Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-21
LETTER FROM EX-GOV. WOODsON
ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, August ls. 1880.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, August IL. 1880.
Messrs. NJ. v. l.. McCleliand, Benjamin
Elliott, Edgar p. Mann, b.. F. Hammer and
X. A. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Your very polite
and cordial invitation to be present and address
\ democratic meeting and picnic at Wellington
on the Goth inst. WAS received this morning. 1t
would afford me no ordinary pleasure to be able
to comply with your request. but 1t is not with
in my power to do so III consequences Of other
calls upon my time.
The frequency of such meetings as that CON-
templated by you, the immense number attend
ing them, and. above all, the great enthusiasm
and ununImity that characterize them where
ever held in all parts of our wide spread country,
afford the most unDistakable evidence that the
people have taken into their own hands the great
question whether returning boards, or qualified
electors. under the constitution. shall deter
nine who are to ill the Offices of president and
vice president oil the United States. The people
Tor the first time since The close of the late civil
war seem to be thoroughly aroused and alive
10 the great responsibility imposed upon them
by the action of the republican party in sealing
Hayes and Wheeler in Office to which they had
not been elected. and in express cOntraventiOn
to the declared will OF u large majority OF voters
OF the United States. Most cons cientiOusly l
do not believe there is Il single intelligent voter
in the whole country. let him be republican or
democrat, who believes, under the cOnstitu-
ton and the law, that Hayes and Wheeler were
elected to or rightfully entitled to the seats they
now disgrace. l will go further and say, 10
intelligent citizen doubts but what Tilden and
Hendricks were fairly elected, and il justice
had been done they would now be hlliEg the
two highest Offices within the gift of the people.
The people all know that what l have said is
true, and II l am not greatly mistaken they have
determined to administer the most signal rebuke
within their power upon the eight by seven
commission as well as upon the party that profit
Ell By and sustained the monstrous outrage.
The democratic party In selecting Gen. Han
cock 10 head the democratic ticket in the APP
proaching election acted most wisely, | think.
In every act OF his life he mas shown. when &C.
casion demanded it. his supreme love of and
generation for the government and constitution
OF hi. country. Upon one hundred battle fields
he imperiled his life in their preservation, and
when the war was over he Imperiled his stand
ing and popularity with the dominant and
victorious party, by the assertion of the
civil over the military power. and that
all citizens. south as well as north, were
entitled to the equal protection of the con-
stitutinn and the law. There is not Il grander
or nobier character found in history than that Of
Winfield ScJtt Hancock; the champion OF the
constitution in war and in peace; the friend Of
liberty at all times and as brave as
Cae 'ar: as unstainei ms Bayari In private and
public life; as patriotic as Curtius. What more
do the people want2 such II leader and no other
do they need in their grand march to victory IN
November next.
With cordial thanks for the honor of the Invi-
tation to address yon, ! am most truly, Sc.
SILAS %ODDEON.