The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-12-29
SENATOR KELLY ON pAssIvENEss,

A Washington correspondent OF
the New York World claims to have
had a conversation with Senator
Kelly, of Oregon, upon the spassive"
policy, IN which our Senator is repre-
sented as declaring 'that, personally,
he would have no objection to the
passive policy, provided some such
man as Judge Davis or Judge Trum-
bull could be nominated. But he
does not believe in acknowledging
defeat on the eve of a fight where the
odds are nearly even. He says be-
fore the late elections in the Middle
and Western States, the Democracy
of Oregon were very sanguine both
as to that State and the probability of
winning in the next Presidential con-
test; that the issues upon which his
State was finally redeemed from Rad
icalcalism were purely national in char
acter. He thinks that to forego Dem
ocratic Presidential nomination would
be sure method of putting his State
into the hands of the Radicals, as his
people would become extremely apa-
thetio in such an event, and would
allow the elections to go by default.
He intimatcs, however, that he can
see but little difference in principle
between the platform upon which an
anti Grant Republican could readily
stand, and the platform upon which
the Democracy, as an organization.
would enter the Presidential field
His only fear is the demoralizing ef-
feet it would produce among the De-
mocracy themselves, and the difficulty
that would lie in polling the mass OF
the votes usually thrown on behalf of
the old organization"
From our knowledge of Senator
Kelly's caution in expressing opinions
upon questions of such magnitude and
importance as the one undcr considera-
ton. we are inclined to the belief that
the above report of conversation
with him has been cooked up" by
some irresponsible Bohemian and has
no foundation whatever. In the first
place, it doesn't sound like our hon
ored Senator's manner of making him.
self understood, as it is sort of beat
ing "about the bush" and stumbling
over obstacles style of which Kelly is
never guilty; and secondly, we don't
believe he ever gave his opinion to
nosing, inquisitive, prowling newspa-
per correspondent to be dished up to
the public in any form that might
seem most effective for the end de-
sired to be accomplished. The
World is passive" paper, and it is
not difficult to see how its editors
would desire to torture the opinion of
so staunch and true Democrat as
Senator Kelly in favor of passive
ISM" We have it from reliable au-
thority that our Senator is strongly
opposed to the passive policy and is
in favor of making a square-toed figh;
under the old Democratic colors.-
When the World correspondent as
serted that Senator Kelly "had no
personal objection to the passive
policy, provided such a man as
Judge Davis or Judge Trumbull
could be nominated we are satisfied
that correspondent was rejecting
more the sentiments of its paper than
those of Kelly, for we don't believe
the latter would favor "loose, ,jointed
Radical" like Trumbull, as the Demo
cratic candidate for President, nor
would he favor an abandonment of the
Democratic name and Democratic
principles simply to engage in assist
ing one Radical to beat another in the
struggle for official position and
Presidential honors. 1t requires
more evidence than that of Wash
ington newspaper correspondent to
satisfy us that Senator Kelly asserted
that, were it left to him to decide, the
party wonld assume apassive attitude.
Our distinguished Senator is brave,
uncompromising enemy to Radical
ism in every form, and will have no
sympathy with a movement which is
calculated to disintegrate or destroy
the only party in the land that ever
pretends to uphold the Constitution
or avows any purpose to save the free
institutions of our country.
REUNION OF THE VIRGINIAs.