The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-16
Still Clubbing.

4
/ In letter to the State Ledger, Col
Hooker attempts 10 extricate himself
from his awkward position in relation
to the doctrine of rotation in Office BIZ
printing an extract from an editoria
which appeared in The CLARION Of
February 2, 1877. The editorial referred
to was in commendation of the genera
doctrine of rotation in Office as opposed
to life-tenures; and was not in advocacy
of the removal of any Democrat for the
sake of rotation.
The popularity of Col. Hooker's posi-
ton is that he held the Office of Repre-
sentative in Congress for four terms
while Maj. Barksdale is now candidate
for third term and this difference in
the conduct of each should be noted
viz: that Maj. Barksdale voted for Col
Hooker aud advocated his election every
time he was elected, and, being the
editor of newspaper, never used its
columns TO have him defeated on the
ground of rotation; while Col. Hooker
in neither of the canvasses in which
Maj. Barksdale was the nominee of the
party, supported him by word of mouth
or pen, and at one of the elections did
not even vote for him.
At Hazlehurst, in 1882, after Mai.
Barksdale had been nominated by the
Convention, Col. Hooker declined to
appear and address the Convention
when formally requested so to do by a
committee raised by the Convention for
that purpose. The fact having been
alluded TO by Maj. Barksdale, Col
Hooker replies that Maj. Barksdale re
fused to address the caucus which nom
mated Judge George for the United
States Senate in 1880. The cases are
not parallel. The nomination of Judge
George ended the Senatorial canvass
the nomination OF Maj Barksdale was
but the opening Of the Congressional
canvass. In the one case Maj. Barks
dale could neither add to nor detract
from anything which the caucus had
done by speaking before it; in the
other, Col. Hooker could have used his
"silver tongue" effectively in the inter
est of that party harmony SO necessary
to party success in this District. 1t was
specially incumbent on him to declare
his acquiescence in the nomination of
Maj. Barksdale, since, at Raymond when
asked if he would support the nominee
of the Convention, he qualified his re-
spouse by saying he would support him
'if he were fairly nominated" and this,
after he had charged unfairness in the
Madison County Convention, and, we
believe, in that of Simpson county. We
must remind Col. Hooker that in the
issue of The CLARION, then edited by
Maj. Barksdale, Immediately succeeding
the nomination of Judge George, hearty
and merited tribute was paid to the
worth of Judge George, and the excel
lence of the selection made by the
caucus, while in the canvass succeeding
Maj. Barksdale's nomination, in 1882, he
Col. II. neither wrote nor spoke word
in behalf of his election and did not vote
for him. Again, the Senatorial caucus
did not, if we recollect rightly, invite
Messrs. Singleton, Barksdale and Wal
thall, the defeated aspirants, to address
it. There were lond calls in the hall
for each. Col. Singleton being present,
Messrs. Walthall and Banks
dale, being absent, did not.
We accept as true Col Hooker's state
ment that he was prevented from cast
ing his vote for Maj. Barksdale by sick
ness, but this did not prevent him from
publicly correcting the impression that
he did not acquiesce in the nomination
of Maj. Barksdale and was Indifferent to
his election. The music of his magic
tongue before the people of the
Seventh District, to whom he now
delights to speak, would have relieved
many grave apprehensions. But he was
silent and cold.
Col. Hooker delights to be classed
with Mr.. Randall. Both favor the repeal
of the internal revenue tax Cd whisky
and tobacco, which would make any
reduction of the tariff on necessaries-
food, clothing, etc.-impossible. We
concede all that is claimed for Mr.. Ran
dali, except that his views on the tariff
and the internal revenue tax are not in
accord with those of Mississippi Demo
Gratis.
We pardon Col Hooker the dis
of abiding to TIE CLARION
under its present management as the
Alter Ego of Maj. Barksdale or any one
else. A gentleman in his embarrassing
position should be allowed some latitude.
We print his letter in another column.