The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-08-03
THE COMMITTEES REPORT,
The Basis ON Which tie Independents
VIII Agree TO Harmnize the Party

The following is thereby which the
Independent State Committee makes
to the offers of the Regular organiza-
ton:
THOMAS V. COOPER, ESQ"
Chairman Republican State
Committee:
Dear Sir IL am Instructed to adj
wise you that the Independent Re-
publican State Committee haye con-
sidered the four suggestions contained
in the minutes of the proceedings of
your Committee, forwarded to me by
you on the 18th instant.
am directed to say that this Com
mittee find that none of the four are
methods by which harmonious and
honorable unity of the Republican
voters of Pennsylvania could be OBJ
tanned. All of them are inadequate to
that end, for the reason that they af
ford no guarantee that, being accepted,
the principles upon which the Inde-
pendent Republicans have taken their
stand would be treated with respect or
put into action. All of them contain
the probability thatan attempt to unite
the Republicans of the State by their
means would either result in reviv-
ing aud Strengthening the political die
tatOrship which we condemn. or
would permanently distract the Re
publican body and insure the future
and continued triumph of our common
opponent, the Democratic party.
OF the four suggestions, the first,
second, and fourth are so inadequate
as to need no separate discussion; the
third which alone may demand atten-
ton, has the fatal defect of not includ-
ing the withdrawal of the slated
ticket which was made up many
months ago, and long in advance of
the Harrisburg Convention, to repre-
sent, and maintain, the very evils of
control aud abuse of method, to which
we stand opposed. This proposition,
like the others, supposing it to have
been sincerely put forward, clearly
shows that you misconceive the causes
of the Independent Republican move
ment, as well as its aims and purposes.
You assume that we desire to measure
the respective numbers Of those who
supported the Harrisburg ticket, and
those who find their principles ex-
pressed by the Philadelphia CoIven-
ton. This is a complete and fatal
misapprehension. We are organized
to promote certain reforms, and not
to abandon them in pursuit of votes.
Our object is the overthrow of the
"boss SYSTEM and of the "spoils
system In behalf OF this we are
willing and anxious to join hands
with you, whenever it is assured that
the union will he honestly and ear
nestly for the purpose. But we can
not make alliances or agree to compro-
mises that on their face threaten the
very object of the movement in which
we have engaged. Whether your
ticket has the support ofmany or few, OF
a majority or u majority of Republi-
can votes, does not effect in the small
est degree the duty of every citizen to
record himself against the abuses
which it represents. Had the gentle
men who compose it been willing to
withdraw themselves from the field,
as they were invited to join in doing,
for the common good, by the Inde-
pendent Republican candidates, this
act would have encouraged the hope
that new convention, freely chosen
by the people, and unembarrassed by
claims of existing candidates, might
have brought forth the needed guar
antee of party emancipation and
public reform. This service, however,
they have declined to render their
party; they not only claim and receive
your repeated assurances of support,
hut they premit themselves TO be put
forward to secure the use of Inde'
pendent Republican votes, at the
same time that they represent thu
"bossism, ;" the "spoil3" methods, aud
the machine" management which
we determined no longer to tolerate
The manner in W hich their candidacy
was decreed, the means employed tC
give il Convention formality, the ob.
legations which they incur by j
the political methods with which
it identifies them, and the politica
and personal plans for which their of
fetal influence would be required, al
join to make it the most imperative
public duty not to give them supper
at this election, under any circum
stances.
In closing this note, this Committee
must express its regret that, havin:
considered it desirable to make over
lures to the Independent Republicans
you should have so far misapprehen
ded the fact of the situation. II is on
desire to unite the Republican part.
on the sure ground of principle, in tn
confidence that we are thus serving
with the highest fidelity, and pre-
serving for the future service of til
Common wealth that vitality of Re
publicanism which has made tn
party useful in the past, and whicl
alone confers upon it, now, the righ
of continued existence.
One behalf of the Independent Re
publican State Committee of Penn