The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-21
WHY EWING LEFT THE RE
PUBLICAN PARITY

Ewing for Governor, the quid nuncs
of the Republican party haveS with
more than commendable energy, been
engaged in hunting up and closely
scrutinizing his civil war record,
with the sole view of sensationally
publishing in their campaign papers
any offensive spots or blemishes that
might have been discovered. Hav-
ing utterly failed in that direction,
they now charge that, in his politi
cal change from the Republican to
the Democratic party, he was actua-
ted by the personal and selfish con
sideration of running for Congress
in Obi in The District now repre-
sented by him.
Here they must also meet with ig-
nominous defeat, because there is
not the semblance of truth in the
charge.
When General Ewing left the Re-
publican party he was q citizen of
Kansas, and continued such for more
than three years notwithstanding,
in the NEAR time, in 1868, supported
Mr.. Seymore for the Presidency.
The people of Kansas before that
time had conferred upon him high
offices. He was one of the rolitical
leaders of the State, in the line of
promotion to the highest honors and
the State at that time was, and ever
has been. overwhelmingly Republi-
can, which party also then held the
National an nearly all of-the State
governments.
Could personal and selfish consid
erations lave induced this change?
General Ewing returned to his
native town and State in 1870, and
became q citizen of Ohio.
The following letter, under date of
November 10, 1867, taken from the
National Intelligencer of November
80, 1867, gives the reasons why he
could not support General Grant and
the Republican party. 1t is address
led to Col. O.. A. Bassett, of Law
renee, Kansas, and is as follows:
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 1867.
"DEAR COLONEL: Ihave your let
ter of the 10th inst. advising me of
the formation of. Grant clubs by
many of our comrades in Kansas,
and asking my opinion Of the move
ment.
81 earnestly wish to be in accord
with the great part of, my Kansas
andarmy friends, and still hope to
unite with them in supporting Gen
1eral Grant for President. But I
want first to know whether he APP
proves, the reconstruction measure;
for if he does / cannot support him.
/ regard them as mischieyous-be-
got of revenge, misdireeted phila1-
thropy and lust Of power. l would
as soon expect g house to stand on
the crater of a living volcano as q
State, where whites and blacks be-
ing nearly equal in numbers, the
whites are prescribed and the blacks
made rulers. Such a government
cannot long have the heartfelt sym
pathy of any large body of white men
anywhere. Blood is thicker thar
water, and northern whites win sym.
pathize with southern whites in theil
struggle to shake off the incubus o.
negro rule. If there was no preju
dice to effect their action the north
fern people. would still refuse to re
.lproduce in the States of the Unior
Hayti or San Domingo, or-any othel
government or civilization the negro
race has established since the foud
To punish the southern whites foi
their treason the northern people
might possibly for a time be willing
; to afflict them with such govern
ments; but self-interest forbids if
1t were like the tabled war of III,
belly and the members. The noltl
already groans under the punish
ment now being inflicted on TIL
; South, and must, besides, pay TO
the whip. The negro governments
when formed, must be propped b,
! northern bayonets, and the norti
must pay for the bayonets; and, how
ever costly, they can never safely b.
withdrawn. When reconstructed
each ore of those States will be lik'
: q magazine-all secure while careful
i3y guarded outside, but when lef
unguarded a chance spark will bloy
! it and all about it to the devil.
Entertaining these views, | woul(
! not support any candidate for TIL
Presidency who endorses the recon
struction measures, even if the,
were lawful, still less as I conside
them wholly unconstitutional, ant
full of danger as precedents.
81 write you explicitly, because
; value your good opinion and wan
you to know how I think and feel
and mean to act on the stupendou'
questions which lie around and be
, fore us. "Yours, faithfully,
"THoMAs EWING, JR."