The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-04-06
NOT A CANDIDATE.
Gen. James n. Chalmers VIII Not
. he a Candidate. At The Next
Election.

Gen. James II. Chain ers VIII Not
= Ne a Candidate. Al The Next
Election.
WASHINGTON, March "a. 1882.
Mr.. J. w. YoUNGBLooD:
Dear Sir:-As soon as saw the late
Congressional Apportionment OF Mississippi
pi, wrote 10 you to announce in the Com
inercial that would not be . candidate for
Congress from the new 4th district. Your
letter saying you had withheld the an
nouncement 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 notwithstand-
ing there are 10000 colored and only 5000
Write voters in the district, and notwith-
standing the fact that King beat Lowry
1900 in the counties now composing this
district. I am obliged to you and other
friends for this kind opinion but my deter
mination not to run remains unaltered.
The apportionment of the State is ridicul-
ously grotesque and in violation of the plain
letter of the law of Congress. 1t would
have been very easy matter to have made
seven democratic districts in the State, test
ed by the votes of Lowry and King, and at
the same time to have observed the law in
making them of contiguous territory and,
as nearly as practicable, equal in popula-
tion; but this was not attempted. This il
either public confession that the legisla-
ture did not believe the Lowry and King
vote to be honest and fair, or it is an evi.
dence that they desired to make one repub-
lican district for some other purpose Nc
member of Congress had any right to ex.
pect district to be made for him, but each
had right to expect fair play and ar
equal chance to compete before the people
But the legislature gave enorm GUS dem
ocratic majorities in some of the districts
and left me In district which King car
red by 1900 majority. Whether this was
done to punish me for having dared to diff.
fer with the distinguished gentleman, whom
they unanimously reelected to the U. S
Senate or not leave az they did, to coniec
ture.
If the Stale had been legally sabdivided
and party necessity had demanded that
should be legislated out of any chance of re-
election, would not only have cheerfully
acquiesced but support the measure Blu,
l beg leave to be excused from using any
personal sor political influence may have
to support an act which violates both justic,
and law; which places four thousands more
population in three districts than in four
which consolidates heavy democratic ma
jorities in two districts and unnecessarily
gives away one TO the enemy. The sam.
legislature refused to allow the people ever
chance to say at the polls whether thei
judges should be elected or appointed, ant
voted down an amendment to corporation
bill, which in exact terms announced tn,
Democratic platform as to legislative con
troll over corporations within constitutional
limit The same legislature went through
the farce of instructing its Senators to vote
against Cowden's outlet system for tn,
Mississippi river, while it unanimously sci
ected Senator, who had refused to ODE,
the instructions of a previous legislature
| As said to a Northern Democrat when h
assailed the South; eff this is Democracy
am not Democrat" and l do not propos
to exercise any personal or political influ
ence | may have to sustain any such legis
lation. If, as believe, desire to punisl
me has brought political disaster on any o
my friends, can only regret it on their ac
count. The gallant Democracy of the ole
sixth district made heroic fight for year
and when the day of redistricting cam
they had right to expect some relief from
| their burden. But their burdens have in
creased in the house of their friends. II
bidding adieu to those who stood by M
| faithfully and fearlessly in the past, words
cannot express my debt OF gratitude.
Yours. respectfully,
! JAS r. CHALMERS