Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-08-04
1t Has Proved False to Its
Principles and Become
Worshiper of the Golden
Calf of Plutocracy.
To Have Supported Cleveland
on a Wall Street Platform
Would Have Been Self
qualification.
He Chooses Rather to BE True
to Himself and the People.
from the Chlckasaw Messenger
TO THE PUBLIC.

To THE PUBLIC.
A friend writes me inquiring "the
true inwardness" of my resignation as
one of the Democratic electors of the
State-at- large.
Thinking perhaps there were others
desiring the same information, have
chosen to give the public the benefit Of
a frank and candid answer:
i My first vote was for Seymour and
Blair In 1868, and since that time
have consistently voted the Democrat
10 ticket without scratching; always
obeying Loyalty the behest Of MAORI
ty of the party, no matter whether 1t
met my personal appreciation or not
/ have been constrained through sense
of duty, frequently in the past, to differ
with leading members of the party, and
have often criticised policies adopted
and methods employed to carry them
out, thinking that any Democrat had
the right to express his views unre-
servedly prior to a nominating conven-
ton, and in that convention even, IL
in conflict with the opinion of the
majority, without detriment to his
democracy. had believed the Demo
cratic party was fair and hon st and
big enough, broad enough, deep,enough
and high enough in patriotic thought
and purpose to permit the discussion,
within it's ranks, of any economic
question, which any number of its
members might honestly believe would
promote the welfare of the people,
without being subjected to gross mis-
representation and vile abuse, and SO
long as / willingly yielded to the decis-
ion of the majority, did not suppose
the party would attempt to suppress
free thought and free speech. l knew
that our National platform contained
an anti-sumptuary law clause, yet l
knew many good Democrats were Pro-
hibitionists. 1 knew the Democratic
party pronounced against protective
tariff, but Mr.. Randall and his follow
ers persisted in their support of high
tariff legislation. / knew the Demo-
cratic party had declared with won
derful unanimity in favor of free silver,
and that Mr.. Cleveland and his Wall
street friends were vehemently oppos-
ed to it. Nobody so far as am advis-
ed, ever dreamed of reading the Prohi-
bitionists, the Randall protectionists
or the mugwump contingent of the
money power out of the Democratic
party, and hence / concluded, that as
the Democratic party had always laid
claim to the honorable distinction of
being the party of the people, l might
in my humble way advocate measures,
which in my judgment would promote
the interest of the masses, without for
feiting any right in the party / had
earned by a loyal adherence to the
principles laid down by Jefferson, for
quarter of century. Imbued with
these convictions made canvass last
year in favor of the Ocala demands.
Mississippi declared against them, and
l acquiesed, imagining that would not
be required to stultify myself by alb
juring the only policy which in my
opinion will bring relief to our suffer-
ing people and inveighing against my
old friends. Under this delusion, adj
vised those Democrats who believed as /
did, not to think of a Third party aff1li-
alton, but to fight for their principles
sin the union" / argued that the
Democratic party had declared in favor
of some of our demands, and that as
conditions changed, the party had in
the past changed or extended its policy,
in accord with the wish of the majority
again, and urged my friends to con-
UOho pal Id1ho lOI Wubb LIl6y
believed to be right and abide the re-
suit, thinking those who differed with
us, would do the same thing should our
views prevail. In this frame of mind,
was appointed by the State conven-
ton an elector, and I overlooked the
fact at the time, that of the thirty-six
delegates and alternates to the Nation
al convention and nine Presidential
electors, ] was the ONLY representative
of class of Mississippi Democrats ad-
mitted to have cast one third of the
votes of the party last year. But even
this selfish appropriation of the honors
of the party might have been forgiven,
If the hope / entertained that partial
justice would be done the farmers,
could have been realized.
That was mistaken in the belief
that the men who controlled the De-
mocracy would be actuated by spirit
of fairness, let the conduct of the party
managers in the Chickasaw election
case attest. That want of personal
and political honesty prevail, especial
ly in the South, is evidenced by the
numerous official defalcations reported
In the public press. That intolerance
and wrong Is oftener upheld than re-
buked by the powers that be in this
State, a history of the political contests
in this county for the past eighteen
months will suffice to show. That the
constitution fastened upon this people
by an arrogant machine, without their
consent, deprives a large number of
white as well as colored men of their
political rights cannot be successfully
denied. That the party's desire to do
the bidding of Wall street, rather than