The loss which Mr.
Blaine sustained in the latter case, therefore, was much greater than that gained by him in the former.
But, let the causes, circumstances, and conditions be what they may, there was not a Democrat in Mississippi in 1884 who did not believe that Mr.Cleveland's election to the Presidency was a foregone conclusion.
That he would have the support of the Solid South there was no doubt.
Those States, they believed, were as certain to be returned Democratic as the sun would rise on the morning of the day of the election.
Although I accepted the nomination for Congress, I as chairman of the Republican State Committee, devoted the greater part of my time to the campaign throughout the State.

Mr.Blaine had many warm friends and admirers among the white men and Democrats in the State, some of them being outspoken in their advocacy of his election.

In making up the electoral ticket I made every effort possible to get some of those men to consent to the use of their names.

One of them, Joseph N.Carpenter, of my own home town, Natchez, gave his consent to the use of his name.
He was one of the solid business men of the town.

He was not only a large property owner but the principal owner of a local steamboat that was engaged in the trade on the Mississippi River between Natchez and Vicksburg.