The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-03-29

GRANTS majority in '6o was something
over two thousand.
Opening OF the Campaign.
A Clarksburg correspondent furnishes
our readers this morning with sketch
OF the speech delivered in that town,
last Friday night, by Hon. D. d. I.
FARNswoRTH. This speech derives its
Significance from the relation Of the
speaker to the politics of the State and
to the Republican party. He represents
the ideas of a vast majority of that
party in West Virginia and as such
representative has already been pIomi-
ueutly mentioned in connection with
the Republican candidacy for Governor.
Now that the "let up" elem ent, proving
false to the pledges upou which its very
existence depended, has broken those
pledges and thereby lost power in the
Republican party, we are bound to re-
gard Mr.. FARNswORTH and the men for
whom he speaks as the true expOnents
of ali that is vital in West Virginia
Republicanism.
Before considering the leading points
of bis speech, we cannot avoid the re-.
mark that the speaker did very silly,
very unfair and a very contemplate
thing in attempting dirty attack ulou
JoAN J. DAVIS, in the town Of Clarks-
burg. II there is one man in that town
who Oh al questions pertaining to per
sonal and political honesty has the JUS
aud unanimous confidence of all mep
whose opinions are worth respecting
that man is JOHN J. DAVIS. II there IS
one man who either in the town of
ClarkSburg or else where has everything
to lose and nothing to gain by COM
parison of records W ith any other public
man in tho State, that man is ID. ID. L.
FARNSwORTH. For any man to sly that
JOHN j. DAVIS would, either through
want OF discernment or of proper motive,
sacrifice the good of his constituents,
would be to draw down upon himself
general derision. When FARNswoRTH
charges that Mr.. DAVIS has betrayed
his people for bribe, he simply reminds
us of short-range skunk trying to
soil the plumage of an eagle soaring in
his pride of place.
We pass by the worn out assaults
of this speaker upon the purposes of
the Democratic party. At time when
the Democrats and rebels are willingly
paying two-thirls Of the school taxes
of the State, the idea that they are hos
tile to the free school system is too
small for consideration. The "let-uPs,"
whom he so savagely scores, ought
now to be able to judge of the
propriety of their course in the last
Legislature, This man, with Others
of his like, besought them last Winter
with fearful eyes and uplifted hands to
''save the Republican party" by sparing
the registration law. The ''let-ups'
consented. Verify tbey have their re-
ward.
Mr.. FARNswoRTH, lie it known, dis
no let Hp." Neither, if we understand
the purport of his speech are those
whom he represents. Their doctrine is
that the rebels have forfeited all
rights" aud are not to be "trusted with
the power of franchise" No room is left
to doubt the reason. "lf we let them
up, we go down." This to say the least
is frank. And after our experience
with double. dealing Repnblicanism, we
believe we have moro respect for this
"bitter. ender" idea of eternal proscrip-
tion than for the trading Repubiicsnism
that will snf,anchise all rebels
who will agree to vote for leading Re-
publieans, without regard to the merits
of the beneficiaries or the principles
involved in the trsnsactioB. Since the
Republican majority mean to make their
proscriptive policy perpetui'y, as this
speech clearly indicates, there is moth
ing left for Democrats but to accept the
issue and make the fight squarely upon
it. There is little doubt that the Re.
publican patty can and will unite upon
this basis. The FARNswoRTH element
is the dominant element and the active
element, and will almost certainly pre-
vail in shaping the policy of the party.
Of the reason for the assault uponI
Governor STEVENSON we know nothing,
and if it be possible. we CAFE less.
Whether q spirit Of rivalry be at the
bottom, OF whether STEVENSON has ls
any Mayhem false TO hislparty we do
not care to inquire, We only know that
FARNswoRTH is fighting for ascendency,
fighting for the Go7ernorship, fighting
for eternal prescription, and on his
platform the Republican party will
stand. Accepting perpetual disfran-
chisement as the demand of the Repub5
lioans, LEI ms naeet il 81 need be by bold
ldselaration for the inmediste restora-
Il tfon Of the bAlIce % every disfr2nchisaA
iwhzte nssn An she s>e<p~ !.