National Republican., 1883-07-06
FREE VOTE AND FAIR COUNT.
Congressman Chalmers's Arraignment Of the
Mississippi BOsses
His Plan For the Union Of Greenbackers
Grangers, and Independents,
A Statement Of the Principles With Which They
Will Go Before the People
The First and Great Issue In the State
A Test OF Sincerity.

JACKSON, MISS July 4.--Hon. J. r. Chal-
mers delivered speech at this place to-day,
In which the condition of state politics was
thoroughly and lucidly discussed. He began
by drawing parallel between the position of
the colonies in 1776, when they declared in
dependence, and tho independent party in
Mississippi, who had broken their connection
with the party despots who have once more
more made the will of the people subservicnt
to the will of their officers. The government
of Mississippi is no longer founded on the
consent of the governed but on the consent Of
tho governor and his tools Unlike England's
queen, Mississippi's governor not only stands
beyond the reach of the law as lately decided
but his prime minister, the secretary of state
goes unrestrained lest an assalment of him
should be considered an assault upon the
chief executive of the state
Continuing, Gen. Chalmers presented
strong indictment against the democratic
party in Mississippi Said he: We, who
are the Independents of Mississippi, and who
were once democrats, have rebelled against a
party which we once honored and loved.
But in Mississippi there were two wings to
that party one that honored principle and
another that looked only to policy and sue
cess. One that believed in holding their con-
federate record in honor, and defending it
when necessary; but, while making no
apology for the past, looked TO the future for
their political principles. Another that
would in feigned repentance shed public tears
over Summers grave, and then secretly
claim that it was a good thing to utilize tho
bones of dead Yankee" if thereby the voice
Of their great orator could reach the ear
of the north. One that opposed ma
tional banks aud taught that the gov
ernment should issue all money, whether
gold, silver, or paper. Another which ran
along under this platform until policy seemed
to demand change, and then changed in the
twinkling of an eye. One that believed in
the recoinage of silver at its old standard
value. Another that believed in the same
silver dollar when Mr.. Lamar as a member of
the house voted for it, but when Mr.. Lamar
rs senator changed his mind and in viola
tion of instructions voted against it,with their
hands upon their mouths and their faces in
the dust they fell prostratO before the shake
of his Olympian locks.
One which accepted in good faith Han
cocks platform of free ballot and fair
count. Another which, in 1880, with the
platform on their lips, fred cannon at the
polls in the streets of Oxford to intimidate
republican voters.
One that taught the doctrines of antimo-
nopoly and legislative supervision over rail-
ways. Another pretending to stand on this
platform voted it down when offered as an
amendment to a railway charter and united
which they believed were bomb proof against
legislative supervision.
One believing in the right of the people to
elect their judges. Another admitting the
principle, but opposing it as bad policy in
view of the colored voters in the state. One
favoring biennial elections, aud the other OPP
posed to it through fear that when state and
federal elections are held together the United
States supervisors might even in state cleo
ions put stop to false counting of the votes.
The one has been led by Barksdale and the
other by Senator Lamar, while Gov. Lowry,
who has tried to run with both sides, is like
Lincoln's famous story of the sow who sought
bed of parturition first on one side of the
stream and then on the other, and finally
"pigged in the branch"
The Barksdale men have usually shaped
the platforms, but the Lamar men have con-
trolled the machine and prevented the full
tillment of the platform pledges.
John Wesley attempted in vain to reform
the Church of England inside its organiza-
tion, and Barksdale, like Wesley, and more
bold than the supreme court of Mississippi,
is attempting "a vain thing in trying to re-
form the democracy of Mississippi inside its
own organization. John Wesley died in the
Church of England and was buried in its
vestments, but to-day the followers of his
principles form powerful and independent
organization. Barksdale may die and be
buried in the democratic ranks, but those
who love the principles he has taught more
than they love party name compose the
greenbackers, the grangers and independents
of Mississippi who are destined to control
tho political future of the state Their prin-
ciples may be briefly stated as follows:
l, A free ballot and a fair count. To Sc
cure this, law allowing each party to name
% commissioner of election, and each COM
missioner to name one inspector and one
clerk.
2. General elections only once in two years.
E1action nfiulpaa hy thn naonla
A. railway commission to supervise rail-
ways, within constitutional limits.
3. A just and equal apportionment of the
state into legislative and congressional dis
tricts.
q. A law to prevent state officers from is
suing false certificates of election to members
of congress-
z. Fixed salaries and abolition of the fee
system as far as practicable.
The first plank in this platform is the great
issue in Mississippi, and upon that green
hackers, republicans, and independents are
thoroughly united
Every man in Mississippi openly processes
to be in favor of free ballot and fair count,
and those whose secret practices are in viola
tion of their public profession will privately
admit that they do not wish to see their
children educated TO become ballot-box
suffers.
The independents, said Gen. Chalmers now
offer the bourbons test of their sincerity.
They propose the enactment OF law that
will compel fair elections.
He then discussed at length and with great
force each plank in the platform he had laid
down. In discussing the third plank, on
elective judiciary, he said it was but the as
sertion of old-tme democratic doctrine in
Mississippi which was the first state in the
union to adopt it. 1t was not only right in
itself, but 1t took the spoils system out of
state politics. He said, with biting force,
that the political antics of one Warren
Cowan, appointed Judge at Vicksburg by Gov
Lowry, was doing more TO convert the
people of Mississippi on that point than all
the politicians in the state could do. AS to the
fourth plank, that OF railroad supervision
the one that had created most dissension in
the democratic party, he clearly showed by
evidence of record that the Lamar democracy
and bourbons have insisted that the railways
were exempt from supervision by the terms
of their charters, and that any attempt to
supervise them would be void because such
legislation would not be within "constitu-
tiOnal limits" He showed that the people
had been betrayed and swindled by bourbon
legislators elected on platform pledged 10 the
supervision of railways within constitutional
limits, and who cOnspired with railway
magnate to make charters that sh uld he
bomb proof against legislative supervision.
He was very bitter ON Gov. Lowry, whom he
charged with betrayal of principles and aban-
donment Of convictions. His shortcomings