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Can Moderation Succeed in the South? - Page 9

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Hays, Brooks

Description

Speech reflecting on recent Congressional election defeat -9- pinned on you.” This label now implies a softness of the race issue that the people feel strongly about. It is fair to say that my opponent’s views probably conform more with the views of the people of my district on this issue than do my own. But I have been in situations before where the voters disagreed with me, and when I went to them and explained the reasons for my actions, they continued to support me. One thing that must be kept in mind in considering my election fight was that it was a sneak attack, carefully planned, but only made public 8 days before the voting date. When a man in public office takes a risky position, he must have time to defend himself, and I never was given a chance to present my case to my constituents. When I was faced with a rabid segregationist opponent in my primary, I defeated him with almost 43,000 votes to his 28,000. This should provide ample evidence that my people would tolerate views such as mine if they were given the opportunity to understand them fully. The course I was following was not in conflict with our system of representative government, because a representative need not always agree with the majority of the people at a particular time. As Edmund Burke put it, “your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays you, instead of serving...
Type:
Text
Format:
Ivory Paper, 10.5 Long X 8 Wide
Created Date:
1958
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Brooks Hays Materials

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University of Arkansas