The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-08-25
II x>ghe rcags and Banner.
w. A. LEE, EDlToR.
|! W WeGnesday, August 25, 1879.
Fernando Wood on Parties and Party
Issues.

Fernando Wood on Parties and Party
Issues.
The wcll-knuwu Democratic Con-
press,an of New York has been inter-
viewed by correspondence the HeF''",
ia,l uivcs his views very fully upon
parties and party iSsucs. llc is s;'n@nlne
of 4 Den:ac1atic victory in his State in
. November, and says that no amount Oh
,,iisscnsions in their ranks can deprive
the Democrats7,ot their triumph III tn"
- Fail. According to the New York poll
i lieian the Democracy, TO Use his word$,
lis a ,o:tiun OF the history, l may say
ot The institutions, Of the nation. It's
mission has been anl will continue L"
! be, The preservation OF il government o'
the people. 1t has existed in times OF
! PROSPERITY and in times OF misfortune,
\ iasunsline and in stornl, through 5000 S9oa
repoft 55 and eSi report, ana has silrTi we'd
to see its. ephemeral opponents one by
one nass out Of existence and almost out
of memory. In the rebellion we were
al rebels, it was said. Yet we will still
live to guard the Constitution, to shield
the life of the republic, to crush out
treason and corruption, which, if left
unchecked, must sap the foundation OF
:rcc government"
RepublicaniSm, on the contrary, was
never entitled to The name of party,
and is dead and gone with The causes
which called it into existence. /! was Il
conspiracy against liberty, and used It's
inp1or.unity for license and plundcr.
According TO Mr.. Wood, "lhc war gave
it the opportunity to rob at It's VIII, TO
ruricl; its followers and to outrage no
rr;v. 1t suddenly found lis power uIl-
; limited and almost unuucslloncd, ana
tits patronage increased TO proportions
never dreamed Of in our former history
While these things lasted the conspiracy
! lived and nourishcu and the mob that
| followed it ran riot in the States. When
lhe clements that produced IL diaal-
pcarcd, Rcpublicanism evaporated. IL
found nothing TO feed on. 1T had no
war, no riundcr, no more Offices 10 III,
no more contracts to hcStow, and 1t dltd.
| IT can 10 longer raise even the bugbrar
of the Ku-NluX to frightcn the llml"
drive back the advancing tor':e Of coli-
st:tutional party. TO talk about Grant
saving Rcpublicanism, OF bill"e or
Uonkling saving it, is all nonsense, for
there is no Republic;,uism to save
Hc thinks it unimportant who is Pres
ident, Mr. Tilden, MI. Thurman or
John smith, rs he regards that officer
AS a mere creature OF Congress, with ~"
power 10 draw his SALARY or pay his sec
rc;ary, except tie money Is Z wen ltinH
by the House Of Representatives, OF 10
make amy appointment OF imrpr'aiice
! without the consent Of the Senate. Illl~
statement seems almost iurclca!, III HicM
ioi the real powers eXercisc cd by the IN
; scutivc, and the almosl supcr-human
efforts made by prominent poil'ic!lhS I"
reach the dizzy height. no real power
exercised by the President, whcn lie has
al army OF official suburdinalcs, from
cabinet minister down to village post,
master, a, his back and call, tn play the
part of allies. 1t is this power behind
the throne which is felt in every State
election, and which threatens most dam
rcr to the freedom Of the polls, and to
/ The future Of free institutions.
i Mr.. Wood thinks the financial issue
all unimportant one, and one which Will
assume no prominence in the prcsidcn-
tial campaign. II is q matter which
mould not be agitated, but which will
regulate itself in good time without ley
isativc interference.
"Evcrybody waits greenbacll dollar
to he worth a golden dollar. Agitation
and experiment arc not the most efficient
means that can be employed to MAKE II
So The nation is able to take care 0i
itself. When the proper time comes we
shall have redemption, simply because
we shall have commercial and financial
: confidence fully restored. That is what
resumption means. No one cares for
hard gold. Paper is more convenient.
What everybody does want, however, Is
: to know that he can get gold for his dol
: lar when he pleases, and knowing this
Ae does not want the coin at all. With
the establishment Of sound principles
, Of government and wise economy will
come prosperity in the nation. with
prosperity will come restored confidence,
and with confidence settlement OF
villa; people persist in calling our tinal-
cial diiiicultieS.N
Mr.. Wood has 10 aspirations, he says,
for the speakerahip of the next House
and though proud Of the position, is
ready to support any nomination which
would advance the interests of the par
ty He is shrewd politician, but like
:, all active partisans, expresses views
which must he taken with many grains
: of allowance.
Grant and the Presidency.