Savannah morning news., 1886-05-11
BACON ANSWERS GORDON.
HEREFUSEs TO APPEAL TO THE
STATE COMMITTEE.

The General Challenged to Meet Him In
Public DfscussiOn-One Side of the
Public Sq6are at Gainesvtlles Fla,
Wiped Out by Fire-Other Home News
on the Wire.
AUGUSTA, GA, May 10.-The following
is a copy of letter mailed to Gen.
Gordon:
MACON, GA, May 10, 1885,
Gen. John B. Gordon, 4 tldRtd:
DEAR SIR-I respectfully ask that you Will
agree with me upon public discussion before
the Democratic party of the state of the issues
involved in the pending contest for the guber-
Material nom ination. In order to arrange for
the same l request you to select friend to
meet the Hon. Patrick Walsh, of Augusta,
with the view of having them confer and
agree upon the dates and places for the pro-
posed public discussions. You will recognize
the fairness of this proposition. as II VIII give
us jointly the opportunity OF meeting the
people face to face, and of giving them the
fullest inform alton on all the issues involved
in the campaign. Very respectfully yours,
A. o. BACON.
BACON'S REPLY.
MACON, GA, May 10.-Maj. Bacon has
made the following reply to Gen. Cor
don's letter to him:
MACON. GA, May 10, 1855.
Gen. John B. Gordon, DeHdl6 County.
DEAR SIR find published in the Tele-
graph. the Chronicle, the NEWS and the Con-
stitutiOn and other daily papers OF the stare
Of Sunday a lettr which purports 10 have
been addressed by you to myself. have re-
celved no such letter, but presume its putll-
cation was authorized by you. Desiring to
conform to what appears to be your chosen
medium of communication l reply to the
same through the public press.
You and / were both in Savannah during the
past week, and daily met each other per ou-
ally. In now noting your desire that we agree
upon plan by which, in the pending contest,
1.-THE will of the Democratic people OF Geor-
gia" can be best ascertained / might with
proprIety express some surprise that you
failed to avail yourself Of the opportunity
thus presented TO then confer with me rela-
tive to the proposition which you now make.
1t would not have been premature for you to
have done so as, II you were correctly re-
ported. you were then actively canvassing for
support among those Whom you Jnere met. In
response to your proposition | make the fol-
lowing reply: As ] understand it, the Gus
tom of the party in this State has been for
the Executive Committee to fix the date and
place for the assembling Of the convention
and the basis of representation. The counties
have always been left to decide for themselves
the manner in which they should choose their
delegates Some Of them have adopted the
plan of primary elections, and others have
made their selections OF delegates through
the means of mass meetings. | believe the
people Of the several counties are tully
capable of determining for them
selves which plan is best adapted
! to their convenience and the proper ascer-
| tanning of the popular preferences. When
! ever they choose to resort TO a primary cleo
| ton their action will meet with my ful aD-
| proval. Whenever, on the contrary, they de-
/ eide to meet together in open mass meeting,
l shall acquIesce in their actions. | believe
that the Democratic voters of the the Execu-
! tive Commlttee,or perhaps betterseveral than
! counties can determine better than you or
| myself the mode best suited to the situation
| of their several communities. The only Office
of the Executive Committee is to supply the
need of a head to the organization. .
With that accomplished l favor
! the largest liberty of action to the people and
/ the alest cOnstralnt or dictation by either
committees or candidates. | am opposed to
centralized power OF all kinds, whether IL is
fOunu in the private organization OF indivldu-
ais for their own personal political ends, or in
/ the committees necessary to party machinery.
! As those who are known to be your political
| friends have in the past very largely prOfited
! by the use OF the modes of procedure which
! have heretofore been pursued. 1t is TO be pre- 10
! sumed that you will not condemn the same as
having in those instances failed to ascertain
! honestly and fully "the viii of the Demo-
cratic people OF Georgia." ] have never
feared full expressiol OF the popular will.
( have no fear of it now. | shall be satisfied
| that such popular will shall find its eXp-es-
sion in the manner in which the people OF
each county shall determine for Themselves.
! You will pardon me for saying that the time
has come when party policy in this State
to the wishes of candidates. Conventions and
electionsare held presumably in the interest
/ of the people rather than in the interest of
candidates, and the wishes Of the former
should never be made subservent to the in
/ terests of the latter. The Executive Com
/ mIttee might resent as impertinent any at
tempt on our part to dictate Its line Of action.
| and the people would certainly repudiate any
effort of the committee to control or restrict
] their mode of procedure in the appointment
Of delegates. So far as am personally con-
/ cerned, / will be content to abide the result
OF either primary elections or the action
! OF mass meeting in the several counties ac-
/ cordng to the best judgment and preference
/ of the people thereof.
| Very respectfully yours.
J