The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-08-27
NOT A DARK HORSE.
COL. JOSIAH PATTERSON DE-
FINES HIS POSITION
In Regard TO the Congressional Nom.
inatiOn-Purely an Office
of Honor.
To.the Editors of the Appeal:

1t IS the plain purpose OF the dark
horse idea TO work in secret, 20 secure
q little strength here and little there
under cover OF somebody else. Is this
frank, fair or Democratic? The pur-
pose then is to set A against i and B
against G, to make sham and pretense
of nomination when the purpose is to
avoidit, to generate wrangling and to
bring about deadlock when har-
mony should be the object.
And then OF the last moment when
ell is ripe the dark horse ie sprung.
This savors rather OF conclave and
cabal than OF candid Democratic meth
DDS"
After further commenting on com.
munication which appeared in THE
APPEAL signed cold Democrat" in
which the names of seven gentlemen,
including myself, are spoken of as
worthy OF Congressional honors, the
article continues as follows:
"But, let us apply the process OF
elimination. Here are, mark you,
ssven names, Wright, Morgan, Cent,
Greer, Turley, Patterson and Weakly.
"Gen. Wright holds himself ALSO
lutely out of that field. Mr.. CAN'T
abhols the political arena. Judge
MorgaA has other fish to fry and is
positively out. Judge Turley could
not even take a Supreme JudGeship
when it was within his grasp. Judge
Greer is emphatically lot candidate.
Mr.. Weakly is positively not candi.
date.
algebra is not worth cent in poll
tics. We have applied the process Of
elimination to these seven names. We
have eliminated all seven. We haven't
anybody left for AN Old Democrats
dark horse. We give it up.
ave haven't forgotten ANYBODY have
we? mo, I'VE are seven," all there,
everybody accounted for, all out, We
give ii up.
The necessary implication from
these extracts is that am what the
Araldnche terms dark horse" In the
contest for Congress. Such candi-
date it describes to be one whose pur-
pose il il ITO set A against B, and b
against c; to make sham and preteDse
Of nomination when the purpose is to
avoid IL; TO generate wiangling, and to
bring about deadlock when harmony
should be the object" This is GER
tainly an uuenviable character the
Avalanche has portrayed, and | have
! greatly misunderstood the estimation
in which l am held in this community
II they deem me capable OF playing
any such role. l desire, therefore,
through your columns to state to the
public my attitude in respect to the
Congressional rsce. Within the last
two weeks q number OF gentlemen
have approached me on the subject OF
becoming a candidate for Congress
They have said to me that l
would be an available candi-
date. l have replied on all
! ccca0ions that was not candidate,
that l was content with private sta
ton in life, that my business relations
were pleasant to me, and it was alto
gether agreeable TO me to follow my
professional pursuits. | said to them
further that ] would under no circum-
stance embarrass my friends or OBJ
trude myself on the Democratic party
or its councils. To this | have added
that while l did not suppose oCcu-
pied any such place in the public esti-
nation, yet if / believed that it was
the general wish of the party Tor me
to make the canvass | would not de-
cline 10 do so. Whether this places
me in the attitude of timid, self
seeking sspirant for Congress, conspir-
ing by indirection to breed discord in
the councils of the Democratic party
for my own promotion, or in that OF an
unobtrusive citizen who Is content
with his station in life, let the public
determine. In addition 10 the reasons
which l gave my friends for not be-
coming q candidate, there are other
reasons which would deter me from
making a personal canvass for the
nomination. A seat in Congress 10 an
office of honor rather than OF profit.
can see how a candidate for an
office OF profit might make his canvass
matter OF business and personally So
licit votes in q nominating convention.
On the other hand, can see how
cit zen might regard seat In Con-
grees az an honor, and yet hesitate 10
obirude himself on his friends or his
party 10 obtain It. The only pride
could feel in the acquisition OF such an
honor would be found in the con-
sciousness that 1t was conferred by the
SURFACES OF the people without impor-
tunity on my part, Again, the Tenth
Congressional District is one con-
spieuous on account OF it's geo
graphical position. The priu-
cipal city Of the Southwest, with
all lis diversified interests, growth
of population and development OF in
dustrieS, ia within it's limits. The
harbor Of Memphis situated on ouI
great inland sea, at the terminus OF 90
many lines OF railroad will continue to
be an object OF legislative interest,
An empire Of overlooked landR, be
tween this city and the gulf, on the
reclamation of which the greatness OF
the Mississippi Valley depends, ia
within the limitations OF the cOnetitu'
ton, a great legislative problem. To
pay nothing OF other legislation OF q
more national character to which the
Democratic party stands pledged, 1t il
plain that a man OF no ordinary
ability should represent this district
in Congress. / would hesitate 70 I'M
dsriake it. / am wanting In that ex
perisnce Of public affairs which would
enable me to perform the duties O
the position as / conceive they should
be performed. l certainly would mo-
think OF undertaking it, unless the
people Of the district called me from
the ranks, without solicitation or
my part TO make the attempt ThiI
l have no reason 10 suppose they viii
do. will certainly never insist
merit such a distinction. This is my
attitude in respect to the matter. l
it conflicts with the notions Of people
who think that the Offices, whether o
honor or Of profit, rightfully belong 4
those who clamor loudest for them, i
cannot be helped. That it will NEE
with the approval OF many good citi
zens do not doubt.
JOSIAH PATTERSON.