Omaha daily bee., 1882-11-02
Fusey Va. Anderson.

contest would be revived and used
against 1t.
Fusoy vs.. Anderson.
To the Editor Of THs Hss.
When Mr.. Lincoln was elected in
1860, and the republican party for the
frat time came into power, the south
ern senator's and members of the house
of Representatives, on the floor of
their respective houoes, declared as
one Of the chief reasons for seeding
from the Union, the fact that the
election of Mr.. Lincoln showed the
existence and growth of a sentiment
among the northern people hostile to
the institution of slavery, and that
sentiment was incompatible with their
continuance within the Union.
The republican leaders land there
were statesmen In those days) in reply
to this, boldly asserted as one of the
cardinal doctrines of the party which
they helped to form, and Of which re.
publicsns in this day should be Justly
proud, the %inslienable right to thefree
exercise at all times and upon all
questions, by each individual, of the
powers of his intelligence. They
claimed that their party was formed
upon, and wa the result of the power
of free thought and action and could
be alone maintained in it's purity by
the continued exercise, by every in
dividuaI, of the intelligs nce which he
might possess. They felt, az every
true republican of to-day should feel,
that neither the party nor the country
could be endangered by the intelligent
citizen, but that calamity could come
about from ignorance, or its equiya-
lent, a blind following of politicians.
They said, az the institution of this
free republic have their origin in the
intelligence of Its people, 80 their
surest bulwark was in the exercise of
the mental powers of its citizens. In
refusing to submit to the crack of the
southern whip, that northern
intelligence should bow to
southern ignorance and Injustice, they
appeal for support to that very intelli-
gepce, and the soldier in the field, the
women in the hospital, and the citi-
zens at home, responded in various
ways to the call. The overthrow of
the rebellion was the result, and the
republican party then stood firmly
upon it~sfsvorite and cardinal doctrine,
viz; individual free thought, free
speech and free action, especially at
the ballot box.
But how in this day of grace have
the mighty fallen! Here, in this
Ninth district of Iowa, this party of
great deeds and of grand principles,
has had foisted upon it, by purchase:
by political bargaining Of influence
(real or supposedly o man whose char
acter is far irom.beine above suspicion,
whose abilities are of the mediocre or
der, whose greatest attribute is his
egotism, and whose most distinguished
quality is his political ignorance;
whoBe nomination was not the result
of the intelligence of his party, but of
wire pulling, of railroad interference,
of pledges of political support for the
future, and, in short, of all those
means (too prevalent to-day among
: politicians) of crushing out the free
exercise or judgment and obtaining a
nomination to office simply because
the aspirant wants to feed upon the
public pap, and not because his fellow
, citizens, As the result of their thought
} full consideration, ask him to serve
them in a political capacity.
To support such q man, to counten-
ance u nomination 30 obtained is con-
trary to the fundamental principles of
republicsnism before alluded to. 1t
!, can with more truth and consistency
be said that he who supports Andsr.
son is not a true republican, rather
than he who does not vote for him il
a traitor to his party and forgetful OF
tho claims of his country.
When Allison, Wilson and Kssson
, come into this district, and without q
word of commentator as 20 the per.
soDsl character or mental qualities.
tions of Anderson or apology for the
| method by which his nomination was
forced upon the people, crack the
party whip and seek to drive republi-
cans frem the course which their own
intelligence tells them they should
pursue, they forgot that in the funda-
mental doctrines of republicanism
there arc no party whip, and there is
, not to be found the principle of a
blind adherence to party and
support of party candidate These
would. be teachers of republicanism
should remember that the true doc
trine of the party to which they be-
long demands the individual citizen
I should freely and thoughtfully exer-
else that intelligence with which his
Creator has endowed him, reminds
4 him that he is q rational being and APP
, peals to him to use his reason; teaches
: him to think for himself and not tc
be the slave Of another mans
thoughts. They should remember
: that republicanism is founded
upon the policy that intel
, ligence will lead men to the support o.
/ it's principles, and that if its candidate
< is Of such ilk that the intelligent vote
r cannot regard him a fit trustee TO-
d him, hat then his manhood anC
country require he should continue Il
be q man and use Independently hi
mental faculties, and not, like a duml
o beast, be driven by the party Will
o and be the slave OF deaiRning Office