Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-23
LETTER FROM HON. A. o. BACON.
He Formally Announces Himself n
Candidate for the Gubernatorisl
Nomination Before the Democratic
Convention.


Convention.
Hon. Artlafr II. Gray, RiaQ2Old, Ga:
Ny DEAR SIR am in receipt OF your
valued favor of recent date, in which you
make certain inquiries concerning my can
didscv for the Gubernatorial nomination. l
have received similar inquiries from other
! gentlemen, and therefore respond to yours
the more readily. It is the right OF the
members OF the party to have sll desired in
formst'on from me concerning myself In
this connection. l have been during my
whole public life an unwsvering adherent
Of the Democratic party. presume 1t goes
without saving that my candidacy VIII De
submitted to the decision of the State
Convention Of the party, and that will
certainly abide its judgment, fairly made.
have no reason to anticipate, and do not
anticipate, that It will be made IN any other
way.
IL is due to myself to state that, while
hold to the right OF each member OF the
party TO aspire to its favors, still there may
be circumstances when this individual right
is with propriety surrendered. There are
men IN the State, whom, by reason Of their
age and distinguished position, would not
voluntarily antSgoniZe; but when s. position
OF candidacy has Decn assumed by me
months before any announcement or hint OF
an opposing candidacy by any of this class
| Of venerable and distinguished citizens, the
subsequent announcement Of such cand.-
| dancY on their part creates an antagonism
for which am In no wise responsible-sn
antsgonism not created or sought By me,
| but which on the contrary has been thrust
upon me, without the least recognition Of
any slight consideration Of such priority on
my part, and with evident disregard Of, and
indifference to It.
Party association is the voluntary act OF
the citizen, and must of necessity be based
upon the full recognition OF the perfect
equality OF all its members. It is the equal
right OF each member to aspire to the pre-
ferment Of the party without waiting first
to obtain the open or implied assent of any
other member who may assume, directly or
indirectlY,lt grant or withhold his sanction.
1t IS the correlative equal right of each
member to determine for himself, according
to his own best judgment, who are the pro-
per persons TO receive his support for such
preferment of the party, without the direc-
ton oYimplied dictation of other members
OF the party, who may assume to shape it's
policy and to regulate and prescribe the
bestowment Of its favors.
Republican government Is especially de-
signed to take power away from the few
and cOntide 1t to the many. Political par
ties under our form Of government must,
within their legitimate sphere, hold this de-
| sign as q fundamental principle. Political
parties necessarily control governments. It
| has ever been so both in this country and
in those Of Europe that contain any element
of popular government. Those deceive
| themselves, aud dupe others, who dream Of
q government that shall ignore the influence
| and control Of political parties. Such par
ties flourish aud fall, and for q time the
| dividing lines may be confused and indis-
IN rfafeh hla hgJt ba rrsfua
is that new parties Immediately arise
| upon the ruins. II, therefore, po-
litical parties control governments, the
control Of such political parties by
| one man, or a small number combined to-
| gether, is directly subversive Of this funda-
mental principle OF republican government,
which places power In the hands of the
many and denies It to the favored ard
grasping few. The most dangerous or
extreme power known to free government
is that found IN the bands Of an individual,
or cabsl, who succeed in subordinating the
masses Of the political party administering
| the government, and who use the power Of
the party, thus given by those masses, to
| decrease the performance OF their individual
designs. Il is destructive of the principles
Of free government; 1t is practical opera
ton OF the worst features Of despotic gov
| eminent; it is ignobly surTendering to one
to them the dignity and responsibility Of
the kingly Office.
1t matters not that the men thus seeking
control may be good meu or wise men. Il
is not the purpose or the interest of our
| people to concentrate all the good or all the
wisdom in the favored few, but On the con
trary It is that they should be diffused
among the masses, and for one, | am rot
ready to take the power and responsibility
OF government from the people OF all de-
grees to whom it of right belongs, and, in
fact, or in effect, place the royal purple
upon any man or set of men, care not how
wise and how good he or they may be.
Nor does 1t avail that the intent to die
tate and control is disclaimed. II for any
reason the power exists In au individual or
a few combined individuals to exercise an
undue and dispronortioned influence In the
selection OF an officer amounting almost to
the decision of the choice to be made, and
such power is exercised, the practical effect
upon the liberty Of choice by the members
Of the party is the same as II such power
was exercised with the most despotic and
tyranuical intent. Power begets power;
power draws to itself other power
and before this combined power in
dividual strength avails but little
and fears TO brave it. Aspirants for office
heGitstingly wait its approval, and expect
ants of future favor cover before its slight
est menace 1t is assumed that the masses
will submit to its DEGREES, and when de-
cision has been reached by the combined
power in anticipation of such submission, it
is confidently announced thst the people
favor the decision; whSn no opportunity has
been had to ascertain their will. With such
submission the party practically loses its
freedom. With proper resistance such
power will be destroyed, as were burst
ssunder the cords that hound the sleeping
giant.
Republican institutions, properly admin
istered, are strongly conducive to the
growth of character and the development
of intellect. 1t is the theory OF such insti-
tutions that mans advancement depends
upon the success of his iudividusl effort,
and that 10 proportion SIS his integrity is
conceded, and his capacity Ia recognized, in
the same proportion may he hope for
prefcrMent and honor. But when the
party becomes an association whose only
business is to confirm the choice of q
candidate made by the assumed leader of
the party, the road to Office will not lie
through the domain of honorable emula-
ton for superior litness, but only through
the favor of those who assume to
dispense the honors of the party. Then
will the young men, and the maturer men
OF the Democratic party Of Georgia, these
whose unfalterlng fidelity to their people
the despoileTs, and who, in decade of I'M
firing labor, have raised the State to her
present point OF political and financial pros
perity, these men, who deserve well Of their
party and who have a right to aspire with
confidence ID the offices in the various de-
partments of the State, these men must
either surrender all reasonable hope OF Off
cial preferment, or "crook the pregnant
hinges OF the knee, that thrift may follow
fawoing." l believe it is honorable for
one to aspire in legitimate way to Office
believe that, in party OF equals It is the
right of any member 70 prefer his
claim for the consideration of the party,
and that it is the right of the party to cor
slider all claims so preferred, upon the merits
of the candidates for their favor, without
having their judgment aud the expression
of their preference hampered and fore
stalled by the virtual dictation Of those
whom circumstances may make for the time
the leaders OF the party. The leaders Of a
party undoubtedly have a right to partici-
pate in making the selection of those who
are to be honored by It; but such participa-
ton should be as members, and not as com
manders OF the party. Ia this capacity alone
can their support be legitimately sought,
aud In this capacity alone should their in
fuence be allowed.
I believe the ONCE of Governor is the
highest honor that the people of the State
can confer on one of their fellow citizens
There are other offices of larger emolum,ent,
the proper discharge of the duties Of which
Is less exacting and lahorious, but there Is
no other Office within the gift OF the people
invested with such high and solemn respou-
sibilities affecting the material, social and
political welfare Of the State. In proper