The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-19

Democrat, II not every Independent
and Republican also, that Judge Nor
[ gan was fairly reelected to the place
In the House which he has filed 60
S creditably and well.
Judge =. II. MOrgRB's Statement.
WASHINGTON, pssomber 10, 1886.
The Hon. J. Il. Chalmsrsi
SIR have received your notice
that you will contest my right to a
seat In the Fiftieth Congress of the
United States as o member-elect to
represent the Second District OF Mis-
sissippi, and for answer thereto, say:
yIRsT-o COMMISSIONERS OF ELECTION.
l deny that the Commissioners OF
Election, who held the election In the
several counties OF the district, were
Illegally appointed, as charged by you.
In making appointments OF persons
TO discharge the duties appertaining
to these important Offices, aver that
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor
and Secretary Of Slate discharged the
trust conhded to them in strict &C.
Cordance with the statute comforting
the power, and with we'll considered
care and conscientious regard for the
public welfare.
That the State Board hes refused TO
heed the requests Of candidates for
Office who have had the hardihood to
ask TO have their expectant followers
appointed for their own eelfah, and
perhaps unlawful, purposes, do not
deny; and the charge that you prefer
with 30 much solemn and lachrymoss
gravity, that In the late election for
Congress the Governor, Lieutenant
Governor and Secretary Of State re-
fused TO appoint the Commissioners OF
Election recommended by me (you),"
may be true.
II is absurd 10 insist, as you do, that
the true intent and meaning OF the
statute is that candidates for office,
without regard to their politics, shall
be represented In the Board of Com
missioners, by persons, without re-
gard to their politics, recommended by
themselves.
II Is not true that l stated at By
halia, before the Commissioners OF
Election were appointed, that bad
letter from Gov. Lowry, stating that
no person recommended by you would
be appointed. This Ia entirely imma-
terial TO any issue that can arise Ia
this controversy, and | thus notice it
In justice to Gov. Lowry. II neces-
ssry, or desired by the Committee on
Elections, will produce the letter It,
self before the committee.
deny that any OF the Commission
ers appointed in DesotO, Tate, Benton,
Marshall, Lafayette or Union counties
were "tnere tools Of nay party friends"
as charged by you, or we're appointed
for any other than lawful purposes.
sEooSD-ISsrEoroR on ELECTIONS.
deny that in every county in the
district, except Nppah, the inspectors
were Illegally appointed, rs charged
by you.
All Of the inspectors Of the late
election were appointed under the
provisions OF the Code, and aver that |
In the Second District all OF the ap. |
pointments were made by the Com |
missioners OF Election for the several
counties in the district, in strict &C
cordance with the law, with a view
alone TO an honest and lawful dis |
charge OF the duties required OF them.
D--RRdIsrRATIoN.
deny that my friends falsely snd |
traudulently changed the registration |
books In some commits TO prevent
those opposed to the Democratic
party from voting, as charged by you,
or that they have been thus changed
In any OF the counties. deny that
you have the right to have counted
for you all the negroes whose nameg
appear on the books for the last six
years, whether they voted or not, or
whether dead or alive. Your claim is
unreasonable and extTsvsgant, and in
justice and fairness / hope and trust
will not be allowed. Your charge.
that at Olive Branch, in Desoto coun-
ty, every friend Of mine yours who
offered to vote, except two, was re-
jected beeause the inspectors said his
name was erased on the books be.
cause he was dead or Temoyrd," isa
cruel joke perpetrated on you by your
friend, Charlie Haynie, who was one
OF the lonely two. am informed
that ii IL q fact that but four men were
rejected at that box ali told, and two,
i not three, OF the four were my
friends, and rendered their tickets
with my name on them. But
81 votes were cast at this box,
OF which humber l receive d 81 and
you received 2. The only chance to
give you the 100 majority claimed by
you, would be to have counted
Tor you every colored man whose
name appears on the book, whether
he desired to vote or not, and whether
he 10 dead or alive. Such is the
ridiculous absurdity Of this claim.
There seems TO have been distressing
mortality OF the same character, Re
shown by the election returns, at
tending your 'supporters" at many
other voting places in the district, as
well IS at Olive Branch, am willirg
In the winter Of your discomfort"
that you may make use Of any device
that your genius can suggest that will
In any manner contribute TO your
comfort, but l insist that II shall be
limited to the Office OF solacing your
own mind. Your comparison Of the
relative strength Of the population,
based on color, as shown by the CEN
sue, and deduction therefrom that
more OF my supporters white men)
were registered than youis (colored |
men), Is based upon the do.
fusion that seems like q nightmare
TO have seized upon your mind,
that ell the colored men are Republic
cans, and that you, who are not Re-
publican and never were, have the
right as against the world TO have
their votes, as shown by the census,
counted for you, whether they even
wished to vote or not.
Il is not true that anybody admits
that there are only twenty five OF
thirty oolored Democrats in Pamela
county. And whether true or not,
this could avail you nothing, for l
deny that you had any claim what
ever 10 support from the Republican
party, or that the Republican party in
the late election recognised youth auy
whatever as having sDy claim
TO Its support, or that The cnlored peo-
Pile felt any interest in your success.
On the contrary, they lad no respect !