The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-08-31
N. Y. World, August Gath.
THE DEMOCRATIC CANVASS.
A Circular Issued to Hancock
Clubs in California By Mr.. Car
fields Former Commander.

The DEMOCESATlC CANVASS.
A Circular Issued to Hancock
Clubs in California BY Mr.. Gar
fields Former Commander.
General W. S. Rosecrans wrote from
San Francisco, Cal, under date of July
% as follows:
I'VE organized Hancock Legion
some ten weeks since. think that we
shall organize at least 5000 strong iu
the city and probably 10000 in the
State. The nominations pleased the
Working Men who are uniting with the
Democrats, and in fact if appears more
like a popular uprising than anything
known on this coast. We are desrous
of prepetuating its effects by getting the
best brain and energies of the country
so enlisted that we shall create new
Dem ocracy."
General Rosecrans inclosed in his let
ter to the National Committee circular
which has been distributed throughout
California calling upon all soldiers
without regard to party and color or
race to unite to secure the election of
Hancock and English. 1t will be re
membered that it was on General Rose
crans's staff that Mr.. Garfield served.
The following are the principal portions
of the circular alluded to by General
Rosecrans and signed by him:
"HEADoARTERs OF HANCOCK CENTRAL
LEGION. UNION HALL
SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 1880.
"As President of this legion, beg to
call your attention ana that of the mem
bers of the club over which you preside
to the objects and conditions of our
membership and the reasons why we
respectfully but earnestly invite you to
unite with us. 1t may be done without
de,riment, and we think, with advantage
to every legitimate end and aim of your
club and party. We are organizing
without regard 10 party, creed, color or
race, for the purpose Of procuring the
election of Hancock and English. Our
legion combines all soldiers who are
willing to join in securing this as the
beginning Of anew derarture and bet
ter future for our common country. We
invite to join us all voters of all parties
who are willing to promote this end.
We ask of them no renunciation of po-
litical convictions, aspirations, club or
party. We ask no reasons why they
are willing to work for the election of
Hancock and English. All we require
to become members is that they sign
pledge to do SO at the coming Presiden-
tial election and to abide by the consti.
tuition and bylaws of the legion, which
pledge must be filed at these headquar-
ters. We have nothing 10 do with party
organizations, nominations, jobs and
schemes. But we consider the follow.
ing to be unanswerable reasons why you
ought to join US. The party in power
stands in the way Of all reforms and
must be moved out of the way before
anything effective can be done Com
mon sense. and common prudence alike
demand, therefore, that all should COM
bine to elect Hancock and English, which
will remove the insuperable obstacles in
the way of all and double the chances
Of advocating reasonable and legitimate
measures of progress and reform, by
putting in place Of the intolerant and
corrupt minority. a majority of the ma
ton strong enough to do whatever is
reasonable and fit to be done, and by
breadth of sympathy predisposed to
give fair and full hearing to each ad-
vocate of progress and reform with
whom it has been associated in the CON-
ing contest. If we are correct in these
views, every patriotic advocate OF re-
form either in labor or currency has all
chances in favor of doing good and
nothing which deserves respect to lose
by joining US The Republican party is
unquesuonably decided minority OF the
people, held together by the cohesive
power Of public plunder and ruling
majority, whose union will end its reign
and greatly enlarge the country's chan
ces of better future. 1t will also end
those appeals to the passions which have
incalculably injured the interests of both
colored and white people of the South
and been the means of whipping into
and keeping in it's ranks timid and care
ful souls of the North and West by bug
bear cries, to tbs great damage Of the
interests of the whole country. For
these reasons we beg you to give our
views careful and candid consideration.
and such action thereon as your judg-
ment commands am faithfully yours,
W. ). RosECRANs
''President and Commander !"