Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-09
I, W.HARDWICK
IN RACE FOR
CONGRESS
HE STANDS FOR THE soUTH's
RIGHTS AND SAYS TIME HAS
COME FOR THIS SECTION
TO ASSERT ITSELF.

TENNILLE, Ga, Jan. Hon. 7. W.
Hardwick today announced himself as
candidate for congress to succeed Hon.
William H. Fleming. who for the past two
terms has represented the Tenth dis-,
trict in the federal legislature.
Mr.. Hardwick lives in Washington
county and Mr. Fleming in Richmond.
Both are popular and strong men and the
fight promises to be an interesting one
In his announcement. Mr.. Hardwick eK-
presses himself as strongly favoring free
dom of speech, freedom of press, free
dom of conscience, the preservation OF
personal rights, the equality Of all citi-
zens under the law and the faithful OBJ
servance of all constitutional limitations.
Mr. Hardwick urges the repeal OF four
teenth and fifteenth amendments OF the
federal constitution. He says:
I'm the next place 1 wish to br1efly
mention what I consider to be the most
important question before the people OF
the south today It is cardinal doctrine
of the party whose nomination am seek
ing, that the states are sovereign and are
each entitled to regulate and control It's
own domestic and international affairs
which is the right to prescribe the qualt~
fications of its electors.
This imperishable doctrine was the
great doctrine in which the immortal JEFF
ferson believed. which he taught and
wool of the great party that he founded,
which was repeated in every platform OF
that party and was recognized and upheld
in every decision of the highest court OF
the land until the logic of the jury was
forced to yield to the unreasoning sword
of the sectionalist and a south bleeding.
PROSTATE and staggering from the effects
of four years of the bloodiest war known
to history was forced to accept the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments to the
federal constitution by which this time
honored doctrine of our fathers was swept
away and at one stroke of the pen mill
lions of unlettered freedmen unacquainted
with the genius of our institutions. inca
pable of becoming, either then or thereaf-
ter intelligent participants in the admin
istration of our public affairs, were in
vested with all the pomp and circum-
stances of the ballot, the true use OF
which they have never known and the
abuse of which they learned too soon.
Now that bloody shirt waving is less
popular than in the days or yore. now
that the sons of the south have once
more demonstrated in blood their love for
and loyalty to a reunited and reJuven-
ated country. / believe that the time has
come when the south need sit no longer
a crying suppliant IN the councils of the
nation, but that she ought bodily and
fearlessIy to appeal to the generous peo-
ple of the north, east and west 1or the
repeal o. these 'unholy amendments
For the abolition of these war meas
ures, for return to the ancient COM
pact of our fathers upon the faith Of
which the great nation was built for the
priceless right to regulate her affairs her.
self, without federal control or interfer-
ence.
''If I should be elected as your con-
gresham expect TO devote every. energy
Of my nature to the accomplishment OF
,nF Aauf Il
may be lonely and almost friendless in
its advocacy. yet I believe. in the end,
that the justice and fairness Of our cause
will reach the hearts and touch the con-
science of the great fair-minded American
people,