Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-30
Observation-Disclosures
Answers the Hon. Abram s. Hewitt, of
New YOrk-He Insists that For
NAL Caucus of the Party
Was Held i'm a Committee-ROOm, and
that Hewitt Did Make that Refer
ence to the "Nigger.''

10 Inc GullOrS OF the appeal
SARDIs, Miss, May 27.-You publish a
letter from the Hon. A. S. Hewitt and say
that he fatty contradicts me about Northern
Democrats and the negro. II there was not
an adjourned issue of verscity between the
Hon. A. S. Hewitt and the Hon. Henry Wat
terson about the Tilden embroglio, and a
further issue about the Morey letter, in which
the Hon. Aoram remains still involved, L
might be more disturbed about his conflict
with me. was not present at the caucus
when Mr.. Hewitt made the speech TO which
/ referred, and l must wait until / can hear
from those who reported his remarks to me
before | can say more on that subject. Mr..
Carlisle did explain his speech to me so as to
make il less Objectionable than others had
reported it, and l expressed myself glad to
hear his construction of it. But more of
this hereafter. Now let me take his letter
as it is. A caucus was held in Mr.. RandalPs
committeeman to determine whether the
party would filibuster in my case or not,
at which Mr.. Hewitt made the speech re-
ported to me. This he now calls an informal
conference, and says he was not present at
the caucus to which | referred.
THIS IS A QUIBBLE,
worthy of the man who is charged with be-
traying Tilden. And yet he says his views
expressed at the conference appeared to
commend itself to the great majority of the
gentlemen present, nearly all OF whom were
Southern Democrats" Now | state that
most of the Southern Democrats present
were so much opposed to the view expressed
by him that they procured the calling of
the subsequent caucus in the Hall of Repre-
sentatiyes. But what were his views, as he
now states them to be? "At an informal con-
ference which preceded the caucus / stated
that flibusteriDg operations were always
regarded with disfavor at the North, and
Ill h. aA fhaxv Io
necessary in order to get fair hearing be-
fore the Committee on Elections and the
House; that in the Chalmers case there was
no allegation OF unfair treatment by the COM
mittee, nor any desire TO prevent full and
fair discussion in the House. To filibuster
under such circumstances would, in my
opinion, be unjustihable; that our motives
would be misrepresented in any case,
and that the fact that the contestant
was a colored man would intensity the
misrepresentation, to the great prejudice
of the Democratic party in the North"
Stripped of its verbiage this means he was
looking alone to see whether the filibustering
would or not be to "the great prejudice of the
Democratic party IN the North" "That fill
clustering was always regarded with disfavor
at the NORTH" Hence the Supreme Court of
Mississippi was to be treated with contempt
and her member thrown out because "the
fact that the contestant iods cotored man would
intensity the misrepresentation to the great
prejudice OF the Democratic party in the North"
Now, my statement was that he said the
Northern Democrats could afford TO filibuster
if the contest was between two white men,
bat could not between eolored and white
man-and the difference between the two
statements scarcely justifies the declaration
that l was entirely at fault" in my con-
struction. The truth ia, was not present.
as he states, and l did not make any con-
struction of my own, but received the con-
struction of others who heard him in that
meeting, which he calls at one time an in
formal conference and at another speaks Of
"the great majority" present. That some
Southern men may have yielded TO his fears
of bad effects on Northern Democracy does
not contradict my statement. l have known
too long and too well that
SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS HAVE TOO OFTEN
YIELDED
their convictions of right to fear of injuring
the Northern Democracy. When we ask for
anything they tell US, ave cannot give you
that. Ii we do We will be beat, and then
the Republicans will catch yeu-n-FFheu
they want anything they say, You must
help US get this. If you do not we will be
beat, and the Republicans will catch YOU"
gave them notice in the Forty fifth Con- |
gress that we would not always submit to |
such treatment. Speaking of the loss of my |
seat, Mr.. Hewitt says: at was rather due |
to the fact that those who knew General |
Chalmers best, and the merits of his case,
were not willing TO advise extreme meas
ures in order to defeat the will OF the Re-
publican majority" In this he intimates
that was not sustain.d-frst, for personal
and second, on account of the
merits of my case. That there were come
who knew me and the merits of my case who
we're willing to see me thrown overheard as
a Jonah to the Republican, whale, l believed
md have said but did not know they had
,on6ded that Willingness to Mr.. Hewitt. But
thank Mr.. Hewitt for stating fact which
will justify me in the eyes of all honorable
men for the course l have pursued. No
nan who has any seli-respect could expect
ne to longer affiliate with men who enter
aimed toward me and the constituents who
ertifed my election, the views expressed or
nsinuated in this sentence by leader of
he party. JAS. R. CHALMERS.