Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-09-01
Political.

AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM THE HoS. JAMES l..
ORR.
The letter by the Hon. James i. Orr, of
South Carolina, ex-Speaker of the United States
House of Representatives which has recently
been SO severely criticised III the columns of the
Charleston Nc,rs, and some other southern
newspapers, is strong, outspokeii declaration
from this old South Carolina politician. Slave
holder, and Rebel, (wlio, at the outbreak OF the
war, occupied position in the state second to
none) in favor of the Republican party. The
ex-Speaker says:
/. shall vote for Saoit and Railsier. Repnbli-
can nominees for Governor and Leutenant-Goy-
ernor.
2. / cannot vote for the nominees of the
Union Reform party, becailse IN my Judgment,
the purpose which they propose to accomplish is
entirely impracticabe, and the nominations
made by their Convention will not only accom-
plish no good results, but the consequences of
the nomination and canvass must be perncious.
The avowed purpose of the Convention was to
effect reforms in the administration of the State
Government. In some OF its departments re-
trenchment and reform is, doubtless, greatly
needed-some of its Offices are filled by incom-
petent and corrupt men, who should be driven
from the places they occupy. More economy in
the appropriations and disbursements of public
money should be practiced.
HOW are tuBSb ODJectS III U5 uIthllett. Inc
only reforms in the State Government that can
be successfully accomplished, at least for many
years to come, must be by and through the Re-
publican party and its organizations. They have
control of all the departments of the State Gov
ernment, and have majority of more than 30-
900 voters to preserve and perpetnate that con-
troll. SO long as an opposing party, disavowing
Republicanism, is organized in the State to de-
feat and displace them, so long will party ma
chinery and appeals to party appliances preserve
tration of the strength and constancv of party
organization in securing self-perpetuation, look
to the State of Vermont for 30 years prior to the
war, when it annually rolled mp its 25,0O0 or
more majority for the Wing party.despite all the
efforts of the Democracy, allied most of the time
by Federal influence and patronage. When You
attempt to reform party by destroying it
which is the present mode of reform adopted
the first law of nature, self-preservaion, appeals
to each member of that party to resist the new
movement, and avert its destruction. Such an
antagonism has another most baleful influence.
The most active, and oftentimes the most un-
scrupulous partisans, exaggerate the Importance
of maintaining party usage and discipline, and
the great mass of the honest portion of the party
are thus diverted from careful examination
into the fitness Of those seeking to represent
them, and from abuses and corruptions existing
in the party.
Ex-Speaker Orr does not pretend to justify all
the things which have been done by those now
in power in the Republican organization nSouth
Carolina. His position is that it is easier to
secure reform through the Republican party than
in opposition to it, that the triumph of the Re-
publican party in any event is certain and that
the efforts of good men should therefore be
directed toward the selection of the best candi-
dates from among the Republicans. He con-
cludes with this statement of the Republican
work in South Carolina: =
That notwithstanding the fact that just
cause of complaint may exist against the Repub-
lican party for sins of omission and commission,
they have done much to ameliorate the condition
of the white people of the State, ameliorations
which the Legislature of the State, in 1865 and
1866 refused to grant. That party las secured
a homestead to the head of every family. Thous-
ands of women and children in this State would
have been houseess and homeless naked and
starved but for the beneficent provisions of the
homestead enactment Every voter thus pro-
tected should remember when he comes to cast
his vote, who furnishes shelter,in the sunshine
and storm, the head of his wife and children,
despite the stale claims of heartless creditors.
That this same party has protected all debtors
in their Constitution from paying debts contracted
for slave property.
That this same party has been equal to tho
humane progress of the age in aboishing impris-
onment for debt. That this same party, whatever
has raised the market value OF the bonds OF the
State from &c cents, in January, 1868, to about
80 cents at the present time.
Ii good and true men Will consent to accept
| the Reconstruction acts of Congress- and the
| legislation, Federal and State necessarily grow
ing out of them; if they will affiliate with the
Republican organization, especially in this State,
| we will profit largely by what they have done
| correctly, and much can lie accomplished to
correct abuse and mafeasance that may have
grown up in the anomalous state of affairs sur
rounding us.
Believing no good result can flow from the
| Reform movement, shall vote for the nominees
Of the Republican party. Very Respectfully
| JAMES L. ORR.