The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-15
GOV. POWERS As AN "OPEN LET
TER" WRITER.

: "open letter" addressed to the edito'
of this paper through the columns OF thu
Vicksburg Commercial is not the frs
epistolary experiment he has phyec
upon us. Every once in while when
things don't go to suit him and he gets
in sour humor he undertakes to quiet
his nerves and placate his disapoint'
ment by writing an "open letter" tous.
What he hopes to gain by it, or what we
have ever done to deserve so much
consideration from him, are things VIC
never expect to comprehend.
In the editorial which appeared in
these columns on the LIST inst, we Ven
tured to express qualification at the con-
firmation of James Hill as Revenue
Collector for Mississippi, and gave onr
reasons for such qualification. In the
same article and almost i'll the same
breath we also paid some deserved COM
pliments to the Elk Governor. But he
don't seem to appreciate them.
There seems to have arisen small
speck of war in the little Republican
camp over this relationship. The
Powers faction are apparently mad
about the way the thing has turned,
and the Hill party apparently don't care
a d-n if they are. Before hostili-
ties are actually commenced we desire
to retire in good order, we wish 1t
clearly understood that we are not in
the ring. 1t is not our fight. We had
nothing to do with Hills appointment
or Powers removal. We had no in
huence in the matter, and never at
tempted to exercise any; therefore, We
can't permit Governor Powers to set us
up as target to fire at just because he
may think he is bound to fire at some
body. Let him shoot away at the men
who were instrumental in removing
him. If he gets mad simply because
we prefer Jim Hill, Il home citizen and
the representiye of numerous race
here, to him, we can't help that. Our
interest in seeking and desiring grad
ual harmonizing of the two races here
upon terms mutually beneficial to both
is sincere aud not warped by the cues
ton of office. Can Governor Powers
say as much as that?
The point in the editorial OF ours
which seems to touch the tender sensi-
bilities Of the Ex-Collector was the APP
plication to him Of the term carpet
bagger," 1t is wonderful how sensi-
tive some meu grow after having fed
and fattened q long time on public pap
Carpet Dagger Pray, what does the
word mean? and what class of men
are by common consent embraced in |
the term? If Powers is not carpet
Dagger then the word ought to be eX
pounged from the language-it has no |
meaning. Ii he is carpet-bagger what
can he gain by denying it, or display
ing SO much silly wrath when the term
is fastened on him? Does he want to
make himself ridiculous? After while |
he will get offended if any body calls |
him Radical, then he'll want to fight |
if any man dare say that lie is a Yankee.
And, perhaps, in the course of time he
will become ashamed to be called n |
Republican. When that day comes we
will be prepared to admit that he has
some cause for offence at us if, for the |
purpose of illustrating his political
status, we denominate him carpet
Dagger. Till that day comes he only
advcrtises his own weakness by exhib-
iting his harmless spleen at such appli-
cation.
We desire to do Gov, Powers full
Justice. Notwithstanding the fact that
le has taken such an unwarrantable |
md senseless liberty with our name,
nd n brief episode of our political
history, we cherish no animosity to him 8
nd no desire whatever to iniure OF {
7rong him. If he cannot comprehend
he reason of our preference for Hill {
5 collector in Mississippi it is his mis- s
But the term carpet-bagger
vas applied to him in a purely politi-
al sense. If it denotes dishonor or
isgrace he has his own political asso-
iates to thank for it; but we do not
se the word in such sense. We are
lilling to admit that carpet Dagger
lay be a gentleman, and in the case
+ Governor Powers, we are willing to
~ that he belongs to the better class
carpet-baggers, and as far as we =
now makes an honorable and useful
ltizen of the State, as well as faithful 4
hicer. 9
We have referred to this matter thus Il
lildly, although fully understanding f
ne venomous spirit of this "open
tier" because we have no taste for g
lch a controversy upon such asubject,
nd desire to drop it with as few stings
5 possible to all the parties concerned
] it. Is
State Medical Association. -,