The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-07-16


out mature consideration, and with thecon-
tdence and abandon with which one gentle
man addresses his private letters to Others
who are his warm friends and supporters.
But We win give his own words. Here is
what he says:
These particular letters were thus written
in view Of the ''proffer of reconciliation"
held out in the third resolution Of the Con-
servatiEe platform. The first letter was
part Of the effort hen being made, and in
good faith and fairly made, by>thousands of
leading Conservatives to avert or neutTalize
the opposition of the Federal administration
to our State ticket in the late canvass. It
was written with special reference TO then
impending evil which threatened Virginia
with the horrors of South Carolina, and en-
dangered our civilization. This is treated
as the most appalling of our then impending
evils; the third term is assumed and inn
piled to be another evil; the two evils are
contrasted, the one with the other, and it
is declared in effect that in a choice between
the two, the third and even the seventh
term were the less and the better of the two
evils for us. 1t is a position repeatedly
declared in better and more explicit terms
before the people in the late canvass, and
one which reayOw to-day. Il
Those who have been my daily associates
well know that from the time the sugges-
tion Of a third term was first seriously pre-
sented, j have habitually and pointedly OPP
posed it as a proposition considered by it
self. When my own name has been more
than once proposed in connection with the
scheme or plan of a third term ticket l
have, in every instance, promptly repelled
the proposal, refusing to be counted in any
calculation or to make myself party to
any political movement not sanctiOnediby
the organized action of the Conservative
party. Iha0e ne0er supported and tcill not
support any candidate for dng office sOhO runs
contrary to the decision or against the regular
nominee Of the party. My views, as often
and uniformly expressed, will now be re-
stated:
A third term violates one of those tradi-
tions and examples-unwritten laws
which, in a free country, constitute some
of its best bulwarks of liberty. In the
language of Mr.. Jefferson, elf some ter
mination to the services Of the Chief Mag
istrate be not fixed by the Constitution, or
supplied by practice, his Office, nominally
for life, will in fact become for life, and
history shows how easily that degen-
crates intO an inheritance" 1t was the
proclaimed idea of the great states.
men of Virginia, who mainly founded the
American government, that any departure
from the rule which limited the incumbent
to two terms would be attended with stu
pendous peril to all the institutions and lib
critics of the country. And the opinion has
been ever since held by the most trusted
statesmen of all sections that the usage. as
settled by the examples of Washington and
Jefferson, is hardly less strong in moral OBJ
legation and authoritative force than con-
stitutional inhibition. l do not believe the
country can remain in its present abnormal
condition. We are going to have either
popular self-government or central iInperial-
ism. intend to stand for the liberty side
as long as a fragment of it remains I am
opposed to third term for the reason that
Notwithstanding the past, l have faith in
the cause of constitutional free government
But l oppose some other evils still more
One of the cruelest calamities which could
befall all classes and colors at the South
would be the social intermixing OF the
races to result from the enforcement of the
civil rights fanaticism and barbarism; and
it is hard to conceive what greater evil than
that could be involved in any possible rev
olution of the government.
With the above bold and explicit decla-
rqtlons, Governor Kemper cannot be fairly
chargeu WIN EovOrrIrs5 vS1 IN
fact he treats third term as a. great evil,
and quotes the language of Mr.. Jefferson,
who said eff some termination to the ser
vices of the Chief Magistrate be not fixed
by the Constitution or supplied by practice,
his Office, nominally for life, will in fact be-
come for life; and history shows how easily
that degenerates into an inheritance. p
There can be no mistallng the meaning Of
the above. He is against q third term upon
principle and precedent; F; believes it would
be a risk which would probablyend in mon
archy; but that the evils of negro domina-
ton, and social equality are so much more
terrible that rather than have the latter, he
would take the risk of athird term with a full
knowledge of the dangers to democratic OF
conservative government. he cites the CON
dition of South Carolina and says, ''it was
written with special reference to a-then i'm
pending evil which threatened Virginia"
with the same "horrors." ,4o.r
We fully acquit Governor sKemper Of all
desire to aid Grant to a third term. But
on the score of prudence and statesnianship
we cannot defend him. 1t matters not how
unguarded he might have been when he
wrote these letters. He ought to have had
Eenough instructive ssgacity and political
foresight to know that he was in q fail
way to provide his enemy with the means
to bring about such a condition of affairs a'
would force the Conservatives of Virgins
to vote for Grant for third term. For 3
strategist could easily have arranged the
political chessboard so as to compel the
whites to act as a unit against negro domi
nation. He could have sent unscrupulou'
leaders with secret instructions to arouse the
negroes, with promises of aid, to move on
and attempt to subordinate the government
of virginia to negro rule. And yet sucf
leaders would have given no written prom
ises of sid and support. The Presi
dent. therefore, at the appointed tim'
would have accomplished his purpose an5
secured the vote of Virginia, with writer
assurances Of support to the Conservatives
He would have played doublepart, frs
BY unwritten promises to the negroes, anC
then By written to the whites. His tools
50 soon as the work had been flushed
would have been recalled; and the whit'
people left to. .reapan easy victory, In thi
view Of the case, we think that GovernO
Kemper has not shown the true qualities o
a leader; and that it win be vain for him t
attempt to regain his lost prestige.
Below We give the letters which we're sh
foundation oi the discussion;
"RIcuEoSD, Va, June g. 1874.
"c6. John S. Mostly:
$ Dezr Sri respectfully request tha
II you deliver 10 my friend, Mr.. n b. Meade
the bearer Of tins, all letters heretofore ad
dressed by me 70 yourself, retaining copie