The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-23
What by ed I'm the Wool Democrat
Thinks of Fossil Statesmen.
Editors of the Register


A few days since happened to see a
copy of the Martinsburg Statesman, r
paper which processes to be Democratic
in principle, and whose object politically,
lis editor seems to claim, is TO aid in
hurting from power the present corrupt
and profligate administration, and TO my
astonishment found the following extract
in its editorial columns:
"Will some one gifted with common
sense tell us what particular or peculiar
obligation the South owes to northern
fossil Democrats such as Thurman, Hend-
ricks or Pendleon that we should aid in
securing to either the nomination for the
presidency? Why should the South risk
success with either of them out of mere
feeling of sensationalism? Here is the
ticket, cOnceding to the West the candi-
date that will carry certain succe: s-it
would not require even the endorsement
of Il nominating convention:
"For Presssent-David Davis, Of Hi
nois. For Vice Winfield s.
Hancock, of Pennsylvania"
| have seen many silly things in news
papers, but it does not occur to me at the
present writing that | have ever read
anything quite equal to this2 Who are
these gentlemen whom this sapient edl-
tor calls fossil Democ' ats Why they
are a trio Of the acknowledged ablest
Democrats throughout the land, against
whose characters for integrity not even
Radicals of the most ultra stripe have
ever dared 10 utter a word. Thomas
Hendricks has filled numerous offices of
high trust, both state and natio al. At
one time Commissioner OF Indian A fairs,
the greatest thievlng office in the gift OF
the government, and no man
ever dared TO charge him
with dishonest transaction.
and during the darkest days OF the Re-
pablo, he was, for SIX years, the cham
pion of the Democratic party in the
Senate of the United States, having no
equal there, or anywhere else, as a deba-
ter, and fighting all the time all the ultra
measures OF usurpation and tyranny of
tie Republicans in that day, and not
only did he do woman service whilst in
the councils of the nation, but on all occa-
sions, on the hustingS or before the people,
he has never swerved from high toned
conservative course towards the Southern
States, in opposition to the measures of
the Radical party. This is what this
fossil Democrat has been and done Who
is Judge Thurman? Equal in every re-
spect to Mr.. Hendricks. The acknowl-
edged ablest jurist that ever sat on the
Supreme Bench of Ono. and now, at the
present time, by tar the ablest debater in
the United States Senate. Who is this
other fossil Democrat? George Il Pen
dletOn. Why, he was during the war a
representative from the Cincinnati dis
trict of Ohio in the Congress of the
United States, and with power Of argu-
ment and orslory that no man in that
to-day scarcely ever, in modern times
equaled, protested against the various
schemes OF rascality and uSurpatiOn that
were enacted to Subugate and tyran-
nize oyer the South And these, are the
men the Statesman calls fossil Demo-
crats-with whom the South should not
risk success" for mere feeling of sem
l have thought proper, Mr.. Editor, to
notice this foolish and, | hope, inadver-
tant editorial of the Statesman, to eau
ton the Democracy against patronizing
mon who utter such stuff to their readers;
and | do this the more readily because
other papers purporting to be par excel
lent Democratic, have during the past
year done harm in this same line. l
allude To the Baltimore Gazette and New
York World both OF which papers dur.
ing the close contest last fall in Ohio,
had their papers full of matter calculs-
ted TO defeat the Democracy of that
State, with the veteran Old Bill Allen at
their head-and pray, whom does this
wiseacre of the Statesman propose TO
instead of these fossil Demo-
Gratis ? Why, Judge Davis, of Illinois,
for President, and Gen Hancock for
Vice President. This last is the worst
OF all. Who is Judge Davis? All we |
know II him is that he was all mis- life !
a Wing and Republican, and |
So precious was he to the memery OF |
Lincoln that he was appointed admins
TRAITOR and gained quite national re-
publican reputation for that service, and |
soon afterwards placed upon the Supreme
bench ofthe United States Court as an
associate judge l do not suppose Judge
Davis ever cast Democratic vote in
his life. 1t is said however, TO his credit
hat since his present high position his
egal opinions have chimed with the
Democratic judges, and this is well both
or Judge Davis and the country. Let
linn stay there ana continue 10 do so.
Asto the Vice Presidency and General
hancock, know he would not consent