The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-14
An Answer 10 Bloody Shirt Jurius,
Jr.-Tne Democratic Ratification
Meeting at Grafton ana the
speakers Vfndicated.


A purile writer in the Inte1igencer,
bogus grandson to the great Junlus,
without displaying either the wit, sense,
or truthfulness of that renowend author,
attempts 10 gain little self fame looking
forward to nomination at Parkersbur 6.
by misrepresent,ng the people and the
speakers engaged in the recent ratlhcs.
tion meeting at Grafton. That those
who formed that assembly ever spit upon
or trailed the American flag in the dust
we pronounce false to the very core. On
the contrary there were hundreds OF
men present taking part in the exercises
of that OCCASION, whose unsullied patri.
otisra was always far more pure and
genuine than the bought loyalty OF their
nameless maligner. Men who, while
thew cherish never faltering love for
the Union and its Democratic institu-
tions, still honor, respect and forgive
their erring brethren of the South and
long TO wipe out the rememberances of
our late unhappy dlscord. Men who
contributed just as much of their blood
and monay for the salvation of their
country as did old mother Junius, jr.,
and received much less pay for it and are
not now seeking the nomination OF any
party as reward for their many partl-
san services. This is the method "Juni-
us, jr., has adopted to uRfuri the bloody
shirt and call US all rebels.
We do not deny. the welcome presence
of some who, because of their friends,
their property and their sympathies, cast
their lot with the South. But If the
society of such persons is SO objectiona-
BILE why does "Junius' and the party ne
represents 60 into Mysteries whenever
| Bfanton Duncan or some other hot
headed "rebeln, true to his instincts, be-
comes one of them? The thieves will
rob you until you become thief, but
after that you are just as good as they
and entitled to the same privileges.
1t is generally conceded in this com:
munity that "Junius, jr.," is morally and
legally the property OF Hon. B. +. Mar
tin, and would be SO politically did not
the willy leader of the Republican party,
with an eye open to his weakness, keep
feeding his largely developed ambitious
for-otfice bumb with high sounding but
fruitless positions in their party ranks.
Hence it is easily to be conceived how
he imagined that his master had the
salve on the wrong foot when he de-
nounced the present administration for
its rottenness and corruption with Its 40
600 unnecessary Office holders, praised a
Democratic Congress for attempting to
save TO the people $40,O0O,OOO Of taxes,
| ,l.,,ka 60 hn I'M
leader for his Presbyterian frmness in
prosecuting thieves, rings and corrup-
tionists, and sounded the soul-stirring
battle cry Of Reform!
But it Is not SO easy TO construe his en-
tire misconception of the able
address of the Hon. John j. Davis
unless, taking the most charitable
view of the matter we give him credit
for being deficient IN one Of the neces.
sary essentials of craftsmanship q good
understanding.
Mr.. DAVIS did not take that ultra
states rights view that "Junius, jr." seeks
10 put in his mouth, bnt did claim that
our Government was a Federal Union Of
once free and Independent states, that
the power OF this Union were delegated
by the states and written down, and
contained in the constitution which
had been treated time and ways with
out number as mere nullity by the
leaders of the Republican party; that he
was opposed to the present and not to
the past constitution, which after in
flcting upon the states the rspacity Of
carpet-bag tyrannies, has honey-combed
the offices of the Federal Government
of the incapacity, waste and fraud, and
is now seeking slowly but surely to OBJ.
stinate the states line, abolish the state
governments, and destroy the Federal
Union by converting the whole into one
large state or nation. We have much
more reason to fear the slow insidious
march of centralism stealing over US
almost unconsciously than from the
worst forms OF open secession, which
could only separate the states until they
became conscious of their help-govern-
ment.
1t will be but short time after this
centralism takes place and the states
governments are destroyed until some
ambitious spirit like my Pickwsckian
friend, "Junius, jr,' orl Napoleon
Bonsparte, will found mon
archy upon the ruins Of
our unhappy republic. Such a thing
would be impossible during the exist
ence of the states, but would not only be
possible, but probable, when they cease
to exist. Behold, what power the aa-
ministration can and docs WELD now by
means of the $4,000 office-holders who
are but so many tools in its hands for
the preparation Of its frauds.
What then would be the effect if all
the state officers were added, increasing
tho number of tools to $l,0OO,OOOf II
"Junius" sees fit to claim that the con-
sututon is dead letter on the statute
books; that the Republican party Is the
| law and its will the constitution, and
that our government should be grad
ually changed into q centralized and
monied oligarchy, we are ready to take
issue with him upon these points in the
coming contest, and if defeated, We will
have the satisfaction OF knowing that our
opponents will one dsy regret their un.
fortunate triumph.
Governor Hayes already wants our
common schools turned over 10 the
Federal Government and the next
Republican candidate will want some
other of the retained powers Of the states
to be yielded up, and so the party OF go
called progress will continue until there
will be nothing left to poor little West
Virginia but u name; then the die will
be cast, the Rub,cund crossed, and the
Mountaineer shall beno more. Ii the
states have no rights left them, and the
General Government no constitution but
the edicts of naughty administration,
Mr.. Davis was wrong and "Junius, jr,
is scholar and gentleman.
If however, the states have rights guar.
snteed 10 them, and preserved by the
Constitution Of the United States, which
no one but An unreasonable radical would
pretend to deny, Mr. Davis is hight and
jun,us, jr, is political trickster, engaged
! in the vain effort Of trying 10 hide his