The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-26
Ghe Gl1teIiqstllIea.
TnE Proposed coALIuoN.
Letter from Charles Davies, Esq, of Jes
ferson County, VIVA.
HARPER's FERRY, April 20, 1880.

Letter from Charles Davies, Esq, Of Jef
ferson County, VIVA.
HARPER's FERRY, April 20, 1880.
Edlton IntsllgOneer.
For some time past Republican news
papers published in the western end Of
the State have been circulated here advo.
catinga coalition with the Greenback.
Labor party in the coming campaign.
The proposition Is so monstrous, SO IN:
reasonable, unnatural, .meretricious thai
Republicans here are astounded. / sug.
gest that they be calm. Such discussions
show at least how the popular mind is oc-
cupied. To be forewarned is to be fore.
armed, and 1t is from the nettle Of danger
very often that the flower Of safety is
plucked.
To-day, the Goth, a communication in
the Baltimore AMERICAN, copied from the
New York Herald, informs US that the
matter, that is the coalition above referred
To-, has been I"arranged," and, barring
certain little difficulties, not considered
insurmountable, and the success of the
fusion ticket to be nominated Is regarded
as fixed fact. Now 1t seems to me that.
in the estimation OF all honest men at all
events, there are difficulties in the way OF
the proposed programme other than those
mentioned and that are not 80 surmount-
able.
Apart from a consideration Of the spe-
cial purpose for which the Republican
party was first organized, and OF the great
success it has had in the accomplishment
OF that purpose, matters about which
men differed, but that have now
gone into history, and are amply
able to take care OF themselves, the
financiering Of that party, crowned as
1t has been by the recent resumption Of
specie payments and the long wished for,
gratifying and significant fact that through
the whole country one dollar is as good as
another, merits and has received the com.
mendatfon OF intelligent mankind. II the
Republican party had done nothing but
this, this alone would have guerdoned 1t
with glory. And yet the. proposition now
is, indeed 1t is arranged" We are told,
that the Republican party OF this State,
regardless OF its principles, are TO coalesce
with the Greenbackers-a party whose
cardinal principle is opposition to the
policy l have just spoken OF.
The purpose OF this coalition will hard
ly help It in the estimation Of spirited
people, namely: to drive the Democracy
from Office. Now 1t Is very easy to imag-
inc worse state oil affairs than that OF the
Democracy being in office. It would be
infinitely worse, in my estimation, to see
the Republican party in disgrace. And 1t
would be in disgrace II it went into office,
arm and arm, with Greenbackers, at the
close OF campaign during which, accord.
ing to contract, it was compelled to be
silent as to Its financial policy. On this
subject allow me to give you situation
or so, suggested by this delectable project.
Suppose MIR. John Sherman was kind
enough to visit the State during the cam
paign, to speak at a public meeting, OF
which our new coalition colleague, Mr..
John A. Thompson, Greenbacker, was
chairman. What then? 1t would be ut
terly impossible for the chairman to open
his mouth without attacking those princi-
Piles that the visiting statesman could not
speak OF without vindicating. Well, woald
they remain silent? What Public men,
standing in the presence OF their fellow
citizens, bound by a compact not to ex-
press their sentimental Out on such
compact, say !! II the time has come
when It is only by such miscegenation
OF principles that success can be attained,
then the time has come, too, when success
Is not desirable.
It would be easy to prove from the his
- tE, 10 nd
land, that such combinations have not
been successful; and. very aptly indeed,
from that OF another country, with which
a great American historian, has made us
familiar, refer to the Netherlands, that
they were not highly regarded. The
silent Willamette Father OF his country
never refused assistance from any
quarter. But never, in his long, glorious
and checkered life-whateyer the induce
ment, OF position, or power, or gold, and
surely those inducements were brilliant
and tempting enough, never did he place
himself in q position, or agree to place
himself in position where he could not
boldly express his opinions, or demand for
his country those rights, 10 the acquisi.
ton oil, which, that life was devoted.
The Republican party has ever been,
and is, sound on the money question, and
CORRESPONDENCE opposed to Greenbackism.
The iSTRLLIGENCRR knows this. Too
often and TOO ably has II struck that cord,
and too often and too resonantly has 1t
heard the party heart vibrate in re-
Spouse, to have any doubt on the subject.
As Tor dictation, compromises OF princi-
ple entered into without their concur
renee, arrangements" by which their
political action Is TO be controlled, the
party smiles at the idea and repudiates 1t.
Il Ia said OF the rank and file OF the Dem
ocracy OF New York city, that without in
telligence, certainly without the exercise
OF Intelligence, 1t votes as It's leaders die.
tate. West Virginia Republicans are Of
different stripe. With them each
ballot cast represents an iudiyid-
ual opinion. To the financial policy
OF their party they are deeply de-
voted. To the wild, rabid, illdigested
notions OF the Greenbaokers, labor re-
formers and the Dennis kearneyism to
which they inevitably lead, they are IN
alterably opposed. The leaders may de-
sert-they Will be steadfast. And rather
than enter into coalition that would be
contamination, will, either quietly wait
for better times. or seek refuge in the
ranks Of the Democracy. Mr.. Boyd Faux.
ner, State Senator from this district, dur
ing the last campaign, may have lost some
votes, but he covered himself with credit,
by the assurance, made at public meet,
ing, that be was in favor oil sound cur
renoy, and II the Democracy was ever to
90 over to Greenbackism, he would vote
the Republican ticket. With this patriotic
sentiment OF his, conclude this commun
icatiOn. The proposed coalition is I'M
principled, and will end, as II ought t.