The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-03-31
The COngrc~si On;ii Middle.


The COngrc~si On;ii Middle.
The contest in this congressional dis
trict is waxing warm in the camp of
the truly loyal. The Republican pa
pcrs are beginning to be heard on the
question, who shall be their nominee
for congress. and so far exhibit wide
differences of opinion. In some parts
of the district the PACKARD men are
decidedly in the majority and confident
Of his denomination, while in Laporte
and other counties where he Is best
known, he is considered by the ablest
and best workers in the party to be un-
availatlc to an extent that would make
his nomination hazardous Iii the OK
IRENE. Below We give extracts from
two Of the leading Republican papers
in the district-the Laportc UcraM and
Valparaiso Idctc-which will show
the feelings of the opposing elements in
the party. The first Is from the Htrald
81 last Saturday and is in answer to
its correspondent, Stylus who has
written to that paper, advocating the
denomination of PACKARD:
Stylus Is quite right in saying that we
70
Packard. 1t is common for partisan news
papers to go TO the bottom Of the honey pot
IN swectening up the party candidateS-
especially when the candidate happens to
be fcllcw-townsman and heighbor- aud in
tho hour and glow of triumph, to bestow
upon them inconsiIcrats culogies. If in
October. 1868, the Hcrald displayed Gene
raj Packard ~ the savior of the stale gainst
the Democracy, il was n piece Of rhetoric
at which can now afford to smile; for
we have now what was not accessible TO us
then-tLe fun figures of the returns in all
The counties. And if any one thinks that
the General led the Northern Indiana col
ann which "s;.ycd the state let him
study the tables and revise his judgment.
The eleven counties which. in 1896 cave
Colfax $50 majority, in 1868 gave General
Packard -! IA loss Of nearly one-half.
lust such another brilliant charge and ,urn-
bic down az this will about Do The busincs So
for the Republicans in this district The
General was and IS moi strong man for
the congressional race, for the good and
sufficient reason that he ever was, and is
now, a weak man at home. lie has never
been able 10 carry the party strength in
his own county. In 1856. he was. after a
bitter and close contest, nominated for
Auditor, and ran nearly one hundred votes
behind the rest Of the ticket. In 1868, he
vas nominated for congress, over the pro-
test, and despite the opposition of his 0rn
county, old Laporte steadily casting about
swO-thIrds of her vote against him in tho
Westylle convention. At the autumn cleo
tion following, suffered bad overthrow
here: the tally papers showed thnt nearly
all our candidates were beaten. and the
opponent, was among the hndjnost-fronr
1864 to 1863, n splendid majority-fGf for
Golfax-had crumbled TO nothing Now.
while we do not say that the General is TO
be held solely responsible for all these
disasters in our local politics, we do main
tain that they arc largely and mainly charg-
able to bis personal unpopularity; and we
80 kHow that this is the settled belief Of the
great mass Of the Republicans Of this coun-
g, including a host Of the liyeliest and best
workers in Our ranks. 1t is this conviction
which takes frOEs the Generals home
strength and prestige, and makes him a
weakness and peril % the ticlct on which
be may be placed. Laportc has no more
confidence in him as o leader, and is nc
more in favor Of him now than she was in
June, 1858
The following, from the Idcfte, IL in
behalf Of the other side:
"Why should the people Of this congress
ional district be made the instruments to
vreak the private vengeance Of few dis
appointed politicians upon the bead of Cen
eral Packard What interest Of the Re
publican party has General Packard be-
trsyed What crime against liberty OF
justice has lie committed, if any! Speak
out; the people are waiting TO hear why
he should be refused "A renomination Ii
his enemies have any real ground u obioc-
lion to him let the IN set IL forth. We do
not care to hear OF the personal grievances
of few men, s.st we ask the charges and
specifications against him, if there are any,
that rne-itthe attention Of the district. John
Reynolds il a good nan, Charles Catheart
Is good man. but the question to he de
.ided first, is this: Is General Packard a
bad man, il he unworthy the further conf
dence Of the Republican party.
&c, Us hear from you, gentlemen, what
the nature Of his offence.