The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-06-02
ABooIA. MISS, May IS, 1893.

ABCoLA, Miss, May IS, 1893
To The Viczsburg Herald;
I see by the papers that Jack CutreE
Tom Baird and jim Thames have nom
mated Hon. Pat Henry for congress
The Commercial Appeal has taken this
candidacy seriously and so must we. /
have doubted the wisdom Of the swap
and have asked several gentlemen why
Mr. Henry was better for us than Mr.
Catchings, and the reply where at all
favorable ohm has uniformly been
Oh, well, you know we are anti-Catch-
iugs- and have been asked on that
score to join the procession. Now, !
want it known that am not now nor
ever have been anti. .Catchings or anti
anybody else. have always preferred
for myself the more peaceful and prof
liable paths Of private life. It has been
my fortune, however, in two political
campaigns, to bear an humble but an
active and an interested part In both
Of these found myself advocating the
cause of then comparative strangers,
and opposing those for whom I felt a
personal fondness. The reason was that
one side stood for a principle in which
believed. The other advocated one
believed to be dangerous and baneful
to the best interests of the country, and
particularly the section in which !
lived, have never in politics been
actuated by any considerations Of per
sonal profit or personal promotion or
personal spite, and have little sYmpa
thy or respect for the voter who is AS
it has been in the past, so it viii be in
this. If take any part at all, while I
do not suppose I have any great intIu
ence, what l have must be against the
man personally like, and I must in
part defend one who has no reason to
love me. Hon. Pat Henry is, I win ad
NIT, an all round good fellow a gen
tleman always and fashioned after the
old school, He is as thoughtful, reflect
i've in mind and sensible as one Of bis
years and tastes may be expected to be-
To those who want to elect him to spite
Mr. Catchings / want to say that fail
to perceive the sweetness of the revenge
obtained BY going into the Catchings
camp to get man to beat Mr. Catch
ings with. To those who want free
silver man want tosay when did Mr..
Henry get to be one2 When the free
silver compaign first was in progress it
was long time before I could find out
where he stood. asked him the plain
question once. and he told me joEingly,
but as afterwards found to be too
true. that he was drinking with both
sides When the national convention
came off 4Ir Henry wanted the distine-
tion and pleasure Of attending, and we
sent him as a free silver delegate When
he tried later to GUST Mr. Catchings, be-
cause of Bib goldbug 7rocliyities Mr.
Henry, ig my memory IS not utterly
wrong attended the convention in
vi.ls marching arm ID arm with
ny Friends Murray Smith and 9. @
Wills, both rabidly pizen0 goldbugs
decorated with q Catehings badge I
wearing Catching hat, had a Catch
ings free ticket on catchlngs excur
sion train, voted fot Catchings. an
avowed goldbug, ana dfeated Longino.
Mr. Henry win no dosbt, reioin that
even though this be tlee, he himself
offered and bad passed nthat conven
ton resolutions iustructip Alr Catch
ines for free silver That true. HeI
aid But f Catchings. q ldb1r Ill
aeructea, was then better ta requ-
lar free silver mann, Why isna tie same
proposition true todlyi Peahps he is
thorough going consistent iyoeats
of free silver, and went home nigatl
after with q crowd who were gn reau.
lar goIdbug iag though he Was ona