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.