Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-07-08
An Open Letter.
FROM HON. R. F. ARMFIELD TO HIS
CONSTITUENTS.

yeooe0fs%1 OeoC ~ " A'V'o SufOttNU'
On my return from Washington
1 find and unusual amount of con-
troversy and excitement in the
Democratic party, about the con-
gressional nomination. Several OF
the counties, it is said. have held
their conventions, and instructed
their delegates unfavorably to my
nomination, and 1 hear many MUIR
murs and complaints OF the means
by which these results have been
brought abont.
1t has beer the Uniform custom
of the party in this, and all the
districts Of the State, when a man
has been elected tor one term, to
endorse his conduct and his De-
mocracy: by nominating him a
second time unless he has been
guilty of some dereliction of duty,
or made some mistake, likely to
bring reproach npon the party, or
injury to the public service. l am
not aware that any such dercliction
or mistake has been or is likely to
be laid to my charge. While it
would not be candid in me to deny
that | shonld feel as kcenly as any
man in the district the reproach of
being made the first exception to
this itnmemoria! usage-a usage
pleaded by my Immediate predecess
or, and allowed to him without
disputc--yet / desire to say, what
many of you know, that l did not
seek my former nomination by any
unmanly arts; by the tricks OF the
demagogue ; by descending to per-
scnal solicitation nor would | now
purchase a denomination at such a
price for l believe, with Lord
Macau!ay, that, "The man who
yields his suffrage to solicitation, is
as much bribed as if he sold it for
a five-pound note - and l will
add that the man who wins it by
solicitation is as corrupt politically,
as if he paid for it with five
pound note.
During the spring of 1878, when
my friends were proposing my
name tor the nomination, was
careful never, on any occasion, to
attend ur communicate with any
convention OF county or town.
sfrips though frequently in the
towns where they were being held.
attending, as usual, to the practice
OF try profession for knew that
IL any man should approach me.
either as voter or a member of a
political convention, to solicit me to
support him for Office, l should fee
that he had insulted me by under
rating my intelligence, my integ-
rity, and the Independence of my
judgement, and wanted to treat
all my fellow citizens with the
same respect and consideration thai
would require from others. Ano
further, during the spring circui
Of 1878, l uniformly refused
though solicited to make politica
speeches, at my conrts, as / hat
been in the habit Of doing on ever,
circuit since 1865 lest l Nigh
appear to- take advantage OF th
sitting member, who was compelle'
to be in w Washington attending +
his Official daties. Having won
nomination and an election fror
such people, and by such honor
able means, have right an
expect to be proud OF it as long a
| live, ard to- leave it as ric
e legacy OF horror to- my children.
S do not claim, my fellow citizen'
e that you owe me denomination
E I hsve always held that part
: owes nothing to the individual, bt
. that the individual, if patrio
. owes every rything to- the party thu
: embodies and carries out his prin
i ciplcs. Ny name shall never wit
II nqy consent, stand in tho way
&c the triumph of the Democrat
" principles. The man Who, upo
II the eve Of a great national strngg
Is like the one now impending, whis
le will shake the continent, and repa
n or perpetuate the wrongs of ii
10 nrncd, injured South, and give
st the whole country peaces fraterni
70 and completely restored urion,
II perpetuatc the reign of hate, di
d, cord and consolidation--the ma
in | say, who at such time as tn
ut could place his personal promoti'
ut i'm competition with the success
l. his party, is as the soldier WI
le while his comrades are struggle
n ter life and victory, lays down
as gnn to fill his knap-sack with t
a plumber Of the slafn. If my nal
III is in tho way of Democratic succ'
~ in this great struggle, take it dow
y. ~, and if l murmur, or lag behind,
90 90 do not fight as long and we'll as
ct ct private in the ranks, with musl
in my hands, as when [ y