Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-11

| widespread deiaCatiOn, peCulation and
abuse of public trusts? How shall the
conscience OF the voter answer to that
claim when the party declares by its
vo.es in National convention, hailed by
them as the very savior OF his country,
ought not to be returned to power, even
after the lapse of an intervening term2
lie chose his officers from the Republi-
can party. They were confirmed by n
| Republican Senate. Were they not,
when appointed, the very flower and
sweet perfume Of the Republican party?
Heavily ought these considerations TO
press upon the judgment of the voter
when he is thus made certain that he
cannot rely on the party for purity Of
administration, but upon the man alone
whom that party has put forward.
What guarantees, then, should not be
required of such party making such
accusations and confessions OF sin and
corruption in their own party admins
tratiou, that the candidate they propose
in his stead, accidentally nominated,
without having been the first choice, or
even in the thought OF nine-tenths fthe
delegates of the convention that chose
him, and especially not in the mind Of
those virtuous reformers OF the Repub-
lican party who made and proved, to
| their own satisfaction, these damning
| sins of their party leaders and officials -
one who, although in Congress during
all this corruption and pecution, mover
made one honest protest against them,
hut played the part only OF an accused
t,,s 0 l,.. nat nIt han A.
man for the occasion.
Is he man of such commanding vlgor
OF intellect, such kcen-sighted moral per.
ceptiOns, OF such bold courageousness,
unswcrving adherence to his own we'll
matured views, Of such moral and men,
tai stamina, that he will stand up firmly
to the right when partisan passions rage
about him, aud partisan pressure II
brought upon him in behalf oi the
wrong lur thc good of party. and when,
perhaps, millions in temptation are
thrown at his feet, and when the hopes
OF reelection may be iiattcred to
swerye his conscience and Judgment?
Ii this remedial frequent change Of OF
iicers and party Observation-Disclosures
under all political systems which have
either in form or fact rlpened INTO Con
stitutiOnal government, so necessary lor
the purpose oi preserving purity oil ad-
min istratiOn, and for resisting the ten
dencv Of all governments towards the
drspotic usc oi power is ever to be APP
piled in this country, ought IT not to be
enforced now? The question will recur
TO e electnr, what vital measure .!
polity must give up; what great guar
antcc ui the patpetulty OF TIT. govern
ment must | weaken; what danger to
the safety OF the Republic do ! invoke
to obtain this change OF administration
which is in itself necessity great re-
form II the answer shall be, no one
OF all these is at issue in this canvass, is
not the necessity OF this reform OF itself
sufficient to the citizen to determine his
voter
Having thought out these questions
for mvseli with a careful, and, | trust,
candid desire To ascertain my duty As a
citizen: having put aside, 81 far AS posi-.
bic TO human lniirmity, all hope, or
wish even. for political prefermcnt
which mirht swerve my Judgment, |
have come here 10 meet you, ic.lOw-ciu'
zpns. face 10 face, To give YOU the result
of that thought and deliberatiOn on my
mart. 40 that those with whom ] have
been accustomed to act in political mat
ters shall understand and appreciate
some Of the reasons, ut least, whlch lh-
ducc me 10 give my voice and vote, 10
avail what they may, IN iavor oi
change in the party policy that has gov
ernel the United States for the last four
years.
not A CANDIDATE.
That nv wo:ds may have all the
weight they can, or ought to nave, lrt
me premise by saving that | am not and
shall not be candidate or aspirant Tor
any office, elective or appolntlve, at tins
election, or under the incoming Admin
is,raiior, so that my vove will he the
free will Offering OF patriotic duty when
il shall be given To my comra ie'in arms
in the war for the preservation oil the
Union, the tried and loyal soldier and
patriotic chieitain, Gen. Hancock.
In 81 doing shall neither detract
from. or add, one iot or title t. that
declaration Of principles which has been
nv guide in political lie. Eq.ni r'gh',
sq,toi Lurj"pS. ,qiat yur'iry's ant '2"H
proi.cioo 10 all m,H, ty tnr, m.fer M'
GgrrrHmcR The realization OF these Is
true Democratic government. lhty are
true ,prb!irAnism. Without their
iulti,lment this Republican government
cannot b. preserved, aud without them
j. woul not be worth preserving.
nave examined with care the plat
form oi principles enumerated by ,h"
Democratic party at Cincinnati, and l
find nothing therein 10 cOntravene them.
Indeed. they are more distinctly set
forth therein than in the platform OF the
Chicago convention. Neither OF them
90 so lar as | conlh desire in specific
declaration OF the right ni every man 10
vote in the election OF his rulers, and 10
| berepresented in his government simply
because ne is man; but in this regard
even the platform Of the Cincinnati con
yeniiOn is the more specific.
/ NAV be met with the objection that
| party platforms 90 for very little IN
! governing the action Of the ainlnistra-
/ ton elected under them. That Is too
true. And perhaps there is no more
strlkinglv illustrative example OF the
/ fact than the course Of the Admlnistra-
tion OF Mr.. Hayes during the last four
wears. regarding the plank in the plat.
form under which he was elected-oi
civil service reform. Or II that illus
tration does not convince my Republl'
can friends, with whom | labored foi
Mr.. HAYES election, OF this truth, lei
me give them another Illustration