National Republican., 1883-09-03
MIss1ss1pP1 POLITICS.
A Statement by Hon. John IL. Lynch.
10 me Editor.

A Statement by HON. John ~. Lynchs
10 he Editor
1 inferred from conversation had with
q gentleman who is supposed to be one Of the
proprietors of The REPUBLICAN, that the pa
per would DO reticent with regard to the pres
ent political situation in Mississippi. But as
it has taken a bold stand against the republic
can organization in that state, l feel that the
facts should be clearly stated in order that
the attitude of tho party in the state may not
be misunderstood. The republicans of Mis-
sssippi ore anxious to have public sentiment
created in tho state which will crush out
buldozing and fraud and guarantee fair and
honest elections. Every intelligent person
in the country knows that the desired result
eau be brought about in no other way.
Year after year every southern state where
the republicans arc in the majority is re-
turned democratic by large maioritics sim
My because the methods and practices by
which this result is brought about are coun-
tenauced and acquiesced i'll by the local pub
lie sentiment of the states in which they are
committed, and yet national republican ad-
ministratiou, under our system of govern
ment, seems to be powerless to enforce the
laws that were made for the protection of
citizens, or to punish q single bulldozer or
ballot box stuffer. The adoption of such q
course, or the inauguration of such a policy
rs will create q public sentiment in the state
in favor of fairness and honesty is tho only
thing that is loft for tho republicans
in such states to do. To accomplish
this purpose and to bring about this result,
the republicans in Mississippi are willing to
make any reasonable sacrifices which do not
involve an abandonment Of their party Or
ganization or compromise of their political
principles. In quite number of the colored
counties in tho state there are two classes or
elements in the democratic party; one in
favor of keeping up the system of bulldozing
and fraud, and the other opposed to them.
We call the former tho bourbons and the lat
ter tho conservatives, but all Of them are
democrats. If the republicans in counties
where they have u majority, should make
straight party nominations for county Off
cors, the effect would be to unite these
two elements or classes in the sup
county ticket, and bulldozing and
fraud would continue to be the recog-
nized democratic election methods But
when tho republicans mako q proposition to
fuse instead of making straight party noIni-
nations, il deprives the bourbons of the excuse
they usually mako to justify bulldozing and
fraud, and it gives tho conservatives an OPP
portunity to assert their power and influence
inside of their own party organization. When
over tho conservatives arc successful in
contest of this kind it generally re.
suits in the creation of public sentiment
which will not tolerate continuance Of bull
doing and fraudulent methods. In all
counties where this policy has been
adopted heretofore we find thore is a
marked improvement in the tone of pub
lie sentiment and subsequent elections
have been conducted with reasonable fairness
and honesty. The fact must be borne in mind
that these fusions are made in the election OF
local county officers and members of the leg
islature. They have no reference to state
district or national elections 1t must also
be remembered that these fusions are not
made between individual republicans and
democrats, but in every instance through and
by the regular party organization in their re
spective counties republican nominating
convention is called by the county executive
committee, delegates are elected from eacf
| election precinct in tho usual way
by the republican voters thereof, ant
these delegates meet in convention
and make the party nominations
| But in all counties where the fusion plaI
is adopted, instead of nominating candidates
for all of the offices they nominate for the
positions conceded to the republicans and the
| democratic convention nominates the candi
dates for the positions conceded to that party
and each convention then ratfies the nomi
nations of the other The same co urse is pur
sued in counties where the repub licans fus
with tho Independents or greenbackers. /
will thus be seen that there is no abandon
ment of party organization nor u compromise
Of principles by either party to these local ar
rangements. But TIE NATIONAL RE
PUBLICAN says, ITO treat with the
democratic party is to surrender Il
it," Every bourbon paper in Mississippi
says, "ro treat with the republican party is Il
surrender to it," How beautifully these tw
l hnr nniy n N
agree with each other, and how lovingly AM
happily the two classes or elements thus rep
resented can dwell in peace and in perfec
accord with each other. The editor of TIL
| NATIONAL REPUBLICAN need not have an
apprehension of being bulldozed, if he shoul
ever have an occasion to visit even Yazo
county, in Mississippi, for l can assure hir
that the sentiments of his paper will receiv
the unqualified Endorsement of that class c
our citizens popularity known as bulldozeI
and bourbons, and if he should happen at an
time to go among them he would b.
lioniZed in way that no man has We
been before. 1t is to be hoped that as betwee
bourbon democracy on the one han
aud bourbon republicanism as repre-
sented by the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, o
the other, the republican party in Mississippi
will be able to survive. But if it be tru
that "to treat with the democratic party is
surrender to it," would it not also be tru
that to treat with the Chalmers or greenbac
party would be to surrender to itH Is it th
desire of the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN to hay
the republican party of Mississippi surrende
to Chalmers and his few greeuback followers
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN has hereto
fore been consistent in its advocacy of stric
adherence to party methods and customs, an
it has denounced in the strongest possibl
language the action of republicans who II
fuse to acquesce in and abide by the decisio
of party conventions. | feel that | "violat
no confidence" in saying that in converse
tion with the supposed writer Of the article /
Saturdays REPUBLICAN, he substantially ad
mitted that his advocacy Of the coalitio
movement in Virginia was justified upon tn
ground that the republican party of that stat
in n regular party convention had Endorsed /
Can il be possible that The NATIONAL ri
PUBLICAN's admiration of its pct idol
the person of j. II. Chalmers is s
intense that it is obliged to falsil
its entire record in this respect by advocatin
the disruption and disorganization of tn
republican party in Mississippi, and that ii
members should join tho greenback party .
any other faction or organization that wi
recognize j. II. Chalmers rs its leaderP N
other logical deduction can possibly be draw
from its present position. 1t is no doubt tru
that the republicansin many counties woul
much rather make these local alliances wit
some other than the regular democratic o.
ganization if a third party were in eXistenC
with sufficient strength and influence to az
oomplish the same purpose. But il is an unto
tunato fact that the independent or greenbac