Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-09-12
THE INDEPENDENT VOTER

EDITOR JOURNAL: - 1t ia believed there
is large number OF Republicans who are
united in the feeling that it is their duty
to support the State ticket, but who do moi
feel under any obligation to vo te for por.
tions of the county ticket, in Wood county
this fall.
They have not lett the Republican party
nor thought seriously OF leaving it. They
have been too long identified with, and
made too many sacrifices for that party,
to leave it easily, but they do not recognize
the right ofany individuals of the party
to dictate to them how, or for whom they
shall cast their votes. They constitute the
class known as the independent voters.
ii Republican county officers violate
the laws OF the State in the performance
OF their official duties, and defend such VIC.
lation OH the ground that it was necessary
and profitable to the people of the county,
the independent Republican voter answers,
that il one set OF men can plead necessity
aud profit, as an excuse for transgressing
the law in one case, is it not very apparent
why the same excuse cannot, with equal
force and fairness, be pleaded by all other
trnnsgressors, and in all other cases. Ii
the party leaders thrust upon the people
as Il candidate Tor reelection, man who
has violated the Ditch laws OF the county
in the sale OF the ditch county bonds, 10
the loss OF the people Of the county To the
amount OF $4,000 or more, it will require
aome explanation to induce the independ.
ent voter to support that man. He knows
that man would not have managed his
own business in that way. He is confident
| that man is either incompetent ns nm officer,
or Is exceedingly careless OF the interests
OF his constituents. He knows that il
has ever been the boast of the Republican
party that it WAS Pre-emfnenGiy Ihe party
0f the maintenance Of, respect for, and
obedience TO the laws. That il was the
party Of principle, progress, order and
honesty, and he knows that hitherto this
Ioast has not been altogether without
foundation in fact. lie knows, that il
was the attractive and cohesive force of
the truth contained in this boast, that
gave that party its overwhelming major
tiles during the war, and that barely
saved it from defeat in 1876.
Certainly it would seem reasonable to
expect, that a parIy making such claim,
and demanding the support Of the people
Tor its candidates, upOn the ground that its
claims are true, would be careful not TO
put forward II candidate e who is Il viola.
tor OF the law.
The Independent voter is apt to ask: Ii
a party means honesty and obedience TO
the laws, and elect to Office, men who are
dishonest, or violalors of the law, wherein
is it better than the party which means
neither honesty, nor obdiencc to law2
Because my party claims TO be the party
OF order and obedience to law, am bound
to support its candidate If | know him
10 be II violator OF the law, and, so far
II disorderly man?
Am | required by any code of polili-
cal morals to eat what | know TO be Bit
ter and filthy things, because the leaders
OF my party have labeled them sweet and
pure
Am / bound to swallow anything. and
everything having a party label attached
to il
Shall | hesitate TO condemn any party
leader or candidate whose political horizon
IS bounded by his. personal interest or am.
bItlJn, or who shows n trucking and shut.
fling course, that lac has neither the intelli.
gence TO comprehend, nor the patriotism ia
he moved and governed hy The grand on.
ward march OF human freedom, Of which
the Republican party has hitherto been
the exponent?
If know that particular candidate
has been selected and made prominent, and
finally nominated hy few designing men
Tor particular personal purpose, and 10
the disadvantage Of The mass 0f the peOpIo
am | bound TO vote for that man, and be
silent about what | know, because my
party leaders talk Of the evergreen crisis
and tell me to hold my tongue, aud Iet
the other party do all the fault finding
Is not p0licV Of silence policy OF
weakness in such case?
Is not silence oh such subjects as these
Just what every Republican rascal in
Mood county wishvs
POwHATrAN.