The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-07-28
LETTER FROM W. S. GR0ES-
BECK.
he Declines Gubernatorial
Honors. ....
CINCINNATI.
Letter from W. s. Groesbeck. He
Declines GubernatOrial Honors.

CINCINNATI, July %, 1879
JUDGE CoLLINs-DEAR SIR:-l feel
very much obliged to you and the
gentlemen who called to-day for the
honor you proposed to confer upon
me, but will reconsider the answer
I then made. I will not accept a
nomination for the Office Cover
nor. While this is so, 1 warmly
sympathize in what you propose to
accomplish, and hope the time Is
near when the present Democrats,
and former Democrats, and all dis
satisfied Republicans, shall be cordi-
ally united under q single organiza-
ton. I do not think there is any
think sacred in mere party organi-
cations, they are only the machinery
which should be repaired when out
of order, and renewed when too
much worn. A constitution of q
government is more sacred organi-
zation than that of political party,
yet we do not hesitate to pull down
a constitution in order to put up n
new one. We have convention at
Columbus now engaged at that work.
| give YOU the letter to which you
referred. 1t was written to q gentle
man in New York before your
movement began, and without refer
ence to it. 1t was not written for
publication, and not exactly as l
would have written it with that
view, but you are Mt liber' y to pub
lish it if you think it may contribute
in the least degree to a closer and
firmer union of all who are opposed
to the present administration,
Very respectfully,
w. S. GRoEsBBCK.
CINCINNATI, May 5, 1s7$.-My
Dear Sir: / have your letter ofApril
%. / should have answed it sooner,
and have no sufficient apology for
not doing so. Permit me to say that
the reply / here make to it is not for
publication, but personal to yourself
and those at whose suggestion you
have written. ! believe the historical
Democratic organization is spoiled
by laundering constantly during the
last ten years, and that shattered by
many defects, it surrendered finally
at the last Presidential election. 1t
cannot recall that surrender or the
confessions then made. and it has no
longer strength enough for victory.
In this extremity it will be wise to
lay aside the old organization and
enter into q new one. The new Or
ganization should accept the results
of the war, as was done at Balti-
more, and it should accept them in
good faith, and so as to command
the confidence of the people and in
order to command the confidence Of
the people, the new organization
should be something different from q
recast of the old one. There should
be no eXcksiveness about it, nor
should it be merely Democratic. 1t
should be made UP of all Republi-
cans who are offended by the policy
and tendencies of the present Ad-
The new organization
should be the joint work Of Demo-
Gratis and Republicans, and both
should be equally at home in it;
what should be its name? Call it
the Liberal DemOcracy-that will
mean the free, unselfish government
of the people.
And now as to its doctrines or prin-
ciples: Youask in this connection
how the question of negro suffrage
should be treated. That question is
no longer before us. Negro suffrage
is the ebloodIconsunln,atioa ofd great
w0r, and nothing short Of ordr can
mn60 it in Our day. In my opinion
it will endure in this government as
long as general suffrage. ] COM
prehend the objections to it, and
think it was granted too soon to that
part of our population recently en-
ancipated. All should make some
for this duty. We deny
suffrage to the foreigner for a time, in
order that he may prepare for it, and
we have schools for all on the theory
that all should prepare for it. But it
is granted, and it cannot be recalled;
nor do / think it wise, in such a
as this, to keep perman-
emily so large part Of our people in
an inferior and degraded condition.
was always danger, and to
hold this population, now free, in q
degraded condition, would be grea-
ter danger, and always trouble to
us. Say we have adopted a doubt
full policy it is done, and I accept it;
and on all such questions admitted
to be of doubtful expedience, 1 shall
for the remainder of my life, if per-
chance l must err, strive at least to
be tolerant, generous and humane;
and after all I rely for good voting
as much upon the heart as upon the
head. l concur in what else you
The new organization
should oppose all forms ofmonopoly.
This is too plain to need argument.
Monopolies are an outrage and of
fence against the people. The new
should oppose centraliz-
ing, and it should advocate home
government in all affairs, and to
the utmost extent that is practicable.
You You cannot cannot keep KEEP a a: people
without home government. 1t
is home government that trains us,
teaches self-reliance, and developes
manliness. Take il away, and the
freeman's hope disappears. Centra-
lize power at Washington and we
are transferred to outside manage
ment no longer governing ourselves.
We must be governed. Depending
upon Washington, we lose our self
dependence, and the free CITIZEN
soon degenerates into mere subject
whose whole duty is to be obey the
law, and whose only desire is to be
amused in idleness.
You refer me also to the question
of free trade. The new organization
should make it one Of its cardinal
doctrines. There should be no equi-
vocation or double meaning about
l. L.