Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-15
ATLANTA, Ga, August ~, 1882.


Major g. N. Ry0ls, Sdvann.Ih Ga:
DEAR SRI an in receipt of your letter Of
the Sd inst, in which you request me not to
run for reelection to Congress, and ask me
to receive your suggestion in the spirit in hich
it was made. Your expressions Of friendly re-
gard for me are gratefully accepted, and not
withstanding the close friendly relation You
bear TO one Of my most active opponents for
the position you ask me to relinquish, and in
view Of your friendly cooperation and services
In the last campaign. 1 cheerfulIy accord to
your motive in making the suggestion the
friendly sincerity you ask for it. And, as you
have written with great freedom, hope you
will allow me the same privilege In responding.
You say that our commercial and material
interests will require the services Of q men,
Der whose health viii permit him TO give active
attention to the business In Congress" You are
perhaps aware that the late session Of the FIR
y-Seventh Congress gave to the rivers and ar
oors or the First district-at least to the Eavan-
nan haroor-the largest amount that has ever
been appropriated for that purpose This was
done upon bills introduced by me- through the
proper aid and assistance Of the other mem
oers or the Georgia delegation. the CITY of
Savannah having gwen the necessary cooper
alton by the moral weight Of the presence Of q
delegation, amongst whom was the ofacial
head or the city. recommend ed to the Mayor
the importance OF such q presence because
knew that other cities and communities which
have made successful application for Federal
appropriations have usually found it necessa-
sentatives in Congress-
made the suggestion likewise to other cities
or my district, and urged upon prominent citl-
zens the importance of such presentation of
their claims. The commercial interests of the
port OF Savannah, at least, have suffered no
detriment by any physical disqualification OF
her Representative in Congress- And IL they
nave nave not gone SO In tne past; permit me to ask.
apprehensions for the futureY You say that
an active canvass OF the district by the noni-
nee should be made. That may be true, and
yet 1t may not be essential to Democratic sue
cess that 1t should be made always In person
as you seem to think so specially important at
this particular Juncture. It has not been Gus
tomary or considered necessary heretofore for
candldates IN the First district to do all you
would seem to require now, for although
canVasSed It thoroughly and made one or
more speeches In every county of my
district, was informed by people In some
parts that none of my predecessors had ever
hsfore done the like. Indeed, the success of
the party depends. not so much upon the per
sonal activity or the nominee, as upon the pa
trlot1c sense or duty to themselves In the Ieo-
pie. In on years from Presidential elections
neither party ever polls its full vote This is
especially true Of the dominant party which
you know, is at this time the Republican party
last campaign. in which but bare handful OF
the citizens attended the speaking, and appa-
rent apathy prevailed, gave the fullest Demo
cratic vote when the hour Of duty and the daY of
the election arrived, showing that the result de-
pends, not so much upon the personal canvass
ing by the nominee as it does upon the patriot
ism and vigilance OF the people am satisfied
that the Republican party can secure no
greater campaign fund, or present no stronger
candidate than it did In the last election, when
it was defeated by the overwhelming majority
u0fn1 IaanNu
by the Democratic party through the patriotic
efforts or the people more than through the
activity OF any candidate, and was accom-
plished at time when the whole National Re
publican party was aroused to the highest
pitch of excitement in a Presidential campaign
by a desperate effort to retain the spoils of
their plunder and to perpetuate their usurped
power. You may remember to have heard
then the threat of Republican leaders that
their national party had selected our district
an object of its special care, and that thou
sands Of dollars had been sent forward with
which to accomplish the prostitution
OF Democratic virtue and the subversion
OF Democratic supremacy In the First Con-
gressional district OF Georgia. The urbanity,
elegance, tact, and personal and business pop
ularity Of the Republican nominee were ad-
verted to then with an air of triumph, as an
invincible element against which we would
have to contend. Nor were we then without
the Independent movement, threatening US with
its balance Of power, under the vigorous leader
ship of one OF its ablest champions In the dis
trict. We were admonished then that the recent
importation Of turpentine and lumber labor
ers had increased the colored voters Of the dis
trict by over three thousand. These circum.
stances were sufficient to cause some weak
kneed Democrats to quail with fear and ap-
prehension for the success OF our party; but
the result Of the election showed that all true
men, whether as organized or as independent
Democrats, would rally to the standard Of
their party in the final day Of action, and that
they were unpurchased, and uRpurchasable,
by the corruption fund Of the Radical party.
For one, / entertain no fear as to tho triumph
Of the Democratic party Of our district in the
coming election, whoever may be its nominee,
or whatever may be the influences brought to
bear to defeat it by fraud, argument or per-
suasion The prediction of a Republican vic
tory in our district has been predicated upon
the false assumption that every colored man
was a Republican voter, and that there was a
large majority of colored polls In the d strict;
whereas, the truth is, that large numbers OF
colored men, true to themselves and to their
country, vote with the Democratic party. and
the fact is that there does not exist ajority
of colored polls, the last report OF theComptrol-
Ter General showing that there is, on the con-
trary. majority Of over two hundred white
polls in the First Congressional District OF the
State.
There was a period in the progress OF my
illness when hestated to make positive an
nouncement Of my candidacy for reelection,
because there was reason then for doubts as to
my physical qualification for the position.
Many gentlemen amongst my friends who saw
impressed with the conviction that could
never recover. one Of whom, doubtless acting
upon such an impression, was induced to an
nounce himself candidate for the nomination
as my successor Circumstances have so far
changed, and my health has so much improved,
that now entertain no doubt but that / will
be able 70 discharge all the duties OF q member
of the Forty-eighth Congress. / am now, and
have been for weeks past in the full discharge
OF all the routine business appertaining to my
Office as member Of the Forty-seventh Con-
fIa r.EN
vote upon the floor OF the House Of
Representatives land as to that l was
for the most time paired with a
Republican member) but q short interval OF
three or four weeks, during NV extreme Ill
ness suspended their performance. OF course,
men may differ. as they almost always do as to
the acceptability. availability and the mental
or physical qualification OF candidates, and IL
should not be exempt from such criticism, /
cannot, of course, be surprised Under the
peculiar circumstances OF my own case much
allowance, l know. should be made for the
existence of such differences of opinion as to
my physical qualification, owing to the ground
less rumors and false impressions that pre-
vailed. But whatever may be these differences,
party unity and political success make tt neces-
sary that decision should be made, and it has
always been the chief glory OF the Democratic
party that all Of its members have bowed
Of Of S Sy pomnanS SoHsst2
and fairly made. q time honored usage
having given to these party decFees the sane
ton and potency or law. WnaEever might
be willing to do. and indeed, under certain cir
cumstances would do. for the safety Of the
Democratic party, or for the salvation OF the
country. cannot deem it either personal or
political duty TO voluntarily retire from the
field for the promotion of the interests Of any
particular individual. My present expectation
Is to permit my friends TO present my name
as a candidate for reelection TO the nominal
ing convention Of September 9Th, with the
privilege Of insisting upon its consideration, or
of withdrawing it il at that time they should
deem the public interest required, or the sue
cess Of the party demanded it.
As you wrote. not in confidence and without
the injunction OF privacy, upon q question
involving the public announcement Of
my candidacy before the people I
have exercised the privilege thereby
implied, to make public my response, In order
that my friends, and all other persons in the
district interested In the issue, may be ap-
prised Of the facts, and of my intentions In
the premises Hoping that my answer will
satisfactorily meet your objections, and that
my physical condition viii so much improve
by the 9Th OF next September, that may be
able, consistently with your ideas Of q candf-
qafaH azaliacRtiopa. 70 claim you as one Of
HAy NzpefeefE ~ IN Ehe hope and belief
<tek eI'f party thru - u eQH4eHfiQN. HI'I -
aef as 20 fn4uFs eefk4tn victory At 1h5 HtIi1 =
gazaasn. nSss aAFsez8nliy and 1fn5z sgaxss
Decline of Man.
Nervous Weakntss, DYspepeia, Impo-
re SaxuAI Dehflffv cured hv ssWells'