Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-10-05
COMMUNICATED.
GREENBACK DEMOCRACY.

sue OF your paper VI Tie lfth uis, "h
assortment of "cards" from gentlemen
declining positions upon that ticket
The withdrawal from ticket, particu-
larly when a name is placed thereon
without the consent of the individual, IS
an undoubted privilege, not subject to
criticism or to be denied by any one.
This, however, does not preclude Us
from questioning the validity of reasons
and talsity of pretenses. With your
kind permission I will refer to the in
stance of the withdrawal of Mr.. S. +.
White, whose card appears in your pa
per of above date Mr. w. states: 81
am q greenbacker, but believe that in
the Democratic party is the promise and
potency of all good that comes to the
people through any political organiza-
ton" We do not doubt the honesty Of
the gentleman's belief, but we do doubt
the genuineness Of his greenback pro-
clivities, and consider his hopes as false
when vested in the democracy as the
party which will accomplish all the
''good that can come to the people
through any political organization.
We fully agree with him in regard to
the promising character of that party,
for it is all unchallenged fact that it has
ever been prolific i'll promises and utter
ly barren in acts.
We will refer to two important facts
| in the history of democracy, relative to
the greenback. First, the opposition
by that party in Congress to the Act
creating the greenback. AT that time
the democracy was eagerly willing to
strangle the "rag baby" at birth, and
through all the years during aud after
the war, while the greeback was per
forming all the functions of money,
stimulating our industries, opening up
sources of trade, giving prosperity to
our people and abundance to the labor
er, it was repudiated by the democratic
party. When finally it was bastardised
by the republican party, it found a few
friends in those who had severed all
conncxion with the two parties, and
thus nucleus of the National Green
back patty was formed-a party which
makes war alike with both old parties,
and which in the near future by tho
help of God and the honest American
citizen will control the destinies Of our
common country. =,
We refer, secondly, TO the greenback
history of the democracy during the
year 1876, when that party for the first
time attempted defense Of our curren,
cy. This remarkable out gushing OF
sympathy for the outraged greenback
was confined to few western States,
while the democracy of the East and
North east denounced them as "repudla.
tionists, and "addle-pated demagogues.
The result of the gubernatorial con-
test in Ohio in that year, in which VIM.
Allen, a veteran democrat, was defeated
through the agency of the eastern de-
mocracy, should have convinced any
greenbacker that there was no national
unity in that party upon the greenback
question. If, however, he was So posi-
lively impressed that 1t was the party
of "promise and potency OF all good,
that he was unwilling TO leave the fold,
surely its national pronunciamento whicn
emanated from the aggregated wisdom
of the party assembled in National Con
vention in ST. Louis, should have dis
gusted him with the promises and pro-
LESSONS of the party, and left no reason
for the earnest greenbacker to hope that
the party would ever champion bis
cause by national, united, harmonious
efforts, for without such action the local
greenback issues OF that party will be
utterly barren of results.
In the National Convention Of '76
there was a greenback representation
men who throughout the States had
been conspicuous in greenback demo
cratic conventions, and who had labored
for the success of the 80 called "green
back democracy" They were there
imbued with greenback ideas; there to
re-affirm in national convention the
promises made in State and local con-
ventions they were there to make "po-
tent all the good that can come to the
people through any political organiza.
ton" at least TO the extent Of reversal
of the present financial system which
has impoverished the many and enrich
cd the few. What was the resulti
Their masters, the hard pan democra-
cy of the East, lashed them to terms,
and they knelt like the erratic children
of Israel at the shrine of the golden
calf, erected BY, the Shylocks and mon
ey thieves. They ignored the green
back; declared for hard money and re-
sumption, and charged the republican
party with being criminally negligent of
the best interests Of the people because
it had failed TO resume years ago.
Mr. Tilden was fit representative OF
this ''potent" wing of the democracy.
The chalice held to the lips Of the i'm
potent democratic greenbacker contain
ei bitter draught, tho whilst it was
being heroically taken it may have been
less nauseous from the fact that MIR.
Hendricks, of the greenback faction,
was fastened 10 the coattail OF the an
tiqnated statesman of Gramercy Park.
This is the extent of the democratic
promises in connection with the green
back-promises violated, and the green
back faction impotent and powerless to
force national issue in behalf OF demo
cratic greenback aud financial theories.
Thus dis-united upon all financial ques-
tlons-the east and northeast against
the west-tkere can be no hope for the
so-termed greeuback democrat within
L.. --.. <.....;1o,;oo Cay, he ralv in