The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1906-11-10
(Coru uunicated)
To the Qualified Democratic Electors
Of G-eenville, Miss:

To the Qualified Democratic Electors
Of G-eenvi1le, Miss:
Fellow Democrats: During the
/ past nineteen months. physical afflic-
tion made it necessary for me to
spend three hundred and eig1ty-two
| days in the two State Charity Hos
| pitals Of this State at Nicksburg and
| Natchez The nature of my ai1ment
| did not confne me to the bed for only
| sixty days and the balance of the time
was pleasurably passed in waiting up
on fellow patients; corresponding
with friends, and reading books and
papers. From the many daily papers
and magazines which were supplied
to us by the good and noble women
OF historic Natchez, one was kept in
close touch with the great problems
which are today confronting the peo-
pie of this Republic. Just thirty
years ago this month | cast my first
vote. 1t was registered in the city OF
New Orleans and the ballot was
marked for Samuel T. Tilden and
Thomas \. Hendricks. 1t was a
straight Democratic ballot from top
to bottom. At no time since then
as citizen OF louisiana, Kentucky
and Mississippi, have I deviated one
| iota from that first ballot. | have
held firm to the Democracy of Teffer-
| son, and it IS my earnest desire to
| uphold those grand principles and en-
| courage any weak-kneed brother who
Is now groveling in doubt amongst
the many isms that permeate the po-
! Iiucal atmosphere ] feel deeply the
fact that have been deficient in
many of the attributes that tend TO
fr-+.- -1rsv L.,
| family OF ma-< <ind is free from the
! besetment OF a1luring temptation,
| nor exempt from the dangers of thral-
/ dom to pernicious habits and incli-
nations. The forces OF evil are con
! family on the watch for the unWary,
who venture beyond the lines Of high
principle and moral safety and those
| who wander are fortunate If IN goOQ
time they see their peril. and are
/ able to break away from the fascina-
/ tlons and false lights which malevo-
| lence displays for their undoing The
| path Of return 70 security though it
may be toilsome, IS plainly marked
OUT and those who sincerely desire to
| retrace their steps and who have not
/ lost the strength and endurance Of
right-mindedness need not despair OF
! restoration to virtue and happiness.
! There is, however. absolutely no hope
Tor those who in their Nanderings
have so undermined their conscience
and sense Of duty that they have be
| come victims of incurable weakness
and moral collapse.
Let, MS fully realize the immeasur-
able distance between specific wrong
ful acts which result from surrender
to temptation or unrpmetitated alb
mental and moral condition, no lon
ger responsive to the voice of con-
| science or mindful Of God and duty
| In onecase wrong doing has not sat
urated the moral and mental system
with depravity nor wrecked character.
nor submerged hope Of redemption
in thcOther case, there has supervened
such insensibIhty to high ideals and
s1ch paralysis OF the power Of right
thinking. that there Is nothing lett
TO build repair upon The characters
zation thus made of the quality and
consequences OF human acts, and con-
ditions as they relate to individuals
is equally applicable to the conduct
and disposition Of an aggregation OF
; individuals. constituting a state or
: ration \ nation. no less, than an in
! iividual is prone 10 wander from the
vantage ground Of safe principles and
tradition; and the effect Of such wan
iering upon national character ano
}chievcment IS not less marked NOT
more difficult oi estimation Despair
,an arise only from a conviction thai
he evil conditions which affect Il
i, IRE proof ot the decadcnce or destruc
ion ot those SAVING traits ot our peo
1le's normal disposition apon whlci
our Tree institutions must 1epend to-
their bcnehcSnce and Derpetulty
Without attempting 10 enuu1erate aI
lIe iusldlous influences and tendan
= eies, which, if disrc8arded and IN
checked, may seriously menace Amer
san character or stand an the way @