heir party associates,--they insisted that there
should be no filibustering or other dilatory methods adopted to defeat
it. After a hard and stubborn fight, and after several days of exciting
debate, the bill was finally passed by a strict party vote. A few days
later it passed the Senate without amendment, was signed by the
Governor, and became a law.

As had been predicted by Mr. Goar, Hon. L.Q.C. Lamar was nominated by
the Democrats for Congress in the first district, which was the
Democratic district. The Republicans nominated against him a very strong
and able man, the Hon. R.W. Flournoy, who had served with Mr. Lamar as a
member of the Secession Convention of 1861. He made an aggressive and
brilliant canvass of the district, but the election of Mr. Lamar was a
foregone conclusion, since the Democratic majority in the district was
very large.

CHAPTER VI

FUSION OF DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE STATE ELECTION OF 1873.
REPUBLICAN VICTORY

An important election was to be held in Mississippi in 1873, at which
State, district, and county officers, as well as members of the
Legislature, were to be elected. The tenure of office for the State and
county officers was four years. 1873, therefore, was the year in which
the successors of those that had held office since 1869 had to be
elected.

The legislature to be elected that year would elect the successor of
Senator Ames as United States Senator. Senator Ames was the candidate
named to succeed himself. For some unaccountable reason there had been a
falling out between Senator Alcorn and himself, for which reason Senator
Alcorn decided to use his influence to prevent the reelection of Senator
Ames. This meant that there would be a bitter factional fight in the
party, because both Senators were popular with the rank and file of the
party.

The fact was soon developed, however, that the people favored the return
of Senator Ames to the Senate. This did not necessarily mean opposition
or unfriendliness to Senator Alcorn. It simply meant that both were to
be treated fairly and justly, and that each was to stand upon his own
record and merits, regardless of their personal differences.

If Senator Alcorn had been in Senator Ames' place the probabilities are
that the sentiment of the party would have been just as strongly in his
favor as it was at that time in favor of Ames. But on this occasion
Senator Alcorn made the mistake of making opposition to Senator Am