The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1872-08-02

hundred elderly gentlemen, 10 "holl
eligibility to office can be of little
consequence. My view contem-
plates not the hundred prescribed,
but the million who are denied the
right to be ruled and represented by
men of their unfettered choice.
Prescription were absurd if these
did not wish to elect the very men
whom they are forbiddenito choose.
| have a profound regard for the
people of that New England where
in | was born-in whose common
schools | was taught. rank no other
people above them in intelligence,
capacity and moral worth. But
they do many things we'll and some
admirably, there is one thing which
| am sure they can't wisely Or safely,
and that is the selection for States
remote from and unlike their own OF
the persons by whom those States
shall be represented in Congress
If they could do this to good pur-
pose, then republican institutions
were unfit and aristocracy the only
true political system. Yet, what
have we recently witnessed? Zeb-
ulon b. Vance, the unquestioned
choice of a large majority of the
present Legislature of North Caro-
lima majority backed by ma
jority of the people who voted at his
election-lefused the scat in the
Federal Senate to which he was
fairly chosen, and the Legislature
thus constrained to choose another in
his stead or leave the State uurepre
scented for years. The votes Of New
England thus deprived North Caro-,
lima OF the Senator Of her choice,
and compelled her to send another in
his stead-anothe who, in our late
contest, was, like Vance, rebel and
lighting rebel, but who had not
served in Congress before the war,
as Vance had, though the latter re-
NAMED faithful to the Union ill af-
ter the close of his term. ! protest
against the Acknowledgement Of a
State, presumptively of a number Of
States, on grounds so narrow and
technical as this.
The fact that the same Senate
which refused Vance his seat pro-
ceeded to remove his disa bilitles
after that seat had been filled by
another, only serves to place in the
strongest light the indignity to North
Carolina, aud the arbitrary, capri
cious tyranny which dictated it.
thank you, gentlemen, that my name
is to be conspicuously associated
with yours in determined effort to
render amnesty complete and uni
versal in spirit as well as in letter.
A defeat in such cause would leave
no sting, while triumph would rank
it with those victories which nc
blood reddens, and which evoke nc
tears but those of gratitude and joy,
Gentlemen, your platform which, is
also mine, assures me that Denoc-
racy is not honceforth to stand for
one thing and Republication for
another, but that those terms are to
mean in politics, as they have al
ways meant in the dictionary, sub
stantially one and the same thing,
namely, equal rights, regardless of
creed or cline or color. hail this
as genuine new departure from
WORKOUT feuds and meaningless con-
tentions in the direction OF progress
and reform. Whether | shall be
found worthy to bear the standard o
the great Liberal movement which
the American people have Inaugural
ted is to be determined not by word'
but by deeds. With me, if | steady
advance-over me, if falter--thi'
grand army move to achieve for oul
country her glorious beneicent DIES
tiny.
| remain, gentlemen, yours,