Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-30
GEN. wICKHAM's BoMBsaELL


of voting for DANIEL, the Democratic
nominee.
II will be remembered that Gen.
WIckHAM was the leader OF the straight
ont Republicans who met at Lynchburg,
and that he was proposed as their NOM
inee for Governor but declined to ac-
cept.
The Dispatch says he sis one OF the
ablest Of all the Southern Republicans,
and his letter will have marked effect
in and out OF Virginia"
This letter is so strong in its argument
against Mahoneism and so forcibly pre-
sents the aims and ends OF that party,
that we reproduce it here in full, and
commend its perusal:
HANOVER COUNTY, Va, Aug. %, 1881.
Tohe Editor Of the Debt. Poy'r, Rjrhmo"d,
Virginia:
DEAR SIg:-RespOnding to your re-
quest that would give you for publica
ton in your paper my views in regard
10 the present situation oil political
affairs in Virginia:
The prospects OF the Republican party
OF Virginia were never 80 bright before
as on the eve OF the last presidential
election. Its steadfast course, its strict
adhesion to principle, had elevated it in
the opinion Of our people; but the at
tack made upon it by parties claiming
to be authorized by the National Repub.
lican Committee to withdraw the Re.
publican electoral ticket in favor oil the
Readiuster-H ticket demoraliZed
our voters, certainly, in my opinion, to
an extent OF loss to the Republican tick
ct of more than the II, 430 votes which
would have given the State to Garfield
and Arthur.
Though beaten in that election, yet
the honesty and earnestness OF purpose
exhibited by the great body OF the Re-
publicans OF Virginia in resisting the
overtures and threats OF these and the
miserable tools in Virginia that entered
into their schemes won still further for
our party here the respect and esteem
OF our opponents and of the whole peo-
pie of Virginia, and We could have gone
into the canvass for State officers this
autumn with an almost certainty OF sue
cess had not the means resorted TO by the
Readjuster party to break down the Re,
publican organization in this State re-
suited in such division Of the party at
Lyncbburg as to show those who were
laboring for the success of Republican
ism in Virginia that ii Republican
ticket took the field the time OF the can
didates and canvassers would have to be
devoted to bringing back to the party
those who had been deluded into deser-
ton, instead OF to the effort to win re.
cruits and supporters from the ranks OF
those who had been opposed to them.
And bad the Republican party present
ed an undivided front, as it would have
done but for the treachery OF some OF It's
members and the weakness OF others, |
am confident that victory would have
this time rewarded our efforts.
As it is, the Republican party finds IT.
self without candidates in the field for
the State offices, and its members are
free, without any forfeiture OF allegiance
to the party, 10 cast their votes accord
ing to their individual preferences, or to
abstain altogether from voting for any OF
the candidates for Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, or Attorney General.
But, in my judgment, no Republican
can vote for any OF the Resdjuster can
didates without abandoning one OF the
most vitality important principles OF the
Republican narty-one on which the
party has built as on rock, the aban
donment OF, or even faltering on which,
BY the national Republican party would
be followed by the instant overthrow OF
the party in the United States. / refer
to the honest, unhesitating support OF
governmental obligations and credit.
In the language OF President Garfield,
mo Republican should touch any party
tainted with reputation That one OF
the parties now seeking the support of
the people of Virginia is tainted with
Reputation, | do not think that any
one conversant with the history of the
debt OF Virginia can question. They
call their process REIMBURSEMENT" and
some of them elimination"
But the naked fact stands open that
they propose to strike of from the in
debtedness Of the State, and to refuse to
pay either principal or interest of some
ten or twelve millions Of the debt of the
State, Tin addition to what has been as
signed TO West Virginia. which stands
To her debt on her own books, which
has been recognized rs correct by her
State officers, and which has been
sustained by her highest court and by
the Supreme Court of the United States
itseli-a debt which, in the language OF
the platform of the Republican party OF
Virginia, adopted by the Republican
Convention at Lynchburg on August -,
1881, was created for constructing her
internal improvements and charitable
institutions, which, permeating every
quarter, OF the State, h-ing benefits of
far greater value than their cost to the
whole people of Virginia
II this is not Reputation of the very
worst kind what sit?
Suppose they succeed in these efforts
against the credit OF Virginia, will it not
have demoralizing effect on the tone OF
the whole country, on the sanctity OF
governmental obligations? Will it not
unsettle the public mind on them? Will
it not encourage assault upon and indeed
endanger the credit OF the United States
Government itselfa.
Their candidate for Attorney General
has declared, no longer than year ago,
for vigorous application OF readiusi-
ment principles to the national debt"
Their chief leader has, on the floor of
the United States Senate, said: 81 am
not Democrat; l am not Republican;
l am a Readjuster." Their party has
but one distinctive principle, which is
the disturbance OF the State debt. With |
these significant expressions on the part |
Of these leaders, ii they succeed here
can We expect anything but vigorous
application on their part OF the princi-
pies OF REIMBURSEMENT to the national |
debt, and can any one measure from q
more fruitful theme to the demsgogue |
in the South and West than q resdjust-
ment OF the national debt2 I reflect