The Senator assured them that he was satisfied they had nothing to fear as a result of their action in voting for Mr. Lynch as Speaker of the House.  He knew the candidate favorably and well and therefore did not hesitate to assure them that if they contributed to his election they would have no occasion to regret having done so.  The conference then came to a close with the understanding that all present would vote the next day for the Republican caucus nominees for officers of the House.  This was done.  The result of the ballot the following day was as follows: 

     Lynch, Republican caucus nominee, 63
     Chandler, Independent Republican, 49
     Necessary to elect 57

It will be seen that Judge Chandler received the solid Democratic vote while Lynch received the vote of every voting Republican present, including Chandler and the two Independents from Carroll,—­three Republicans still being absent and not paired.  By substantially the same vote ex-Speaker Warren, of Leake County, was elected Chief Clerk, and Ex-Representative Hill, of Marshall County, was elected Sergeant-at-arms.  The Legislature was then organized and was ready to proceed to business.

At the conclusion of the session, the House not only adopted a resolution complimenting the Speaker and thanking him for the able and impartial manner in which he had presided over its deliberations, but presented him with a fine gold watch and chain,—­purchased with money that had been contributed by members of both parties and by a few outside friends,—­as a token of their esteem and appreciation of him as a presiding officer.  On the outside case of the watch these words were engraved:  “Presented to Hon. J.R.  Lynch, Speaker of the House of Representatives, by the Members of the Legislature, April 19, 1873.”  That watch the writer still has and will keep as a sacred family heirloom.

A good deal of work was to be done by this Legislature.  The seats of a number of Democrats were contested.  But the decision in many cases was in favor of the sitting members.  The changes, however, were sufficient to materially increase the Republican majority.

Among the important bills to be passed was one to divide the State into six Congressional Districts.  The apportionment of Representatives in Congress, under the Apportionment Act which had recently passed Congress, increased the number of Representatives from Mississippi, which had formerly been five, to six.  Republican leaders in both branches of the Legislature decided that the duty of drawing up a bill apportioning the State into Congressional Districts should devolve upon the Speaker of the House, with the understanding that the party organization would support the bill drawn by him.