cause of his defeat. Thousands of Republicans who were in sympathy with
the movement, and who would have otherwise voted the Alcorn ticket,
refused to do so for the reason that if it had been elected the
Democrats could have claimed a victory for their party. On the other
hand, both tickets being composed exclusively of Republicans, thousands
of Democrats refused to vote for either, while some of them voted the
Ames ticket. At any rate the election resulted in the success of the
Ames ticket by a majority of more than twenty thousand. The regular
Republicans also had a large majority in both branches of the
Legislature.

[Illustration: HON. B.K. BRUCE United States Senator, 1875-1881]




CHAPTER VII

MISSISSIPPI SENDS B.K. BRUCE TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE


As soon as the result of the election was known, the candidacy of B.K.
Bruce, for United States Senator to succeed Senator Ames, was announced.
Ames' term as Governor was to commence the first Monday in January,
1874. His term as Senator would expire March 4, 1875. Upon assuming the
duties of Governor he had been obliged to tender his resignation as
Senator; thus it devolved upon the incoming legislature to elect a
Senator to serve out the unexpired term, as well as for the full term of
six years. Bruce's candidacy was for the full term.