The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-08-19
MORE HANCOCK RECRUITS.
George wilkes Reviews the Situation

george Wilkes Reviews the Situation
Mr.. VIM. M. Hall, of Stamford, Ct.,
has received the following letter from
George Wilkes, dated Paris, July 18, 1880:
Ny DEAR HALL: have been away for
week, and your last letter has lain unanswered
SO long that1 must jump its current topics to
express my great qualification at the nomination
of Gen. Hancock.
Garfield pleased me, because his name rose
upon the collapse of horrid specter which had
frightened the country to its very marrow but
Hancock fills the bill-an honest soldier who
knows nothing but his duty, and viii be sure to
leave the people, unhampered by "poicies, to
their own free will. That is the true theory Of
the Presidential institution.
I have been hankering to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket for over ten years past, because it
is fixed principle with me that no party what
ever Is fit to WELD the Government, its army,
and its purse consecutively for over ten years;
certainly not for twenty. Parties, like certain
dishes, need to be turned over once in q while
to suit the public palate, nay, the public health
and Heaven knows our gorged and loathing
country needs change at present But the
management of the Democratic party has been
SO incompetent for the last ten years, SO con-
founded with cussedness in its leaderships, that
felt forced, in spite of my principle, to adhere
to the more respectable rogueries of the Puri-
tan Republicans.
Hancock, however, fills the bill. He is "a
bold soldier boy" with clean name and
though, since Andrew: Jackson the military idea
has not been Democratic fancy, it is not for
the Republicans to come out of their hotbed of
sabers to reproach us with it now. They surely
cannot clamor with success about the Mrs. Sur
ratt performance of Hancocks bounden duty.
That necessary tragedy has been sufficiently
discoursed by applauding stalwarts has always
proved to be one of the most telling appeals to
Republican patriotism during the last four
PRESIDENTIAL campaigns and am much mis-
taken In my estimate of human nature if the
same painful incident, with an honest but sor-
rowfu soldier as its central figure, does not
again powerfully influence the unpolitlcal por-
ton of the American people.
know Hancock, and I like him. He is
man of sound ability, and will wear well and
though, as you know, 1 never fancied West
! Point much, 1 must bear it this important tes-
| timony: Throughout the war, on both sides,
not one of the regular brand was known to
| steal.
= Twas always of the orinion, after
| what had happened in 1876, that Tilden was the
logical and proper candidate for Cincinnati, and
| still believe he would have been elected-frst
because the people throughout the land were
yearnlng for change. We have seen that
! mysterious public sense lately work in England.
But beyond the impulse of this slow and steady
revolution against the Republican party, and
| transcending the force of all other causes
| put together, came in the nick or time the
audacious attempt of set of political high
the public breast and throttle it of its voice, in
order that they might establish permanent
| government for their politicalmaster and them
| selves. They were mad with spoil and drunk
with arrogance and power and did not know
| to what great extent they were unmasking
| themselves till 1T was too late.
| Was ever such sight? Their leader with
| his private wire, most blind and mad of all, had
waded in to his fate from primary declaration
that he would accept nomination only if un-
animously pressed upon him. and, after six
day fight, died with his jaw upon the bit at
306
That was the moment at which the country
took IRE, or, to use our American phrase, "got
mad" AT the same moment panic seized The
| braves who had been forbidding honest men to
speak. The siege of liberty was raised by the
lifting of Garield's banner. The desperadoes
endeaEored to make the best of their discom-
future but uhey had gone too far. The people
now had taken the bit, and the insults these
Republican dlctators had put upon their re-
spected representatives In the convention
burned every honest cheek in the land. From
that moment the election of any Democratic
candidate who might be named at Cincinnati
was certain.
But the best man was chosen, and rejoice
In his selection. do not predict anything, but ]
believe Gen. Hancock will be invited to the
White House, iD large part by the very same
patriotic men who sent honest Abraham Lin
coin there for two terms. I shall take great
pleasure in casting Iny vote for him as q man
without stain and equal to the Presidential sta
ton. For that purpose will be found at the
polls in New York at the election next Noyem.
Der. GEO. WILKES.