The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-11
A RENEGADE REPUBLICAN.


From the Chester (Pa.) Republican.
Our Republican friends in Chester county
will no doubt be greatly surprised when they
learn that Colonel William B. Thomas, who
was appointed Collector of the Port of Phila-
delphia by President Lincoln, has con-
sented to be an Independent candidate for
Congress. in the Fourth district Philadelphia,
now SO ably represented by Hon. William d.
Kelley. The meeting which had the honor
of bringing Mr.. Thomas name before the
public was held in the city of Philadelphia
on the 24th of June, and was made up of
leading Democrats and a few dissatisfied Re-
publicans After the adoption of series
of resolutions strongly endorsing their nomi-
nee, Mr.. John Welsh, prominent Democrat,
and the same individual who represented the
Democracy in the canvass against the Judge
two years ago, moved that q committee be
appointed to inform Mr.. Thomas of his nomi-
nation. This being done, the committee re-
tired. In a few moments they re-
turned, accompanied by Mr.. Thomas,
who at once took the stand and pro-
ceeded to deliver speech of some
length, and which had evidently been pre-
pared with much care. The whole affair gave
proofs of having been previously arranged,
and the entire programme agreed upon. The
speech, as whole, was in bad taste, but we
have neither the time nor the space to con-
formed that Mr.. Thomas was a resident of
Chester county in 1910, and refers to meet
ing held near his residence, to prove that
Judge Kelley was then violent advocate of
slavery and its extension. He said:-
"My first introduction to Judge Kelley was at a
country village near by where then resided, about
Democratic party, though had avowed myself in
favor OF free soil, free speech, and free men, the
statesman and champion Of liberty, Thomas Jeffer-
son, whom have always worshipped as my political
idol The Judge at that meeting delivered speech
which abounded in the most extravagant laudations
of the institution OF slavery and denuncaton OF
those who had the temerity to oppose its extension
to new territory"
This statement is discreditable to the vera
city or memory of Mr.. Thomas. Our early
training was also in the Democratic party,
and while we were but mere lad at the time
referred to, it is due to the Democracy of
Chester and other eastern counties of Penn
sylvania that we should say that at that
period, while they maintained the compro-
misses of the Constitution, they did not, as
party, favor the extension of slavery; nor
would they have tolerated a speaker whose
utterances "abounded in extravagant lauda-
tions of slavery"
William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, and
john Tyler, of Virginia, were the candidates
of the Whig party in 1910, while Martin Van
Buren and Richard Nj. Johnson were the
| standard-bearerS of the Democracy. Tyler
and johnson, the two candidates for Vice
| President, were representative men of South
ern States and the institution of slavery
And while it is true that the admission OF
Texas was, to a certain extent, involved in
the canvass, it is equally true that the sex
tension of slavery, as a moral question, was
not entertained. Many Democrats in Ches.
ter county regarded her admission as a
measure that would secure the predominance
of slavery, and were therefore opposed to it.
We are not quite sure that the then editor OF
this paper, Nimrod Strickland, was not one
of this number. Certain it is that Judge
Kelley was, and his avowed hostility to the
measure secured him hosts of friends 'anG
made him an acceptable speaker in every
part of the district. These facts are wei
known to every old resident of Chester
county, and Mr.. Thomas should not have for
gotten them, if he wants to secure the conf
dence of an enlightened constituency.
But admitting, for the sake of argument
that Judge Kelley did make Just such speech
as is attributed to him by Colonel Thomas
what does it amount to ? The Judge, accord
ing to the testimony of his accuser, left th,
Democratic party in 1849-oyer 90 years ag,
and during that whole period has proven
most Jealous and effective worker in th'
ranks of the progressive party of the country
Can Colonel Thomas show as good recorC
or as effective work ? He secured his ap
pointment as Collector of the Port o
| Dh;ladal,oh;a fhrouoh Qacrafaru Nhaoa