Excerpt from Politics of Alabama

If the effect would only be to remove a cloud from his title to the office would he not gladly embrace such an opportunity? 'but there's the rub. They well know that an investigation would disclose frauds and manipula tions which could not be defended, and would prove his claim to the Office of governor wholly unfounded upon right. That is why they dare not permit an investigation. That is why some Of them talk so glibly what they would not dare to utter over their own signatures. That is why the Legislature has treated this matter with silence, while patriotic representatives of the people have urged and insisted upon action, so that justice might be done, and right triumph. Every honest man knows that Governor Jones has no shadow of claim to the office of governor. The people, by their votes in August, relegated him to private life for the next two years, and yet he is sitting up at the Capitol upon a lot Of stuffed ballot-boxes from the 'black belt, ' and claiming his election. Some of his best friends have publicly declared that he could not afford to hold the Office in the face of such fraudulent returns, and if he persisted in doing so, he would go down to posterity more despised than Rutherford B. Hayes. I am only contending for what is right. As a native-born citizen Of Alabama, and one who has always endeavored to serve my people and state to the best of my ability, both in time of war and in time Of peace, I feel that I have a right to demand that justice be done. Thousands of true men all over this great commonwealth honored me with their support in the August election, and in their name I demand Of the Legislature, a prompt and impartial investiga tion of this matter. These people represent a majority of the white voting population and demand a respectful hearing. I beg you, members of the Legislature, not to mistake the temper Of these people. Remember that a large majority of them have been life-long Democrats. While they don't believe in, and never will submit to the domination Of a few party bosses, yet they do believe in the time-honored principles of pure Jeffersonian Democracy. They have been the true, the tried and unflinching Democrats, who have heretofore fought the battles and won the victories of the party in Alabama. True to its noble cause, true to every great principle, and true to every demand of patriotism upon them, they have been in the fore-front of every contest when victory was won, and the firm and immovable, the true and faithful guardians Of its cause, in every defeat we have ever sustained. Many of these people were gallant soldiers in the late war, and since 1865 have been battling for the Democratic party in Alabama. Many of them have reared sons, in whose breasts they early planted the principles Of true Democracy, and taught them that it was the party of the people. They believe that Democracy means that the people shall rule, and that white.

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