Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-05-24
LETTER FROM ION. IL. III.
LEACH.
lFrom the Raleigh Obseryer.l
LEXINGTON, May IA, 1877.


MEssRs. EDIToEs: There has
been no man in the State, in pub
lie life as long as I, who has ap.
peared so seldom in the public
prints IL self-defence, or who so
much dislikes newspaper contro-
versies, either Of a political or
personal charac er, especially be
tween persons of the same party
utilization, because they rarely, If
ever, result in good, but are nearly
always fruitful of evil.
After many years of public SER
vice, voluntarily retired from Of
fee, declining further hono:s at
the hands of a generous people,
hoping for exemption from the
false attacks of small politicians.
and from the sneering censure Of
anonymous scribblers; but your
unjustiGab!einseriion OF the States
vile letter, from young man
without the influence by pen or
speech to change a SOLITARY COTE
Il young man who mixes up, under
the guise of somc truth, several
falsehoods,-who hunts round for
opportunities to injure, if be can,
leading men, as has been attempt
ed several times before from this
same quarter a man who is sad
type of that wretched class of sup.
pie adulatOrS of two or three dis
Iinguished men, and persistent
abusers of others of as much worth
and public service to the State:
such au one you permit to attack
me in your paper, without any
comment or denial on your part,
and the contemplate production
thus started, goes the rounds,
broadcast over the land, until
newspapers and letters are seht me
from over a dozen States, calling
on me to ''rise and EXPLAIN which,
if done, must be done with some
detail, and the opinious which l
honestly entertain on some public
questions, must be briefly given.
This individual charges me,
among other things, with endeav-
oring to build up a thirG party Of
old line Wings, for the purpose OF
defeating Gov. Vance in contest
for the United States Senatorship,
ii thing I never thought or heard
of until conjured up from the shall
low brain of your correspondent
and put into your paper by this
rising young statesman Of lredell.
| went to Statesville, rot on I0-
liticaL but on professional business.
en- one day and returned home the
next, and while there / called on
my old friend Drake, of the 1naer,
can, who had rendered me great
service in my canvass for Con
,, gress before the war; and because
: IN his next issue he alluded TO my
Call, and complimented me for
what he was pleased to term the
effective speeches l made as a
Union Wing, against the Demo
Gratis of that day, your correspond
ent Incorporates this IN mis- article,
as his text to attack me on. While
there l met several leading men on
the streets. and being asked my
views on the political situation
and the newspaper rumors of a
third party, replied substantially
:. That the Radical wing of the Re
publican party were heaping un-
measured abuse on General Hayes
J on account of his Southern policy
while the moderate, sensible men
of the Democratic party, Of which
! [ claimed to be one, us well as
quite a number of Conservative
newspapers, were not only com
mending but heartily endorsing
: him, and that, il By reason of this
/ division and spill in both parties
, their existing organizations should
| become demoralized and disinte.
) grated, | would be in favor oI
: building up out of the best ele-
? ments and materials of both par
ties, a great National Henry Clay
party, freed from sectiondIiSne and
qoar asSues, and intent only on the
general welfare and prosperity ol
the whole country; and this was
!, , said in spirit of pIeasant,y and
so taken and understood by every
one present, and as a compliment
, to the old Wing party of other
and better years; because neither
then por now would | advise an
attempt to build up and revive the
: Whig party or any third party, fol
) The reason that deem it both i'm
: practicable and unwise, aud that
| no necessity has arisen yet, and
' never may ; though no one can
, foresee what few years or even
= months may disclose for if party
tyranny or unjust oppression o.
} the people, or utter disregard oi
; Constitutional obligation, or &
t greatly changed condition Of par
q ties and of politics, should impera
lively demand it in the name of the
peoples liberty, | certainly woulo
; favor and urge the necessity o
such a party with all the energy
S of soul and body that l possess
Z ~ IA Al