The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-03-12

A Holly Springs oracle announces thai
with Gen. FeatherstOn, as the Democratic
nominee, ex-senator Alcorn will not make
Il canvass for Governor. An eastern lum
mary prOnOunces the same prescription fol
Hon. Il. Barksdale as the apparitiOn with
| which to frighten "James of the wind. y
Then comes THE COMET, and says that "the
man Alcorn fears most is the quiet but
watchful and firm pilot who now has hold
of the helm of the ship"
The wise men are all wrong. If the State
has no guarantee against Jas. l.. AlcOrn's
schemes and political thirst save that of his
fear of persons, the security is worthless.
| What that gentleman most fears, what
| should and what does interpOse as barrier
between him and the high estate which he
once held and abused is the people of Mis-
sissippi. Until the memory of that unholy
of thieves, by which he became Senator
and they robbed and plundered his State
| and his people, is scared from their minds,
! his reinstatemeMt IN MtSsNssipYli OeAeiaA pN.
sision will not be permitted. The revolu-
| tiOn of 1875, which drove from our borders
the people whom Ex-Governor Alcorn ap-
| pointed to fill our local offices, wrote fais
to his political being We speak thus con-
fidently upon this subject, being brought
into fictitious importance by the Memphis
press, and unduly agitating certain of our
editorial confreres because we believe in
the fidelity of the people of Mississippi to
the principles of honest government, to
their best interests, to themselves.
We consider it perfectly idle to talk
about Governor Alcorn's being afraid
of any man living, in a physical sense
of the term. He is not moulded out
of material that would quail before
anything mortal. What we meant in
the use of the term fear" was that
in the record of our Governor, Alcorn
had to fight against stone-wall. He
had to be brought in vivid contrast
with man who could point to his
administration and his acts for argu-
ments which the valerous ex-Gover-
nor and Ex-senator could not over
come. He had to fight man whose
record proved him to be defender of
all classes of people, and steadfast
friend to the conservation of the best
interests of the State. In a word, a
man in whom Alcorn would find few
vulnerable points of attack.
Our friend of the West Point News
seems to think that Governor Stone
would not be as formidable in debate
against Alcorn as some other gentle
men. Perhaps, he may not be as
gifted in gab, or as fiippant in after
dinner speeches, or as brilliant In
brass, or as ready in pithless repartee,
or as polished In diction, or as rounded
in periods, or as abounding in figures
of speech, as some other gentleman.
He is not fourth-ofJuly patriot nor
spread eagle orator. He makes no
pretentions of that kind, and is not
fond of spcmting an all occasions.
But for sterling sense, and stubborn
arguments he can hold his hand sue
cessfully with any of them. What is
it that makes man strong before the
bar or upon the hustings? Not the
power merely to string together gilt
tering generalities in high-sounding
phrases. 1t is not the saving of the
air with his hands, the contortions of
his body, the foamy fuming of his
mouth, sometimes miscalled oratory.
1t is the ability to array facts 10 a
clear and vigorous light, and to pres
ent arguments in terse, convincing |
and attractive shape. The man who
is the posessor of the knowledge and |
the facts cannot fail to be q power in |
any contest. No one will deny TO
Governor Stone this possession, and If |
the necessity arose he could tell the
people in his quiet and emphatic way
vastly more than many men, who
plume themselves us orators and de-
baters of the first water, and with
vastly better effect.
The idea that Governor Stone could
not make an able canvass because he is
not professional spouter strikes US as
about as silly as the idea that Cover
nor Alcorn is to be frightened from
the race-track by the mere oratorical
glamour which certain gentlemen are
supposed to oe able TO bring to 1t.