The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-07

abandoned the Democratic party. LII
did not occur to me that this cores
pondence was opened for the pur-
pose of an argument or notoriety.
The points you make in your letter
of the Esd are:
l. That you are running as q
Greenbacker.
2. That you are running in oppo-
sition to conventions.
8. Your main object in making
application for joint canvass Is TO
find out where l stand.
Now let us see. Are you Green
hackers. II so, where are the princi-
pies of that party, if it be a party
The main or principal law OF that
party, according to all the publlca-
tions and accredited speakers has
been:
l. Fiat money, that is a paper
called dollar, not promise to pay
the holder a dOllar-but paper
stamped as a dollar and never to be
redeemed by the government-and
this is to be the only circulating
medium.
2. All this Indebtedness of the
government near two billions to be
at once paid off with this fiat money,
without regard to the law OF the
contract or time of maturity of the
bonds. Do you now hold to these
views, and are they laws of the
Greenback party?
OPPOSITION TO CONVENTIONS.
This is the law of my party, and
belongs strictly to the people: j am
not aware that this involves a ques-
ton likely to come before the exec
utive of the law-making department
of this government, and however ig-
norant and stupid the people of this
state may be in your estimation, L
leave that question with them, and
decline to discuss it with you, es-
pecially in the canvass for the Office
of governor. Allow me to suggest
that the people expect to have some
thing from us of more practical
utility, and that it is scarcely worth
the time of a statesman like yourself,
1t we have nothing better to give
the people let us allow them to re-
main at their homes.
Your main object in asking a
canvass is to find out where L stand.
Now, my dear sir, in your favor OF
the 23d you say, with quite a degree
of self-satisfaction, that YOU have
kept up with my political course.
Do you not think this matter is far
beneath the attention of a states
man, that is in asking a fuller
discussion for that purpose? You
have undoubtedly read the Calves
ton platform. L stand precisely, full
ly and squarely on that. That plat
form is supposed to contain a decla-
ration on nearly every question OF
vital Importance to the people of
Texas, and if you really want further
information touching my views, L
promise, before the election, to give
you more minute data, at least suf-
ficiently full to enable you to deter
mine whether you will vote for me
or not. So far as our relations to
the public are concerned, allow me
to say that it Is a matter of very
great indifference to the people
whether you know where [ stand or
not. / have very great faith and
confidence in the virtue and intelli-
gence of the people of the state-so
much so that | shall never under.
take to deceive them nor allow
others to say that they are all fools,
without defending them.
One other matter. You say that
my course is quite a contradiction
in supporting the national platform
of 1880 and the Galveston platform
II is supposed that you are the only
man in America that has discovered
that fact. The national platform
omitted declaration on some points
that the state platform speaks on,
but there is no contradiction. But
if there were some contradictions,
still the Democrat, from principle,
would not, for such cause, desert his
party. A Democrat for Office might
l know, too, that few INSCRIPTIONS
scribblers and small politicians have
before intimated that was Green
hacker in 1878, but was not prepar-
ed to hear congressman, and one
of your boosted intelligence, assert
the fact. In 1873 / stood by and en-.
dorsed the Austin platform, no more
no less, on the finances. 1t was
hardly Greenback platform, as the
great leader of the Greenback party
in Texas, Gen. Hannah, walked out
of that convention and quit the
Democratic party because it would
not swallow the fiat money absurd
ity.
But this correspondence is quite
lengthy enough. You have totally
failed to give me anything l asked
for. 1 will, however, before the
election, agree to meet you at Gal.
weston or San Antonio, in joint dis.
cussion. This will be after my reg.
ular canvass. L should have said that
l know nothing of the circular you
speak of, issued by you in your can
vass with Col. Giddings, and the
speech you refer me to is mainly one
in which you inform both the greaI
parties, out mainly the Democrats
that they are wrong and you are
right. Happy confidence.
L am, very respectfully,
JNO. IRELAND.