Year: 1876

I gaining the State militia. This led th,
colored people to believe that there wa
real danger and that Ames was their bes
friend, and that he would protect them
But few DAYS before the election ther
came among US a strange man, thinl
they called him Col. Chasel-I neve
met hiSz-who took charge of the Peae,
Department, as It was called, and mad,
compromise with the Democracy ant
Gov. Ames disbanded his militia. AnC
now, his record having driven almos
every white man from the party, the col
ored men had no moral support and they
despaired of success, and the party wa:
an easy prey to the political enemy.
But while they thought they had protec
ton, they had nominated in some OF the
counties tickets that would disgrace Mex.
leo or Santo Domingo, and this, too,
served to exssperate the Democracy,
and thus it is seen that our defeat was
caused by the Democrats taking advsn-
tage Of the shameful imbecility and base
corruption of our State administration
and few adherents.


As TO the complaints against Senator
Pease, the head and front of his Offend
ing is, his bold and fearless manner of
defending the National Administration
in the course you have taken in. Mssis.
sippi affairs. and his fair exposure Of cor
ruption in the State.


Col. Wells is called Democrat by the
wreckers, because he beat Howe for Con-
gress, and had the temerity to speak the
truth concerning affairs here. He was
the regular Republican nominee for Con-
gress. Howe was the issue of bogus
and boiling Convention. The Democra-
cy had no candidate; they preferred
Wells to Howe, and voted for him, and
so he received the support of all of both
parties, and hence large majority. He
is a true Republican and staunch sup
porter of the National Administration,
as | am sure his course in Congress will
prove, and this regard as a good test of
true Republican. As a theory in gov
ernment, | would say, we will generally
find good people to uphold good govern
ment or to resist bad one.


MIssIssIPPI's NEEDS.


1t is easy to enforce good govern
ment, because we will have willing people,
but it will be difficult TO enforce a bad
government, because we will have an un-
willing people. A constitution and laws
are of little value on paper, unless they
find lodgment in the hearts of the peo-
pie. We have a good constitution, but
our legislation has been unwise and has
given us much trouble. And this is the
point to which we have come in the
light of the experience of other Southern
States, our party has rushed heedlessly
into shameful defeat. We should have
known as well before as since the election
that the Democrats we're unscrupulous
in contest, and would have resorted to
every strategem, and therefore we warned
our friends of the Importance Of abundant
caution.


We want to carry this State next year
in the Presidential election. We cannot
Go it as we now stand. We must have
honest men in the 'front.' Those who
have scuttled the ship of State must take
back seats. We must have men on
whose promises the people can rely.
Men who will give character and moral
support to the party otherwise, the white
people will never again rally to US. We
VIII be again defeated, and the architects
of our ruin will leave the State as rats
leave a sinking ship. l believe we can
management and an honest course.
Thousands are against US now who fear
to trust the Democracy, and will go with
us under favorable auspices; and if our
State administration had pursued the
proper course for the last two years, the
Democrats could never have beaten us.
| know the people of the State, having
resided among them for twenty three
years. The Government appointees here,
we think, are good men and true Re-
publicans, We need no changes made
for political purposes, and no troops.
Leave the management of these matters
to your real friends. | am sure that
affairs here have been misrepresented to
you by designing men for their selfish
ends. | think can take fair and i'm
partial view of the situation, having no
aspirations for place or position, but have
the temerity to speak the plain, unvar-
nished truth in these matters.


This letter, though of some length, has
been but bare outline of the character
and conduct of few would-be leaders
who have wrought our sad defeat, and
should they choose to deny anything ]
have said of them, will not only prove
it, but strike them at other points that
are equally salient.


Your obedient servant,


G. E. HARRIS.