Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-05-27
DEMOCRATS, STOP AND REFLECT

Our republican contemporary says
| editorially this notwithstanding 10
the reasoning OF the courthouse ring
aud its organ, Lafayette county Is in a
deplorable condition, and about as wick
| ed as were Sodom and Gomorrah. In
the first place, the republicans are cor
rupt and can't be trusted with the coun-
ty affairs. Secondly. the present county
| officers are honest and they must be re.
elected, hence all the democrats outside
of the courthouse ring are also corrupt.
dishonest and can't be trusted with the
county offices. Down about Higgins
| Vile there are . number OF democrats
| who appear to think that all the demo-
cratic wisdom, and honor and virtue, is
not lodged IN tho courthouse ring and
Its organ. We hope every republican
will encourage that H~igginsville move.
ment as long as it keeps in tho right di'
rection. 1t will do for an eye-opener."
The "reasoning" OF the above article
is something wonderful to contemplate.
| First, it is asserted that according to the
reasoning of this paper. impolitely de-
nominated the courthouse-ring organ.
Lafayette county is as wicked as were
Sodom and Gomorrah. because repnbll-
cans are corrupt, etc. If We were as
impolite as is our contemporary We
might say that 1t is . very common trick
tor republican "organs" when demo-
Gratis say that the republican ''party"
cannot be trusted to quote them IS say
ing that republicans" cannot be trust
ed. In this republicans are very much
like democrats-honest ones ere honest
and dishonest ones are dishonest. We
know many republicans whom We re-
spect and trust implicitly, and some even
when we reckon as very near and
dear friends. but that does not prevent
us from distressing the republican party,
which has a fashion Of pushing ito good
men to the rear and ~elevating its weak
and vicious ones-in the national gov
eminent tor instance preierring its Cam
erons, Robesons and Keifers to its Cur
tises and Mitchells, in our Own state its
Fletchers aud its Rodmans, aud in our
county its Ambroses, its uixons and it's
Flemings.
So much for the first proposition. The
second is quite peculiar. 1t states that
we hold thai s.the present county OH
Gals are honest, aud they must be re-
elected, hence all the democrats outside
of the courthouse ring are also corrupt,
dishonest and can't be trusted with the
county Offices" The first statement ID
trne-she present county officials arr
honest, and the man who asserts that
they are not has upon him the burden
OF proof, or else stands before the world
a confessed calumnistor. There is nc
lodging that issue. A man who fol
political purposes wantonly sssslls the
character Of honest men 10 capable oI
any crime, but on the other hand dis
honest officials should be exposed iu
their dishonesty. Iunuendoes. threats
and epithets, however, are not proof
and our contemporary failed to make
any impression on the people in Its last
campaign with the sams stock in trade
of "courthouse-rlng," ~''rascals," &C..
adj nauseam.
We are quoted as demanding, or be.
lieving. or advocating. Or something,
that the present county officials 'musI
be reelected" We do TO such thing
We have done no suchfthing. We have
said NO such thing. We do not assert
that anybody ''must" be elected, and
we arc not tor the present county
officials for anything unless the demo-
Gratis of the county fret choose them al
their standard bearers. Should they bf
80 chosen, or whoever is SO chosen, viii
be our choice, and we shall fight iol
them against the world, the flesh ant
the devil. We are for The democrats
party and it's candidates, and one dem9
Graf has as much claim upon onr col
umns as another, but ass democratic
paper We shall always be found defend
ing democratic administration when il
is pure and patriotic. The out who
wants to get in would think very poorly
of us should he succeed, and should ".
then refuse TO do our duty by him. W.
do not by any means believe that all thl
honor, all the virtue. or all The wisdom
are lodged in the present county officers
There are in the county many - sbll
and as honest men out Of as in Office
men who would reflect credit upor
higher positions than the ones in ques
tisn. Not only that. but Tbs democracy
OF Lafayette county is made mp Of IL
most intelligent. progressive people
and largely OF Its tax-paying citizens
Nearly two.thirds OF all the adults ir
the county are democrats. nearly three
fourths OF the white people in the conn
ty are democrats, and it does not lie il
the mouth OF any fanatic who speaks o
the touch OF democracy as "leprous" Il
intimate that We decry and belittle them
Far from it, Ii there is anywhere OF
earth a noble, q generous, q hospitable
a patriotic people. tits the good oh
stock of Lafayette county. for year
identified with Its soil, its labor and it
prosperity. We do not In the least In
tend to detract from new. Corners, but
would be quite we'll Tor this class to in
quire Of their neighbors Of longer resi-
deuce why it is that nearly if not quit
three-fourths oil the white people OF th