s stronger, better or more popular than the
statesman from Maine, until his name came before them as a candidate for
President of the United States on a Republican ticket. A sudden
transformation then took place. It was then discovered, to their great
surprise and disappointment, that he was such an unsafe and dangerous
man that no greater calamity could happen to the country than his
elevation to the Presidency. Nothing, therefore, must be left undone to
bring about his defeat.

I was well aware of the fact at the time that it was the result of the
State and Congressional elections at the north in 1874 that had
convinced Southern Democrats that Republican ascendency in the National
Government would soon be a thing of the past--that the Democrats would
be successful in the Presidential and Congressional elections of 1876
and that that party would, no doubt, remain in power for at least a
quarter of a century. It was this, and not the unsuccessful effort to
pass a Federal Elections Bill, that had produced the marked change that
was noticeable on every hand. Every indication seemed to point to a
confirmation of the impression that Democratic success at the
Presidential election was practically an assured fact.

There had been a disastrous financial panic in 1873 which was no doubt
largely responsible for the political upheaval in 1874; but that was
lost sight of in accounting for that result. In fact they made no effort
to explain it except in their own way. The Democrats had carried the
country; the reasons for this they construed to suit themselves. The
construction they placed upon it was that it was a national condemnation
and repudiation of the Congressional Plan of Reconstruction, and they
intended to govern themselves accordingly.

The election in Mississippi in 1875 was for members of Congress, members
of the Legislature, and county officers, and also a State Treasurer to
serve out the unexpired term of Treasurer Holland, deceased. My own
renomination for Congress from the Sixth (Natchez) District was a
foregone conclusion, since I had no opposition in my own party; but I
realized the painful fact that a nomination this time was not equivalent
to an election. Still, I felt that it was my duty to make the fight, let
the result be what it might.

If Congressmen had been elected in 1874 the State would have returned
five Republicans and one Democrat as was done in 1872; but in 1875 the
prospect was not so bright,