS.