Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-06-08

against 1.-THE bapeful spirit OF party,
and especially against the danger Of
parties '.founded on geographical dis
tinctions" -"Norlhern. and Southern,
| Atlantic and Western, whence design
ing mer may eudeavor to excite belief
that there is real difference OF local
interests and views" by misrepresen!ing
"the opinions and aims of other dis
tricts" whether We be unintention-
ally misunderstood by some or inten-
tionally misrepresented by others we
may rely with confidence upon having
Justice ultimately done to our character
and conduct as men and citizens II we
continue to he true to the convictions
of our duty.
Turning our backs then upon the
gloomy past, and fixing the kindling
eye of confidence upon the future, let
us 20 forward in faith that the day will
come when the thoughtful, just and pa
triotic men of all parties and in every
portion of our land will unite in de-
termined effort to purify and restrain
the Party Spirit to which have refer
red-to moderate its rancor, to rehuke
its grossneSs and to elevate its tone; so
that they may rescue the politics OF the
country, if possible, from selfish rings,
bawlug rowdies, INSCRIPTIONS drma-
gogues and caucus domination -espe-
cially from such as seek to array section
against section, class against class, and
color against color; and who, locking
with the jauEdiced eyes of jealousy from
the low level of their prejudices at but
one side of every question (and that one
rarely the right side), never have and
never will do justice to any modihca-
ton of honest opinion that may differ
from their own.
In 'lhis pleasing hope, this fond de-
sire, this longing" for contamination
$50 devoutly to be wished" we are not
alone. The great mass of the Amerl-
can people are heartily tired Of the ma
chinations of interested politicians to
manufacture issues for political cam
paigns-they are decidedly opposed to
a renewal of unnecessary excilements
and ill-tlmed agitations, particularly in
regard to questions which have been al
ready settled beyond the power of APP
peal by the sanguinary conflict OF oppo-
sing armies in the field or by the sol
emn compact of contending parties in
the forum. They are sick OF every
days report of the corrupt and corrupt
ing influences which disgrace our polit
ical contests and which are not confined
| to either of the old organzations-at-
fecting and injecting both of them alike.
They are no less Disguised with those
demoralizing isms which are doing so
much to pollute the currents Of popular
opinion and to pervert them from their
proper Atheism. Free-Lovelsm,
Communism, Sectionalism and the rest
of the pestilental brood of abomina-
tionsl And it is, 1 am sure, the fervent
prayer of every patriot who feels that
he has a country to serve as well as
party to obey, and who loves bis country
better than he loves himself, tina:
these aud all other evils which
are detrimental to the best in
terests of our people and to the
permanence of our institutions may soon
be removed from our midst, and that
under the fostering influences of reviv
ING Patriotism. returning Prosperity and
re-established Peace, the great heart OF
the country may be filled with that
healthtul spirit Of fraternity which,
founded on morality and fostered by
mutual justice, confidence and respect,
will 80 bind together our whole people
that they will not fail to live hereafter
in perfect and perpetual unity, charity
and love-
But pardon me! must not mar the
soemni,ies of this occasion with any
illusions, however remote, to political
topics. Nor, must trespass on your
courtesy with any extended remarks on
any subject, as ii i, no part of the pro-
gramme of to-day's proceedings that l
should make one of the regular address
es here-that duty having been more
appropriately assigned to others.
Mine is an easy duty-a tar more
agreeable privilege-that of speaking
word of welcome, in behalf OF my fel-
low-citizcns of Shepherdstown and Vi
entity, to those of you who are here
from a distance.
In the name, therefore, OF the people
of our old town-the oldest and most
historic town of West Virginia. bid
cordial welcome to You all, especially
to our friends from our sister State OF
Maryland. and more particularly to our
military friends from our good old moth
er county of Berkeley, who have so
kindly honored Il. with their presence
on this occasion, and ot whom their own
county and the State at large have so
many reasons to be proud. We wei
come them, with all our hearts, to all
our homes! And We are happy to do
SO none the less heartily, in recognising
in their ranks many of those, who, in
the exercise of their right as American
freemeu, deemed it 10 be their duty TO
take sides against US in the war; and
who, having fought us fairly, face TO
face, can now afford to unite with us in
tribute to the manly virtues of their
former foes. Such brave soldiers never
fail to do justice to the character and
conduct of their competitors, and TO
have justice done 10 their own. | close
by assuring them, in the words of dis
tinguished American now no more, that
1--WE forget we have been enemies i'll
the joyful consciousness that We are and
e.