The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-08-28
LETTER FROM HON. j. HARMER GIL.
MER
Rooms Rep. Elk. COMM OF Va, I
RICHMOND. Aug. is. 1873.


Ny Dear Sir-Feeling deep interest
in the welfare of our State, and its rcdemp-
ton from its present political control, de-
sire respectfully to inquire if the Republi~
can party can rely upon your valuable aud
active aid in the present canvass!
You are familiar with the high character
of our candidates. aud must be deeply i'm
pressed with the justice Of our cause, and as
SUCCESS is now within our grasp, and victory
certain, trust that your professional duties
will allow you time to participate in this i'm
poreant campaign. Hoping to hear from you
at an early day, I am very truly, &c,
ALFRED MORTON.
RICHMOND, August 10, 1878.
Hired Horton, Esq, Chairman Of E.rec-
utioe Republican Committee, DC.
Dear SRI have received your letter of
the 18th instant, requesting me to indicate
my views and declare my purposes as to the
support Of the Republican State Ticket, non.-
mated at Lynchburg, and asking me to ad-
dress the people of Virginia on the hastings
upon the issues pending in the present cam
paign.
am, as you know, no politician and no
partisan. When, last year, I advocated the
re-elccton Of Gen. Grant. it was not my
purpose to exchange the laborious occupation
Of my profession for the arena of party poll
tics. | acted then as / shall act now-under
a high sense Of duty, and from my own con-
victious in giving my humble support to the
Rnn, h!ionn ,0,l,
shall consider and discuss principles, not
men; results, Dot antecedents; the greatest
practical good to the greatest numbers; the
real interests Of the people, not the personal
aspirations of the rival candidates in a
word, beg leave, under the guidance of my
own judgment, to rise superior to the stereo-
typed passions of inturiated partisans, to the
dignity Of popular rights and the solemnity
OF Individual iranchises.
1t has been we'll said by profound think
er SHAT there Is nothing great in the world
but man, aud nothing really great in man
but mind and thought" But what is mind,
when 1t is the slave Of passion the instrument
Of cupldity, the plaything Of artificial excite
| meat! All sound governmental maxims
originate in thought, guided by reason and
controlled by che judgment, while every con-
clusior is based on public virtue and indiyid-
ual subordipation to the highest instincts Of
an elevated and transformations love Of coun-
try. The people or party which seek to rule
by passion but forge the chains which u!ti-
mateiy will surely bind them or render it ne
| willing slave Of few adroit, selfish, ard
reckless hen who seek power at the expense
OF those who create and confer it.
In giving my candid, and hope, manly
support to the candidates of the Republican
party, am guided and sustained by the best
reflections OF my mind, and fortified by the
sounoest results Of my judgment. I have
no passions to indulge, no prejudices to graf
ny, no tavorltes to promote, DO enemies to
strike down; and entertaining no personal
ambition OF my own tt subserve, beg leave
to relterate here, what [ expressed on the
hastings last year, that [ have no Office to
seek, no promotion to ask, no patronage to
crave, either OF the State or Federal govern
munt. Having sald this allow me, once for
all, to silence the acrimonious assaults, re-
pei the invldious ;psinualions and rebuke the
dlstempesed vitpperations Of the press and
politicians as to my motives. Such unmanly
weapons are only used BY those who Judge
others BY themselves" They fall harmless
at my feet. [ shall not pause to examine,
and can never stoop to hurl them back
Sustained by the honest CONVICTIONS of my
mind, propose to consider and weigh rea-
sons and results, and not to indulge ia per-
sonal denominations.
shall assume that che respective rival
candidates for the three several Offices of
governor, lieutenant governor and attorney
general, are each and all personally worthy,
estimable and accredited gentlemen, placed
| in their respective positions by their respect
i've friends as the representative men in the
pending canvass OF their several parties.--
The Conservative Democratic nominees, as
the representative men of what they are pleas
| ed 10 call themselves tie aehite mans party
as opposed to as they are pleased to term the
| black mans party, but what | designate, and
truth announces, as the representative men OF
the Administration Republican party of Viz.
GINA.
In this letter I propose merely to state the
general propositions. which [ wills at the prop
er time, and on few proper occasions, dis
cuss at large, aud shall be glad to do so with
the abest and most experienced of the oppo-
sing party, not excluding the candidates
themselves and these discussions desire in
southwestern Virginia,the Valley, and before
any aehite mems meeting they may desire, as
it is my wish and desire, in this important
canvass, to appeal to the wlite men Of the
State in general, and especially to my old
compeers. the true and gallant Clay men OF
1914, and the intrepid ard patriotic Douglas
men Of 1850 In these DISCUSSIONS shall
ask no quarters, but must insist as a condition
precedent, that the usual oourtesies and amen
ities, witch should always characterize all
such discussions, shall be observed.
Now as to my propositions:
L. respectfully deny that this is con-
troversy as to whether Virginia shall be rul-
ed by utite Viryinians or to be under the
dominion Of the blach men Of Virginia. In the
nature Of things, in the relative proportion
of the colored and white population, either
! of Virginia or the United States, in connec-
ton with the established theory and political
bearings of our State and federal coustitu-
lions and legislation, there can be no such is
sue. Whenever the white men, by combi-
nations, seek to Cypress or subordinate the
| black men. or the black men seek, by comb.