The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1903-09-09
AN ADDRESS.
To the Voters of District No. 1,
Of Lincoln County:

| of Lincoln County:
! Having, after mature delibera
tion, made up my mind to ignor
the action of the County Execu
tive Committee in declaring M
out of the race after the first pri
mary, and to submit my name t,
the people in November as can
Ididate for reelection to the Office
of Justice of the Peace, l deem i
fair to myself and my friends tt
state some of the causes which i'm
pei me to this course.
! | feel that the action of the com
mittee in declaring both of my op.
ponents nominated on the face O.
the returns was unwarranted, ar
hitrary, illegal and unfair, and il
support of my contention | submil
the following facts:
In the primary of August 9th
492 votes were cast for the offices
of j. P, divided as follows: Lam
bright, 275; Daughtry, 255; Hof
man, 247; thus giving each can
didate clear majority of the pop.
ular vote cast for that Office.
Chapter sc, Section 5, paragraph
II, of the primary law, under
which the election was held, says:
ANY candidate who receives 8
majority of the popular vote cast
for the office for which he is a
candidate in the first primary
shall be the nominee of the party
for such office.''
1t therefore clearly appearing
that as there were 3 candidates
and only 2 Offices to be filled, nc
definite choice had been registered
and no legal nomination (at least
to both offces), had been made,
[ went before the committee in
good faith and pointed out their
error in first declaring the result,
and placing before them the facts,
asked them to correct the injustice
which they had done and were do
ing me by resembling their former
erroneous Judgment and referring
the matter back to the people for
adjustment in the second primary,
pledging myself to accept the re-
suit without a murmur. This fair
and equitable redress they refused
to accord me, and to their action
in SO doing l then objected and
still object.
The law enjoins it on the com
mittee to meet after each primary
and canvass the returns and de-
clare the result. Only this and
nothing more. They have no le-
gal or moral right to trampIe upon
the rights or interest of an indi-
vidual by making a result them
selves, or by declaring one not
clearly indicated by the votes at
the polls.
/ feel that the committee has
made this blunder and in arriving
at this conclusion / am guided by
my own judgment, supplemented
by as good legal advice, Doth in
and away from Brookhayen, as can
be obtained anywhere in the state,
Personally | have no unkind
feeling towards the committee,
nor do | wish to pass any harsh
criticism upon its official acts; for
some of the members of the com
mittee l have the highest regard; ;
but they, as a body, have, In my
opinion, done me a very grave in
| Justice perhaps unintentionally),
which | consider it not only my
right but my duty to, resent,
| The great Creator has inplant-
led within the breast of most
human beings an instructive love
| of Justice. It has been the theme
Of poets, orators, statesmen and
philanthropists in all ages, and
he who would not openly and def
antly contend for it in his own be
half could hardly be depended
upon to administer it to others.
In conclusions; | wish to return
my sincere thanks to the friends
who have stood by me in dark
hours, and to say to you that in
this (as / trust) the morn of a bet
ter and more useful life. / do moi
believe you will desert me, there.
fore | earnestly solicit your kline
consideration and support.
Yours truly,
F. H. HO'E.F'MIAN. )'.:t'