The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-09-18
rHE OUTEOSK ron 1850.


Col. H. CLAY CoNDE, st. Louis.
Dear SRI have received your
letter iaquiring in reference to our
political prospects, and asking what
will be the probable action of the
Democratic party in this State in
1880.
l would hardly presume to fore
cast, in detail, our political action a
wear hence. There are, however,
several matters on which public
opinions is sufficiently pronounced
as to enable us to form 4 reasonably
reliable judgement. The Democrat
ic party here, including II ablest
men and most prudent councillors,
are cordially united on the following
propositions
First-The assumed right to use
Federal troops to control or lntiu-
cnce elections in the States can not
be too energetically resisted. Such a
practice is dangerous to liberty,
tends directly to the subvcrsion of
free institutions and itsImnst be
abandoned.
Sacond-The assertion by the
Federal goyerisaAent of this right
to appoint Supervisors of elections
in the States, with the power to ar
rest voters without process and by
holding them as prisoners to pre-
vent their exercise of the suffrage,
is an alarming invasion OF American
citizens and should be resisted by
all the means known to peaceful
civil government.
Third-The appointment by the
Federal government of numerous
Marshals, paid out of the public
treasury to aid the ~so-called Super
visors in their endeavors to subvert
the great right of free elections, is
also a fragrant wrong, at war with
the genius of our government and Is
not to be tolerated.
Fourth-The Democratic candi-
dates for President and vice Presi-
dent in 1876, were elected. The
present incumbents were not elected.
They reached their present position
as the result of atrociOus crimes;
and these crimes must be avenged
in 1880. ;,
Fifth-The Republican promises of
1876 to "reform within the party,
have proved a delusion. The abuses
then complained Of have not been
redressed, but they have been in
creased, continued and intensified.
The demand for reform is therefore
still more pressing now than it was
in 1875.
To these propositions l know of no
dissent amongst Democrats here.
Our adversaries insist the converse
of all this shall be the Republican
platform of 1880. We must, there
fore, as it would seem, have a united
party in the next Presidential cleo
ton.
What an issue to be presented to
the American people! Twenty
years ago not one human being
could be found between the two
oceans who would have tolerated,
much less supported, any of these
distinctive principles which the Re-
publican party now seriously pro-
pose to maintain. Soldiers at the
polls to control elections! Arrests
without process to interfere with a
free vote by the people! Taxation
of our voters to pay Federal troops,
Supervisors and Marshals for sub
verting free government!
England claims to be a monarchy
and not a Republic, and yet the ex-
ecutive assertion there of the princi-
Piles now maintained by the Re-
publicanparty here, would cost that
monarch her throne, and probably
her life. Englishmen would never
tolerate the presence of armed sol
diers at the polls. That formida-
BILE party now advocates such prin-
ciple and practices here furnishes
melancholy proof of the alarming
extent to which a few years OF bad
government may demoralize a great
people.
You ask who is to be our leading
candidate. This question being
asked and discussed mall parts Of
the country. The list of great men
from whom a good candidate may
be selected is very large. Different
sections Of the country press their
~favorites, and it is right and proper
that they should, but whatever
others may do, | am quite persuad-
ed that New York will not attempt
"the play of Hamlet with the char
acter Of Hamlet out" The times
demand d fearless reformer; and it
was because the Democratic candi.
date in 1876 was the foremost re-
n - M