Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-21
JEFFERSONIAN RIVIVAL.
A Brilliant Letter From The Hon.
William A. Wallace.
We Must Err On The Side Of the Masses
Rather Than Bear the faint Of
AristOcratic Tendency and
honeyed Control.

of York, Pr:
Gentlemen-I thank you for the COM
pliment you bestow in my election as
an honorary member Of your Associa-
ton, of which / am advised through
your President, Chauncey +. Black,
Esq.
In its acceptance / renew my allegi-
ance to Jeflersonian principles so admi-
rable summarized in the second article
of the Constitution of your Association.
Differences as To the practical applica-
ton Ofthese doctrines among those who
avOw their belief in them, are the lead
ing causes for that danger To govern
ment Ofthe people and for thattendency
TO strong government, 50 apparent to all,
and 50 much deplOred by every disciple
of Jefferson.
Unity and successful progress can
come to our organization, only through
closer following of JettersOn'S own prac-
tiCe.
We must err, if we err ut all, on the
side Ofthe masses of the people.
We must incur, ~ he did, the charge
of sans cuhDftjSHI, rather than bear the
faint of aristOcratic tendency and mon
eyed control.
w z lilllSl NtllOutlNtr llC NlNlt NNSly
'COntriyanCe for corruption and strip
ourselves Of responsibility for a system
that enables men so To WELD official
place and 50 to manipulate franchises
granted by the people, as to amass
princely fortunes in decade, at the
expense of their rights and privileges,
and we must attack with unbought pen
and the wOnderOus power OF honest
poverty, the use of these fortunes to
corrupt the sources and channels OF
public opinion and to pollute the ballot
box.
The Democracy" cannot be ''all
things to all men," 1t il drifting into
that unfortunate attitude upon many
public questions, and its life and the
CONSEQUENT safely OfOur institutions de-
mand a speedy return to its ancient
theories; but obedience to law, honest
performance of financial and cOnStitut-
tiOnal obligations AMI that cOnSerya-
tism which flows from uudying faith in
the capacity of the people to govern
themselves, are bases upon which all
may stand.
With these in view, let us go back
aud learn what Jefferson thought, and
teach it to the people.
How teach il? How make the knowl-
edge efficient?
organization is vital necessity in
every vocation i'm life. 1t j. indispensa-
BILE to success in business and equally so
i'm politics. Close attention to details
is the only safe means To 4 competence
in life; accurate, earnest and systematic
attention to details in politics Is the
only road to triumph there.
An army of Crusaders, glowing with
religious fervOr and ready to die for
their cause, fit lacked discipline and
organization, was an easy prey to the
trained soldiers of the Turk. So, the
people, thoroughly in earnest, patriotic
and vigilant, without combination and
lacking Conference and discipline, are
pOwerless at the polls against their
enemies, who are welded rs one man
bv the power of an unscrupul0uS
administration, and whose lOO,OOJ
trained pivot men and drill sergeants
are found in its pay i'll every poSt0iil"e,
collection district, still house ana
custom Ouse in the land. All who
differ with us in opinion are marshaled
by these officials and concentrated into
an almost inyineible phalanX. Its
power is reinforced BY those who fatten
upOn corporate franchises, by "timld men
who prefer the calm of deSpotism to
the bOisterOus sea of liberty, and specu-
Iators and holders i'm the public funds
In its ranks there are no differences of
opinion when the hour of trial comes.
All then yield unquestiOning obedience
TO the command of the "bOSSeS' and the
preservation of power cOmpells unity
and harmony among them.
Associations similar TO yours which,
with their branches, shall reach into
every election district and there teach
the gospel of individual right, local
government and pure administration,
are among the best means that can be
devised % produce that harmony OF
counsel which is necessary to cope with
such a foe. Community of interests
begets unity of opinion and hence We
must practice what we teach. Such an
organization of thinkers, speakers and
writers. striking eyOry where at central
lied power and corrupt rule, and acting
with and for the masses, will speedily
place us upon fighting equality with
the party of the administration anu
give us an even...chance in the great
struggle lOr popular IiSulS.
Ifto these we add vitaliZed, ever
living, systematic and thorough organi-
cation of all who think as We do, that
shall find each man in his home, in
every school district, and combine him
with his fellows there, and then connect
them through their township, borough,
ward, city, county and State Organiza-
tons to Federal head of the whole,
who shall in turn be in constant COM
munication with every part Of the sys-
tenn, we will begin to approach that
network of detail that is vitalto success
in practical politics. Our antagonists
teach us the power of their organiza-
ton by constantly defeating Us. To
maintain its perfection, costs official
power corrupt rule and enormous sums
of money. Ours can, if We will it, be
made more perfect, because more rell-
able than theirs, without either; but
here, too, We must depend upon the
masses. Large sums of money are
worse than useless. One man who
will work for the love of his cause is
worth five who must be paid to labor
for it.
The task here sketehed is not hercu-
lean, but it needs be undertaken as 3
system and prosecuted like any other
business calling. AS organization now
exists, we bear offs National Commit
tee six months in every four year; and
of State Committees and County Com
mittees three months in each year; the
remainder of the time they rest. Our
adversaries are never idle; the places of
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