Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-09-02
AN OLD BOURBON'S
Definition OF His Principles-A Scathing
DeHuneiatien Of His Republican and
Democratic Opponents.
And Yet this Same sold Bourbon is
Pledged to Elect Republican Speak
er and Support Arthur.
Regular Correspondence of the Appeal


HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss August 31.-There
ia no politician in the country to-day with
record more inconsistent than that of Gen.
| eral james r. Chzliners the present candi
| date for Congress in the Second district OF
Mississippi. Less than three months ago the
| State held no more bitter and uncompro-
missing Democrat. Three times a candidate
| for Congress in district Overwhelmingly
Republican, he was thrice declared elected
by the minority party, and each time took
his seat without a blush in the national
legislature. He defended with all his ability
the strict construction of the statute which
gave him his seat over the overwhelming
msjorities Of his competitors. OF all men,
the last who, with The slightest shadow of
decency can now denounce this construction
and this law, and demand from every stump
"a free ballot and fair count" we should
think would be james e. Chalmers. He
was the beneficiary OF this statute; be claimed
it as protection from the majority which
drowned him, he defended it and called it
righteous-apd all this only few months
ago. Yet to-day he is the leader in this
State of the men who are the loudest in
echoing that hollow cry OF "a free ballot and
fair count" Indeed, his voice browns all
the rest.
But what is the cause of Chalmers's great
change of heart-his sudden and astonish-
ing conversion? II is az clear as a midday
sun in a cloudless heaven. The national
House OF Representatives at last refused to
stnltify itself with his presence, and drove
him comfortless from its doors. He saw The
gathering storm, and before it burst upon
him brought in despair his Democratic
friends to save him from the wrath 10 come.
They saw they were unable to shield him
and refused to place themselves wantonly in
the path of the tornado Oh aln,ers now
upon the hight of fortunes food tide. Such
chance as then presented itself 10 him ia
seldom vouchsafed to any man. No polIti-
clan has ever had graDder opportunity 10
prove that his professed principles were those
OF a deep and earnest conviction, that no
defeat could cool, no personal consideration
eradicate. Yet what did he do? Scarcely
was his seat in Congress lost, when, like a
worn out garment, he cast aside the princi-
pies and the party he had professsd and fol-
lowed through a lifetime. In one day lie
Joined the army of an enemy he had fought
from his earliest manhood. There was no
period wherein change of conviction could
honestly have taken place. He did not, like
Achilles, suk in his teut, or, like Cesar, hesi-
divides him from his friends. Not for a
moment did he pause upon the dividing line,
but cleared it and the space between at
single bound. The chameleon could not
change its hues quicker than Chalmers made
his lightning change" OF parties, each one
OF which is bitterly opposed TO every car
dinal doctrine of the other. We cannot
better indicate the magnitude of this change
than by quoting the language OF the arch
spostate, ''He himself, hath said it" in words
as powerful as his tawdry rhetoric permitted.
Doe year ago our Mississippi Malone was
editor of the Vicksburg Commercial. The
following article, which appeared in that
journal while under the control of Chalmers,
IS in strange contrast 10 his present utter
ances. 1t is entitled,
"a BOURBON WELL DEFINED"
A Bourboni Who is Bourbon? Is he being
of veritable form, or conjured up nondescript
who exists only in diseased imaginations? We
have heard so much lately of Bourbon from
mouths, foul and blatant that we are i'm PEELED 10
stop and investigate.
staIwart Republicans and jdiess Democrats to the
honest and tried Democrat who bears true and
shibboeth 1t is innocent of harm, and we have no
objection to its use. But do not know, in the
broad limits of the land. a Bourbon in the sense
in which the term is applied A Bourbon, they
say, Is one who has never learned anything and
that one who has never learned Thing has moth
ing to forget. The idea is as crude it is ridcu
! however. to which it is used as party weapon
SHOWS high estimate of its yalue. Erery crouch
tng 0beQu0Rs, 0.eGgtHOus lickspiHe luh0 crnlels
his belly to iek the crumbs that fall from Staitpart
tdbtes zap up the slpn thai is uroDn into govern
me1t seirers, cries " B09rb mr.
Every fanatical negro-shrieker, whose religion
consists in slandeTing the brave and the true and
WoIsbiplns tHe AIrlcdil IDOL or BOtuen CALL yells
Every carpetbag thief and plunderer who. in
days past. fattened the spoils wruug from
honest, industrious. but Impoverished people,
points his polluted finger and as with one voice,
Every impecunfous scalawag who aided and
abetted the earpetbagger in the plumber and rob
porfidge as a reward O. his treschery, echoes the
cry of 1-Bourbonl'
ctllidr qRa feotons for office hare not been re0ared
,ci siaote reeogaitisn soafs e ae II hts parry
hide bound Bourboas 20
Every dolly-yarden, dough-faced, putty-nosed
tician. 1cho neuer had any principles the man
illness 70 be true 10 any party cries Bogr6onr'
And what does IL amount to. this senseless
sissippi have learned more, forgotten more and
given more than any party thst ever had an exist
versity, with the tyrants heel on their necks and
have learned the lesson of patient endurance nm
nave learned to hate oppression and oppressors-
to avoid traitors-to have loathing for cant,
ways of the alien adventurers and thieves WHO
oyer-ran the State in their eagerness for plumber
their rapacity they have found out by a sad ex-
perienee the rancor that exists In the hearts OF
hare not failed 10 notice that there erery party
set Of selfish, stnprincpied ddhereats teao for
for their olo1 be,et they hare learned 10 Ut such
severely alone permit them the prriieqe of fsTTniRg
covered thatif a Democratic statesman sails occa-
sionally into Radical waters and anchors IN Radi-
politician, with broad views and becoming me-
tons of the remarkable progressiveness of this
progressive age, and they have learned to deplore
the fact. -
Who can saw, then, that The so-called Bourbons
have learned nothing? And where is the Bourbon?
And who is he?
This was written but one short year ago,
and, judging by General Chalmers profess
sions, these were his sentiments up to the
moment that his contest with Lynch was de-
cided. From that moment "a change came
DER the spirit of his dream" and, only
month or two later, we find him accepting
with gratitude the nomination of a Radical
Republicanconvenlion. Before this time he
was among the fercest OF Mahone's assail-
ants; now, no man is more jealous in his de-
Tense. Then, he denounced Greenbsckers
from every stump; now, he thankfully ac-
cepts their indorse ment and pleads for their
Influence and support. Then, he was pro-
fessedly the most incorporating of Demo-
Gratis; now, be is pledged to vote for Re-
publican speaker and to support a Republic
can Administrations. Can a man with a re-
cord such as this be elected to represent the
people of Mississippi in the national legisa-
ture? We can never believeit. zoRAB.
IL