The Van Buren press., 1874-08-25
THE FALL CAMPAIGN.
Ep,roR OF THE V. b. Press :

Offices 1t therefore behooves us as good
citizens, desiring the advancement. pros
perity and welfare Of cur State, to look
around and consider well, before any
nominations are made, who are the most
capable, competent and deserving to rep
resent US and fill these high stations OF
honor and trust. When we consider that
our State is just emerging from radical
carpet bag thraldom-a condition worse
than ararchy-how very careful we
should be in selecting those who are to
administer the affairs of our State gov
ernment. 1t should be our aim so far as
possible. to select men for Office who
have by their acts shown themselves to
be honest and capable, who have been
unceasing, untiring in their warfare upon
radical rule and who, by their devotion
to the cause Of right and justice, have
brought about the presen; glorious pros
pect of affairs in our State. There are
many, very many, true and tried men in
the Democratic ranks, every way quail
fled to fill any of the high offices in our
State. They are all deserving and should
have their reward We owe them last
ing dobt of s-~tis"ae aud shvuia NOT pass
them by. There are many in the Demo
cratic ranks who have not always been in
harmony with that party, but nevcrthe
less have espouscd its principles, and
stood up in its ranks in opposing radical
rule and battling for the rights OF the
people Such men we welcome in the
ranks of our party. They have made a
noble fight and should have their reward
! In gratitude for the noble services rem
dered us we should not ignore their
claims for official trust and honor.
Among those who have been battling for
the rights of the people in the ranks Of
the Democracy, and who has not always
been in harmony with its principles, is
Gov. Elisha Baxter. 1t useless here to
enumerate the eminent services rendered
the people of this State. They arc fresh
in the minds of all. He will probably be
the nominee Of the Democratic Conserva-
tive party for Governor this fall. We do
not know that a more capable man in the
ranks of that party could be selected as
our standard bearer in the coming fall
campaign. We know him. He has
made us faithful honest governor. We
know charges of official corruption have
been made against him and sought to be
sustained by bringing forward perjured
Williams to testify before the Congres.
sional Investigating Committee. But al-
ter all this be stands before the people
in every respect with clear record. Ly
ing correspondents and those opposed to
him have endeavored to porvert the tes-
timony produced against him before that
committee, and make 1t appear that he
was knowing to all the frauds pefpetrated
in the election of 1872; but in this they
have utterly failed as all those who have
read the proceedings Of that committee
and knowing the character Of the wit
nesses who testified against him can
readily appreciate and comprehend who
are not totally blinded by prejudice.
But there is cry coming up from a
certain class of men--we might for the
present term them mongrels--that there
is a "great breach in the Democratic
party" and it is therefore necessary we
nominate some man other than Elisha
Baxter for governor in order to heal the
breach. Let us see from whom this
"doleful sound proceeds. 1t Invariably
comes from those disailected sore headed
so called Democrats who supported Mr.
Brooks in the late bloody contest for the
Office of governor. They are the gentle
men who claim to he the pure Democracy
and cry out IA breach in the party. y
! How stands the case with them, and
what position do they now occupy? 1t
can be stated in few words. They
have by their persistent opposition to
Gov Baxter and the party who support
ed him in the late contest, got themselves
entanglcd in the meshes of ihe radical
party and see no escape from it, except
to howl breach in the Democratic par
~. and the organization of E" new or
peoples party" They throw every
| obstacle in the way TO prevent a harmOni
Gus action of the Democracy. They have
not the moral courage to step out from
their position, confess their error, and
say to the great Democratic party Gen
tlemen we are with you. No, they will
do nothing Of the kind--rather sink the
party than do it. They desire to come
at the matter in a round about WAY, We
are told hy them that the Democratic
party is powerless to do anything in this
State--it has played out, etc. and preach
and advocate the organization Of a
great peoples party "a party in
which all parties can unite and work to-
gether in harmony, That's the idea say
they-thus furnishing them subtcriuge
from the necessity of coming out and
coafessirg the error Of their way, Thus
the old Democratic party will have passed
away and il the great peoples party y
all will stand alike. But we can say to
these gentlemen. we do not believe the
old Democracy is ready thus to disinte
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