identified
himself with the Republican party. Sessions was Chancellor Cassidy's law
partner.

Since the counties comprising that senatorial district constituted a
part of the district that I then represented in Congress, I took an
active part in the support of the candidacy of Sessions. Although a
Democrat, Hiram Cassidy, Jr., had been elected from that district in
1873, Sessions, a Republican, was elected by a handsome majority in
1874. A vacancy had also occurred in the Legislature from Franklin
County, to fill which the Republicans nominated Hon. William P. Cassidy,
brother of Chancellor Cassidy; but the Democratic majority in the county
was too large for one even so popular as Wm. P. Cassidy to overcome;
hence he was defeated by a small majority.

From a Republican point of view Mississippi, as was true of the other
reconstructed States, up to 1875 was all that could be expected and
desired and, no doubt, would have remained so for many years, but for
the unexpected results of the State and Congressional elections of 1874.
While it is true, as stated and explained in a previous chapter, that
Grant carried nearly every state in the Union at the Presidential
election in 1872, the State and Congressional elections throughout the
country two years later went just the other way, and by majorities just
as decisive as those given the Republicans two years before.

Notwithstanding the severe and crushing defeat sustained by the
Republicans at that time, it was claimed by some, believed by others,
and predicted by many that by the time the election for President in
1876 would roll around it would be found that the Republicans had
regained substantially all they had lost in 1874; but these hopes,
predictions, and expectations were not realized. The Presidential
election of 1876 turned out to be so close and doubtful that neither
party could claim a substantial victory. While it is true that Hayes,
the Republican candidate for President, was finally declared elected
according to the forms of law, yet the terms and conditions upon which
he was allowed to be peaceably inaugurated were such as to complete the
extinction and annihilation of the Republican party at the South. The
price that the Hayes managers stipulated to pay,--and did pay,--for the
peaceable inauguration of Hayes was that the South was to be turned over
to the Democrats and that the administration was not to enforce the
Constitution and the laws of the land in