Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-30
GEN. J. r.. CHALMERS
Will Not Be a Candidate for Congress
From the New Fourth District,
and Intimates
Rather Strongly That He Has Not Had
Fair PLAYA Caustie Criticism
Of the Legislature.

We copy from the Vicksburg Commercial
of Tuesday the following letter:
WAsHSGroN, March "a. 1882.
Mr.. J. W Youngblood:
DEAR SIR-As soon as l saw the late con-
gressional apportionment Of Mississippi, l
wrote to you to announce in the Commercial
that | would not be a candidate for Congress
from the new Fourth district. Your letter
saying you had withheld the announcement
and urging me to reconsider my resolution
has been received. l have received letters
from other friends who, like you, seem to
think my services to the people of my old
district would enable me to be elected on
personal grounds, Notwithstanding there are
20, 900 colored and only 5000 white voters
in the district, and Notwithstanding the fact
that King beat Lowry 1900 in the counties
now composing this district. | am obliged
to you and other friends for this kind opin-
ion, but my determination not to run re-
mains unaltered. The apportionment OF the
State is ridiculously grotesque and in viola
ton of the plain letter of the law OF Con-
gress. 1t would have been a very easy mat
ter TO have made seven Democratic districts
in the State, tested by the votes of Lowry
and King, and at the same time TO have OBJ
served the law in making them of contigu-
Gus territory and, as nearly as practicable
equal in population; but this was not at
tempted. This is either a public confession
that the legislature did not believe the
Lowry and King vote to be honest
and fair, or it is an evidence that they de-
sired to make one Republican district for
soEle other purpose. No member of Con-
gress had any right to expect district to be
made for him, but each had right to ex-
pect fair play and an equal chance TO COM
pete before the people. But the legislature
gave enormous Democratic majorities in
some OF the districts and left me in a district
which King carried by 1900 majority
Whether this was done to punish me for
having dared TO differ with the distinguished
gentleman whom they unanimously
elected to the United States Senate or not
leave, they did, to conjecture. If the
State had been legally subdI vided aud party
necessity had demanded that | should be
legislated out of any chance for reelection,
l would not only have cheerfully acquiesced
but supported the measure. But / beg leave
to be excused from using any personal or
political influence / may have to support an
act which violates both justice and law;
which places 1000 more population in three
districts than in four; which consolidates
heavy Democratic msjorities in two districts
and unnecessarily gives away one to the
enemy. The same legislature refused to
allow the people even chance TO say
at the polls whether their judges should
be elected or appointed, and voted down
an amendment TO corporation bill,
which in exact terms announced the Demo-
cratic platform to Legislative control over
corporations within constitutional limit.
The same legislature went through the
farce OF instructiDg its senators to vote
against Cowdon's outlet system for the
Mississippi river, while it unanimously
selected senator who had refused to obey
the instructions of a previous legislature.
As / said to a Northern Democrat when he
assailed the South: "If this is Democracy /
am not a Democrat" and | do not propose
to exercise any personal or political infu-
ence / may have to sustain such legislation.
IT, as | believe, a desire to punish me has
brought political disaster on any of my
friends, 1 can only regret it on their account.
The gallant Democracy of the old Sixth dis
trict made heroic fight for years, and when
the day OF redistricting came they had a
right to expect some relief from their bur-
den. But their burdens have increased in
the house of their friends. In bidding adisu
to those who stood by me so faithfully and
fearlessly in the past, words cannot express
my debt of gratitude. Yours, respectfully,
JAMES r. CHALMERS.