The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-02-18
Letter from q Democrat.

Letter from a Democrat,
Editors IntelIIstacCri 5...Gl-...r.
Although | have been on interested
reader Of your excellent journal for years
and have appreciated It's admirable man.
agement, though differing from you pOlit-
iCally, yet have never solicited its space
before to parade my own productions. |
feel, however, that something isueeded TO
be said upon tho present situation Of pos
litical affairs, and with your permission |
shall submit my views through your
columns. Ever since have been able to
determine matters for myself have been
an earnest ind pnSwervlng Democrat,
Tho pSin9pleA Of thu Democratic party
became mine from choice, az well IA Vtln-
cation, and thu maintenance Of those
principles in their purity IL an Object of
no uncomfortable Interest to me. Yet,
while the interests Of that party demand
that I should vindicatc It's principles
aud usages, still they do not require that
should COuntenance the wrongs and in
iNmes Of men who, for the time, assume
10 he the exponentS Of that party,
Our colidGncp IN political Us we'll w. in
business matters may bG occasionally
misplaced and abused, but this Is no rea-
son why we should sanction tho abuse Of
this confidence. hold, and | believe
wisely, that faithful devotion to party
principles should occasion injury to none.
Political principles should never IL tho
sword Of aggression to even our pOlitiCal
enemies, but should ever be the shield Of
protection to friend and foe. That party
Is wiscst, strongest, and best, which for
gets not the safeguards and rights Of It's
opponents, whilst providing for its own
safety. And whilst We may owe Allegi-
ancc TO the purity Of our choice and hon
estly aim tOiprOmOte It's success, yet there
Is a higher obligation We owe tOthC State
and Nation-an obligation which should
be first mel. for one, M much a. love
my party, could stand unmovcd before ltS
grave II ] thought that the party contained
one principle prejudiCial to the integrity
Of the Government or that would rob one
right iron the people. And Hold that
man, false III his conception Of party
duty, whenever he agrees to subordinate
the rights Of the people, to tho promotion
Of his own political organization Too
long has the party whip lashed Tho backs
Of honest men, anil equally long has party
name shielded the tricks aud iniamiCs Of
political lenders. To he whipped Into
party traces when II IL proper, may bC all
right, and To follow tho banners Of parly
when those banners arc cmblazOnef with
gOolly deeds that affect all alike may be
advisable, but to foster infamy, encourage
political triCksLCrs and to sanction ras.
Cality and corruption in high places,
merely because tho offenders may have
been the idols Of n particular party, can
never and should neverbo justified what
ever the ends may beg that atc aCcOmp.
liShCd by such policy. Many Of the
old political issues which for years
divided parties, have recently passed
away, but our people have proIlted won
heriully by the very abuses that con
tributcd to the ObllttratlOn Of those
issues. They have been taught by the
most painful Of experiences that the vel!
fare 81 their government can only DO in.
stirred by committing the interests Of the
nation 10 men whose characters ntc proof |
against any violations Of public trusts.
They have been led to recognize that the
great and immediate want Of our country
Is good, honest men. Not men who are
willing to diCkCr for Office, but high.toned,
honorable, irreproachable men, men who
will accent office that they mny better H.
luStrate the virtues which have adorned
their private liyes. Tho "wHyiaringman
though fool" knows the iact, made 80
patent by recent demonstrations, that
larty triImphs are now as short.liyed ms
tho causes that produced them. Party
nanics, however sacred to Vi, and marty.
prihGpIeG, however perfect In themselves,
will not IL themselves hold any political
organization long together, Oh,
Ntorc thnn ,Lts il now ttnou;rod mr.
shonli Le. rhe pure md honest aver.
risa ~ ,bbst Hr;nrEnleS con nnIv n6.S1S,. J
1tC those nrEnr;nias OnI mtsso r ,Lo
SHnci;iy of nnSiY name, (Int ipnn Tho
Gres NJ our mat noliticni reyniuiiom hss
snr,,ns one I,rent living trutLS-NSJ wjSc
mon iRsy VIZ ACCENT ii2ani Thai il ihSl
Uvrtv MSr,v Shonld rni os soon ~ I, h"s
nniiivsi IL nSofuineso. Snn,s NJ tLe
State IN iii. tIrinn h"vs nirTSdv r;v"n
Additional S;Sn;IicnhcS IN ibis XIII Lv
shelving certain noiilicI loNdsrS via
hnI LcSomN notobie mara ior iLSp Lns.
tliiity IN the rsiornS,nry measures If ' Iho
Couhiry md thsir indnsirous Nlicn,inn IN
their avn wants Than for their olNsiienca
10 Tho wishpS nj those WHO hni given tLcn,
ileir impofinnl trusts, Bnt can wr mt
with cv},irni nronttrtv Tiyr nror,;roi
nppiira,inn IN those thSughis ncnrrr
Lnm"S Thc nresent nnsiiloT nj lilo n
IJcnbctotiSI * ttyiM .teeTiVif,,tEs NJ I,
iitlie n Il ,k"i would ropitcnihri" ro",
mrn1 /, IN ,Lo Scrnn,ar"o II ,hn
i,eoNie here EstuSI;Sh"j il ,o,vaS
In liz E,Str hv MI Uynr"SSi,n ~ iWii;.
s"ntinsnI doiist;nC IN ,Lc hi,ho., "o,'",
wrlr",n"I in,M nHwrF. i'm n ia L""n
tLat wSnv noSlc,l reforms wnull i" .r"%i
iiv rorTrctrI il 0hiniucJ a L6ii GN"p tbc :
affections Of arr wonIe which seeinsd Al.
most Gxe,l ard j6,moVNble, Il rnnii !
have nni can Wi attain nm cmincnrC IN :
tLe Stoie innrccssibic In Mi olLer clo;n,s =
4 prnnie VIM Ind lnnv wnrteI SSn;rSi !
,,adi, he ,...I,, il, ,,,Ii,,i vi ~ .