The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1894-06-29
THEY WILL NOT DOWN.

some OF tne newspapers ana per-
sonal supporters pooh-pOoh at the
idea that the record that gentleman
made for himself some years ago will
injure him in the present campaign,
and say that IL it was damaging as it
is claimed it should be, he would
never have been elected to the Fifth
eth Congress, and successfully re-
elected to the Fifty-arst, Fifty-second
and Fiity-third (the presently Con-
gress. They claim if the colonel's
political record 1--WE have nothing to
do with his personal and private rec
ord, which, so far as we know, may be
above reproach) was as crooked as it
now appears to be, that it had been
condoned by his successive elections,
and that it should not be brought
into question at the present.
Such reasoning is fallaciOus in the
extreme. In the first place theeXtent
Of Colonel's Stockdale's political
crOOkedness was not known until re-
Gently. He made in 1886 IA weak and
lame defense against that part Of his
record that showed that he had gone
into the Republican party in 1915, but
the charge had been sprung too late
in the canvass to affect to much
extent his nomination at Mississippi
City, which came over to him, how
ever, only by devious methods, as
those who attended that convention
know full we'll Nor was the proof
that he had done so as accessible and
positive then as at this writing. or
course, after he had been placed in
the field as the Democratic nominee
there was no alternative for the De-
mocracy OF the district but to support
him. Since that time, and within the
past few weeks the Hull letters have
come to light, and it appears as if
they will prove serious stumbling
block in the way Of the colonel; more
so, possibly, than the charge that he
had given in his adhesion to the
Republican party. These letters es
tablish his treachery and duplicity 81
far as the Democratic party is con
cerned beyond any question. The.
cannot be pooh-poohed at nor b
downed at the bidding OF the colone
> and his friends. They are actuall
existing, living, burning facts that h
proposed, was even anxious, to ente
into a conspiracy to defeat and des
! troy the Democratic party after
: had gained control of the affairs of til
p State only three years previously, an
q it will require the strongest and mos
6 convincing facts to disprove til
authorship of the letters referred to.
So far as the Democrat is cOncerne
it has never condoned the lapse o
. Colonel Stockdale from party fealt
and devotion. 1t has supported Cole
mel stockdale after part Of his recor
n became known, it admits, but in Onl
y did so from party loyalty, and becaus
Y he was foisted upon the people OF til
: district (by manifestly unfair metf
). DDS and practices) as the Democrati
e nominee. In an article in the Demo
. crat on the 25th Of August, 1886, n
r ferring to his nomination, this papt
gave utterance to the following in it
q editorial column:
ia "But the candidacy of Colon'
10 Stockdalc appears ostensibly as I'll
y action of the convention, and he no
4 only appears as the candidate of I'll
n Democratic party of the district. III
" Democratic voters of this district ON
,e it as IA duty to the party to suppol
\. him against any aspirant hostile
# the Democratic party, and he wi
II probably receive the support OF a
10 Democrats IN the district, regardle'
al of the methods by which he has bee
n placed In the field. 1t is to the part
~ and not to Colonel Stockdale or Judi
n. Van Eaton or any one else, that I'll
'. Democratic voters of the district ov
ii their fealty, and they should do the
In duty manfully, regardless of the ind
o vidual by whom the battle is led"
IT. This represented the sentiment
" the Democrat in 1886, and it shov
10 the fealty in this paper to the part
II not to Colonel Stockdale, nor does
= indicate any intention on its part
pc condone any of his sins OF omission
commission, politically.