Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-06-10
The Congressional question.

EDITOR CHROHIcLE:-The announce
ment in your issue of last week, that
the Congressional Convention for the
18th District would be held at the out
of the way village of Gainesville, Por-
tage County on the 24th inst, appeared
to take every body by surprise, ave
those in the "ring." This convention
has lei we believe heretofore been
held earlier than August or September,
hence the surprise at the unusually
early day named.
The names of the Ashtabula Commit
tee were signed to this call without
their knowledge or consent. This ne
knO0 10 be a fact, and have reason to
believe-and are authorized to state,
that those gentlemen were as much sur
prised at this announcement as the rest
of us.
The reason for calling the convention
so early hisyear is very easily explain
ed when we know how anxious Gen.
GarfeId'S friends are to avoid any dis
cussion as t the merits or dement's of
the different candidates. They hope
and expect by this master stroke of
policy, to force the General on the
people, before they have time to reason
together, and to compare notes. In
this they are certainly very cunning,
for the Generals course especially dur.
ing the past two years, will not bear
the close scrutiny of a Jealous and ieal-
Gus constituency.
Permit me briefly to refer to some
matters which / am sure are not n
tirely forgotten by the people of Old
Trumbull.
Last summer and fall we foughta most
fercely contested political battle. 1t
was a campaign in which a great
principle vas in issue A.; a campaign above
az others in which the personal efforts
of sll our leading public men were de-
msnded. In our hour OF need we
looked about for our gifted member,
but alas we looked in vain, and were
compelled to fight the battle through
without the help of the man above all
others who should have been with US to
sustain and encourage US in the
thickest of the fight. The General
had fled the country. and while we
were conducting the campaign single
handed, he was baskingin the sunshine
of France and Italy.
If any one will take the trouble to
examine the records of congressional
proceedings he will find that our
member was absent from the House
when some of the most important
measures of the last two sessions of
Congress were under consideration.
His name does not appear among those.
who voted on the "Tenure of Office
Bill" when that became q law.
But n allowing himself to be absent
from his seat when the House, re
spending TO the demands of the people,
voted to impeach the Presideht-he is
perhaps more to be blamed than for
any other neglect of congressional
duty. His friends urge, as an excuse,
for his absence, that ne was engaged in
the discharge of pressing professional
duties. But Is | understand it, he
was sem to Congress, to look sharply
after the interest of his constituency
and not TO wander over the couutry
here and there, to discharge profession
al engagements however important and
pressing. He is supposed to be the
servant of the people, and as such he is
in duty bound to serve them first. and
himself and his clients last.
But is his clients are so numerous
and his professional engagements so
pressing-would it not be well to allow
him to devote his entire time and ener-
gies to the performance of those
engagements?
Gen. Garfield is now serving his
third tern-would it not be for the
interest of the people of this District
to send some man back to congress
who will, in this important period of
our country's history, give al his time
to the laborious duties of his position?
1t is understood that Hon. Darius
CadDeH of Ashtabula County will be
a candidate before the convention
Mr.. Caldwell, would without doubt
make a most valuable member. He
possesses fine abilities, and is industri-
Gus, honest, and reliable. But ii seems
to me that our interests and those of
the country cannot be better served
than by sending back TO the lower
House Rare Old Ben. Wade. By so
doing, we shall honor ourselves and
crafty the countless number of that
statesman's friends throughout the
country. We can rely upon it, that he
will always be on hand that he will
discharge every duty without fear Or
favor. Let US rally around this grand
old war horse. and, with one common
voice, make him our merit member of
Congress. FAIR PLAY.