Oxford eagle., 1896-06-25
To ThE VOTERS o. THE SECOND
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

bTGLE OF the nth inst. in try
ing to reply to 4 card from me
which has been circulated
throughout the district since
the lst Of April. makes some
statements which | feel called
upon. however reluctantly. to
answer.
After waiting Tor nearly two
and a half months before essay
lug to reply to my innocent lit
tie card. the only reasonable
presumption - that the facts
that Were stated therein were
beginning to hurt and suddenly
II becomes. to Mr.. Roane. like a
red nag in the lace ct a mad
bull.
I He s,-ys that the counties Of
Benton. Tippah and Union gave
q majority again>; me in 1891.
What a-e the factsl am glad
ne has furnished me the oppor.
tuniiy to explain. Aside from
Mr. hyle's great popularity al
that time. in the counties of Tin
pah and Benton there was op-
position To me on account oi
some local stock law litigation
IN which the feeling ran very
high. bat which is now eiiujn.
ated from the canvass. as Nr
Roane can learn by inquirinc Of
those concerned.
Near.y all of the opposition
10 me in the two counties was
united or Mr.. Kyle. and Yet III
the three counties | had a >mal!
plurality over Mr.. KYLE.
) Mr.. Roane also seeks 10 en-
/ phaslze that fact that nv ma.
jorIty over all opponents in
/ Tippah was small. all of which
ds tie people hrre vel know
was chaTgeabie 10 these stock.
law matter referred TO above
But 1t might be a sufficient an.
swer to Mr.. Roane on this point
10 say that no outsiders ever
carried my own county against
me. Mr.. Roaae can't say a.
much: for IN lSS7 | carried hi-
own county of Lafayette owe:
him for District Attorney. a
fact which modesiy and a sens,
o: p-opriety have forbidden me
to mention heretofore.
[ Mr.. ROane slvs that -hiie !
: was District Attorney the Office
vas worth sitSl0.e1 a wear.
got but little nO-e than hal
~ tia, ogt OF Il: and f Nj
Roane vas being paid in ices
for convictions - / Vas IN n.lrt
doubt whether he would rea.
.ze row as much a. his s4,a-y
amounts 10. though money Is
worth about twice a. much uoz
- i vas when I held The o-tice.
There : th.s far. her dI.sfr-..nee
between ne and Nr. Rosaa.
y han l al fu>t entered uDaa a
-1G tern a. District Attorney
situated a. he : nov. ! was
urged 10 become a candidate
Tor congress when Col. EOrcan
rs seeking H. 3rd nomination.
bar j sald L vas not right. uor
ialr 20 ihe people 70 ask them
lor another osIee 80 : or. a..t. !
served ogt ~ full term. yolun.
-arly retired and waited two
years before became a candid-
ate for congress in lsa4. Imav
laFe been too modest. hut I
4m sure | did right. and Mr.
iGane may live long enough "a
regret that ne did not folls \ nv
example.
Mr.. ROane SAYS -the Demo
cratic party of Mississippi Is
committed to the policy of the
promotion of faithful officers
before the expiration of their
term. and refers To tie elee-
ton Of Gen George to the
[ nited States Senate while he
was on the Supreme Bench. and
the late State Convention en-
f dorsIag Gen. Walthall for
vlce-president. IllustriOus ex-
amples. but far-fetched. would
regard II as perilous in the ex-
treme for either Mr.. ROane or
myself To claim as strong a hold
upon the people of Mississippi
a. these two distinguished sol
dlers and statesmen. The
friends OF the able and deserv-
edly popular chief executive of
the State found, last winter. that
the Democratic party was not
committed to the policy of
promoting faithful officers
when the term of our office had
Just commenced, and Mr.. Roane
might profit by that lesson.
Mr.. Roane says he will resign
as District Attorney if he should
be elected TO Congress. How
kind in him When | resign
says he, -the governor will ap-
point some faithful Democrat
whom the people recommend
To succeed me-
He ought to have declined
TO become a candidate for re-
election last year and allowed
the people to elect his successor.
and not depend on the appoint
ing power TO give them the man
of their choice, because.
Learly everybody, except Mr..
Roane. knows that the people
have bnt little to do With
appointments.
L have not desired any per
soRal controversy with any
candidate, my little circular.
which after two and a half