The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-04-13
Wells Skins Kelly.

The following from DOM PIATr, of
the Commercial, Radical, shows how
completely WELLS aayed KELLY the
man who took refuge behind a water
bucket, once upon time, while down
South:
"Thc report made by the Hon. David
A. Wells, created such excitement and
resulted in bringing about such revo-
luton in public opinion, that the pro,
hibitionists of New England, and the
pig iron interests of Pennsylvania, found
it necessary to assail the report, and its
author, in the most violent manner
Fortunately, these attacks have been as
rash and ill-founded as they have been
abusive. Facts and figures are danger
Gus things to trife with, especially in a
controversy with man like Mr.. Wells,
who is rs patient and laborious rs he is
clear headed and conscientious. Per-
mtting the venerable Nibbs, Of Phila-
delphia, and the oratorical Kelley, and
the impulsive old philosopher of the old
white hat to drive on without notice, he
patiently set about gathering facts, with
which to strengthen the positions assail-
ed. l have before me, in proof sheets,
the result of that labor. in the shape of
q letter addressed to Mr.. Kelley, and it
is like his previous documents, a aperfect
monument of impartial investigation,
set forth in clear style, and sustained by
facts and figures that annihilate The
enemy"
"Carey (thc honorable Nibbs), Kelley
and Greeley disappear without grace,
and their heavy abuse and long, sense
less columns, come to naught in the
presence of facts so impartially collect
ed, and so clearly expressed. Mr..
Wells has made application, by letter,
to all parts of the United States, to the
very men these prohibitionists pro-
fess to represent. and from points the
widest apart; from all directions come
back the same sad reply, the increased
cost of living, and the falling scale of
wages. The rich grow richer and the
poor get poorer. Not content with this,
Mr.. Wells goes into Kelley's own dis
trict, among his deluded constituents,
and shows the same unhappy condition
of affairs. The would-be statesman,
the long -winded orator, misrepresents
the people upon whose votes he draws
his pay. and in blind ignorance, or vi
cious perversion, drags the poor down
to lower depths Of poverty, while his
unjust and partial legislation adds to the
heavy purses ofthe greedy monopolists." )"
The facts arrayed in this terrible and
conclusive manner are only equaled by
the calm, gentlemanly treatment of them.
1t is the impartial student who searches,
and the elevated statesman who gives
the result"
Il had, while reading, only one re-
gret. was sorry to see so insignif-
cant politician as this pig-iron politi-
clan elevated to the position of an op-
ponent But then l was forced to re-
member that he is the chosen champion
of the 2rohibitionists. To this arc
they driven Money is their aim, greed
their motive, class legislation their
means, andss Kelley is their representa-
tive"
''One of the most striking parts OF
this letter is when Mr.. Wells quotes
Horace Greely against Horace Greeley.
Mr.. Greeley is a large-hearted man, and
when off his bigoted theories of crank
to turn all creation, he is just and sym
pathizing, and his graphic pictures OF
suffering laborers in New York, tell vol
umes against the present system"
81 have no right to spoil by anticipa-
ton this admirable letter. 1t will be
read eagerly by thousands, and like his
late report, fetch slowly but surely the
popular will to bear on these men, our
law w-makers, who, either through igno-
rance, prejudice, or i'll will. are bringing
about the same relations between capi-
tai and labor that has made for centu-
ries the poor of Europe the slaves Of
the moneyed classes"