The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-26
politics in Mississippi and the South gen.

"Well, said he, I think there will
be q gradual change for the better. W.
have already advanced one step in thi
direction. We have substituted tissue bal
lots and Counting OUT for Shooting
reign Of fraud for reign Of both fraud anc
blood. This Is certainly an improvement
look forward 10 other changes. builC
my hopes somewhat on independent move
ments. There are great many petty
leaders in this country who. want office ant
prominence, and they will 60 outside OF the
democratic party to.get them, and be glad
to get the negro vote. There is q vast pre-
ponderance OF negro votes in Mississippi
and these.dissappointed aspirants will catei
to that vote. Then, too, this is IN era o.
railroad building, timber speculation and
immigration into the South, bringing in
their wake new people and new ideas We
are gradually putting the old and putting
on the new in common with the rest Oft
world, and those who live many years will
no doubt see radical changes Insaying this,
however, l do not give the Democratic
leaders any credit for agency or good in
tentions in this direction, nor by any
means ignore whatthey have done 10 give
the South the status Of dark and bloody
ground in politics. They are responsible
for high crimes and misdemeanors against
the elective franchise and the sanctity Of
the ballot box in this country, and have
done US great injury in the estimation OF
the world. /
81 asked the Judge to explain how it was
that the Republican party under his kins.
man was oyerthrown in Mississippi in
1876 by the reign Of terror referred to in
the conversation with DR.. Mckay"
Well, said he. Governor AlCorn was
Southern Republican, a man OF large prop.
erty, who understood and endeayored to
promote the real interests OF the party in
Mississippi. He undertook to do this by
appointing to places several moderate men
OF confederate antecedents, in the hope OF
extending the stakes d dthe party among this
influential element. This seemed 10 be a
statesmanlike policy, and 1t undoubtedly
would have resulted to the ultimate benefit
OF the party, but IL gave offence to the
more radical element, the carpet bag ele-
ment, and they began to denounCe his
administration as Tyler administration,
opposition candidate, and by the aid OF
Democratic votes and detached element
OF the negroes they defeated him for re-
election. Along with Ames come in the
carpet bag and negro legislature that proved
such red rag in the eyes Of the people,
against which they rose up in 1875. This
is how we lost the State.n .-...4
swell, said l, taking what you know
about that carpet baga and negro legislature
OF lS74-'75. and their doings, into candid
view, would you consider /. desirable for
the State OF Mississippi t, be governed
by such crowd ?"
II would not" he promptly replied.
Zone question further, Judge" said:
"Would you not rather see the State In the
hands OF Democrats than in the hands OF
such crowd"
~ would" he again replied.
It is only fair to the Judge that should
add that while he thus answered my ques
tionsa as stated, he emphatically repudlates
the methods by which the Democrats OBJ
tanned power and the way in which they
have held it. Also that l should say thai
when related to him conversation that
I had had with Major Wall, the Commis'
sioner OF Immigration for Mississippi, who
had set forth in quite glowing terms the
desire OF the people Of the State for North.
ern immigrants to come and settle among
them, that he very dryly observed, yes
that's all very pretty, provided theydo not
happen 10 be pronounced Republicans, or
do not come In sufficient numbers to bring
their own society with them.
OTHER INTERVIEWS. |
1 had intended to have touched upon
some other interviews with representative
Southern men in this letter-such men for
instance as the Major Wall, just referred to,
Duncan F. Kenne5 the largest sugar
planter in Louisiana, and General Ogden,
the man who figured so .conspicuously in
the overthrow Of the Kellogg government
in Louisiana in 1875. But l find my space
is exhausted, and that must be content
with what have already written. In my
next l shall try to introduce some topics OF
greater general interest. A. VIC.