REORGANIZATION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENTS DURING GOVERNOR ALCORN'S
ADMINISTRATION


The new Constitution of Mississippi, which had been rejected in 1868,
was to be submitted to a popular vote once more in November, 1869. At
the same time State officers, members of the Legislature, Congressmen,
and district and county officers were to be elected. Since the
objectionable clauses in the Constitution were to be put to a separate
vote, and since it was understood that both parties would favor the
rejection of these clauses, there was no serious opposition to the
ratification of the Constitution thus amended. A hard and stubborn fight
was, however, to be made for control of the State Government.

General James L. Alcorn, who had been a general in the Confederate Army
and who had recently openly identified himself with the Republican
party, was nominated by the Republicans for the office of Governor of
the State. Of the other six men who were associated with him on the
state ticket, only the candidate for Secretary of the State, the
Reverend James Lynch,--an able and eloquent minister of the Methodist
Church,--was a colored man. Lynch was a man of fine ability, of splendid
education, and one of the most powerful and convincing orators that the
Republicans had upon the stump in that campaign. He was known and
recognized as such an able and brilliant speaker that his services were
in great demand from the beginning to the end of the campaign. No
Democratic orator, however able, was anxious to meet him in joint
debate. He died suddenly the latter part of 1872. His death was a great
loss to the State and to the Republican party and especially to the
colored race.