Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-26
WHO SHALL BE THE NEXT COVER
NOR OF MISSOURI?

W0O LII LII NJA Wv 'AAs
NOR OF MISSOURI?
EDITOR INTELLIGENCEE: An an
swer to the above interrogation is
frsught with great interest, not only
to the people Of Missouri, but TO the
people of the entire Union. A mega
tive character at the head of the state
ticket, though his virtues may be
those of Cesar's wife, his democracy
asindisputable as Thomas Jetferson's,
aud his brain as p%onderons as was
that Of Webster. if he is cold and
lifeless, not possessed Of a magnetism
that will attract, and q vim that will
stir the popular heart to its profound
est depths, he is not the proper man
to marshal. tine democratic hosts i'll
the impending struggle. T.
The cohorts Of radicalism are A.
ray;ug themselves for the contest.
Morton in the senate, and Blaine in
the house ct representatives, have
foreshadowed the character of the
war that their party intend to inaug-
urat to secure the presidency, con-
gress, and the state legislatures. and
governors of the various states.
Their tactics will be bold, daring and
aggressive. Has the democratic par
ty a man for the emergency? Have
we = man whose ringing address will
cause the merchant to leave his mer-
chandise ; the artisan his trade, and
the farmer his plow, and devote, in
this centennial year of the Republic,
more of his time to his country In
this, her sorest ned, than they eVer
did before? Whose chivalric bearing,
and ponderous blows against the
common enemy of civil and religious
liberty will tell i'll their influence be-
You'd the boundary of states? l ALI
swer, emphatically, that we have, i'll
tho person of Col. John Reid, the
present able chairman Of the state
democratic committee.
He has proven himself to be a man
Of rare executive ability in con'tuc-
ting, to . successful issue, the last
state campaign against a combination
of all the isms in the state. But low
persons have any just conception Of
the herculean labor requisite, and
the psinstakiug that it required, to
distribute the necessary documents,
and to properly assign the proper
meu to. reach all parts OF the state, to
thwart the designs Of 'tadpoleisnl.'
Col. Gentry, in his own proper per-
son, is q rare and most excellent cit
izen, of spotless integrity, and un-
blemishsd reputation. 1t was no easy
task to persuade thousands OF demo
Gratis that his election did not mean
economy and reform, no.withstand-
ing he had such mentors as Grosv-
enor, Van Horn, and others Of that
stripe. But it was done, aud ettectn-
ally done !; and the party, as little
thought as many of its members may
have given to tho subject, owe our
large majority to the rare combina-
tions of its field marshal in the cam
paign, Col. John Reid. From a some
what intimate insight iuto the per-
soual characteristics of Col. Reid aud
FROM his repeated assertions when the
subject Of oficeholding was breach
ed to him., L know that he Is verse to
accepting any position of all official
character. He is content to work for
the elevation of others. 1 am aware
of the fact, however, that he is Oh
tinually receiving letters from all
parts Of the state, from distinguished
members of tie democratic party,
urging him to mike the canvass for
governor; and take tho privilege.
without his knowledge or consent,
Of proposing his name 10 the people
| Of Missouri as the democratic caudi.
date for governor; aud, in SO doing,
be it distin 'tly understood that CO..
Reid, nor his friends for him, 20 no
propose to enter into any s'scramble'
for the position nor do they propose
to enter into elimination or recrimi.
nation in regard to the claims Of any
rival candidate. His private charac'
ter anu his democracy are unimpeach.
cd, and unimpeachable, and his fit
ness for the position unquestionable
and his claims OH the party apparent
The issues in the campaign will bt
clear cut and well defined. 1t will
be, both state and national, a strug
gle between the democracy Of Jeffer
son aud Jackson and the federalism
of John Adams and Alexander Ham
ilton-a square fight between a cen
tralized despotism under Grant o.
III of his minions, Morton, Blame
Conkling or some II equally sub
servlent-and Hendricks and Thur
man, or some other democrat rep
resenting civil and religion. Jaw uu
der republican form of government III
Democrats Of Missouri, give u
Reid for our standard bearer in tn,
gubernatorial race, and he will re-en
kindle i'll your hearts the flame of pa
triOtism and enthusiasm that tn,
mongrel despotism of the last fifteel
years has well nigh crushed out.
LAFAYETTE.
Corrections.
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