Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1872-06-01
For The Register.
BALTIMORE,
Nav 9th, 1872. !

DEAR FRIEND ZIrrLE-I read an ex-
tract in the Sun a few days ago taken
from the Register, which stated the
citizens of Shepherdstown had been
fortunate enough to secure the promise
of the construction shops Of the new
Railroad / am truly glad that Shep-
herdstown has been fortunate enough,ln
the first place, to be considered OF sutfl-
Gent importance to be touched by q
Railroad, and in the next place that the
eligibility of the location has been re-
carried of sufficient value to justify the
construction of the work shops. There
are no people more entitled to such
considerations, as you have been long
and anxiously awaiting something to
turn up, and you have verify succeed
ed at length in having something
turned up"
By the way our old friend Tommy
Hopkins, occasionally comes around to
see me. He looks as natural as ever,
and seems to have lost none o. the pecu-
liarities of his younger days. He came
few days ago, early in the morning,
and after the ordinary salutations OF the
morning,I asked him how he had been,
he said, "Only tolerable. Yesterday
about IL o'clock | had such weak
spell | could scarcely walk, and If |
could have had about gill OF good
whisky, it would have set me up, mate
a neD man Of me.
1t is needless to say that Tommy very
soon got half gill Of good whisky;
which put on his face the old fashioned
grin, and made "new man of him.
Well, little, what have you to say
about Greeley? Have you people had
enough of the Grant dynasty to yield
some of the prejudices, in order to be
rescued from this political thralldom
We have suffered the taunts Of low
bred, illiterate things, fed and fostered
by the glutted passions Of that fostering
presidential scourge Of radicalism, but
the blessed clesting of chance has placed
in our hands the instruments through
which can be expelled this selfpoluting
band of corruption. 1t is only left for
us to determine to accept it, and go
forward and aid our whole people. Our
first object shoold be to free our people,
and in order to do so we must not turn
back one single instant to ask the ante
cedents of the pilot who leads us, or we
are lost. 1t is a hard thing 10 forget
our past history, and the traditional
glory Of our people, but when we come
to feel as they did in Missouri, we Will
extend an everlasting gratitude to our
delivers. Virginia herself took the lead,
some years ago, followed by Tennessee.
Compare them now with South Carroll
ma and Louisiana. We have buried our
dead and watered their graves with pa
triotic tears, and we are not prepared
to day to have them resuscitated by the
taunting speeches and celebrations OF
such politicians as VOORHEES, and others
who have stood manfully in the back
ground and pleaded to us to 'stand by
your principles, stand by your colors,
we did so, and by the struggle which
ensued, we lost oil, while they managed
to retain both wealth and office.
SO far as Greeley is concerned he Is
not a personal favorite of mine, because
he has always opposed me politically,
but ] must freely confess that | would
much rather support him, than many
democrats, who hold office or acted with
the yankee army during the war. On
the other hand there has been a link of
sympathy developed in the hearts of
the Southern people, for Mr.. Greeley,
for the manner in which he has spoken
and written of them. If Mr.. Greeley
be supported as the Democratic candi-
date, he would not suffer by compar-
ison of records with some who now hold
high positions of democratic favor 1t
cannot be denied that Horace Greeley
and many others Of the leaders in this
liberal movement, might have occupied
political positions of honor and smotr-
meni, if they would have sacrificed their
personal and political integrity-actua-
ted as they were by sincere desire to
save tho republic, they have ignored all
e,and boldly struck out upon course
that will either save the government, or
consign them to political obscurlty'
We must admire there courage, II we
are not willing to admit their honesty,
and | cannot see how we can easily
separate the two. 1t is then left for us
as democrats, to say which OF the above
results shall be secured.
The proposition to fight on, and stand
firm amidst defeats, may answer the
ends of a few, who happen to live IN
localities where democracy is in the as
tendency, but we must look farther
than that, and act for the whole people.
There is one of two things that demo
Gratis make up their minds to-success
with Greeley-defeat without him.
If the Democratic Convention, which
is shortly to meet in Baltimore, Will
unite upon Greeley, they will just as
certainly. elect him; if they make
democratic nomination, Grant will be
elected in spite of us.
The fate of the Republic depends
upon the dicision of the democratic
party now. 1t is to be hoped they will
not allow any selfish motives to deter
them, let no party hob goblin, or poIiti-
cal ghost alright them, but carefully
calculate every result, and go forward,
united, determined and hopeful. Let
us meet the issue squarely, unite upon
Greeley and Brown, and the result will