The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-04-13
Sanator Mitchell,a Ranlu

! WASHINGTON. March o., 1889.
WHARTON BAREER. ESQ. Philadelphia.
| DEAR SIR: Ihave sat down several times
| TO roply to vour letter Of tho 10th inst hut
| have each time been called OFF by some press
| ing affiir Of the moment. / regret to say
that my time is so mnch consumed by netty
| details that have little to use MS would in
attending to the legitimate work OF legls-
| latOr.
| tone, of your letter. hardly know what to
| say. feel assured that your political object
| is the anne ne my own to see if it be posi-
bic to reunite the Republican party in Penn
sylvania upon its highest plane OF thought
| and conscien ce and purpose.
| recognize and am ever glad to acllrowl-
| edge the claims upon myself of all such rs
| you who have ut heart the welfare OF the true
| Commonwealth, and. as means TO that end.
the publication and continued supremacy of
! the true Republican party.
I think your conclusion that, ms hitherto
managed. the Republican party is in the dc
cline in Pennsylvania. Is quite true in view
OF the judgment passed upon its manage
| ment lately in your city and elsewhere.
These spasms do not surprise me. for they
| naturally supervene, and one who has
watched the disease as 1 have recognizes
| them as inevitable symptoms. But 1t is one
thing to diagnose. and quite another to cure.
disease When I said to n friend lately
| that Philadelphia should send representative
| men to the May convention as one impor-
tant local application" he insisted that the
| remedy must come from the country-that
Philadelphia cannot now speak for herself
by such men. This do not credit At least
I hope 1t Is otherwise. and that you will
look TO this and see whether she cannot have
n will OF her own therein. The trouble has
generally come from Philadelphia and Pitts
burg as combined central forces united witt
"rotten borough" representatives from mi.
nority counties. have seen 1t overland oveI
again in legislatures and conventions. With
such forces combined and sliifully generated.
the country has been overpOwered or used,
and must be until honest and good men every
where combine. Then they can make short
work Of all who stand in their way.
But this involves q change of leadership.
| II not of all leaders. We are In process OF
| reconstruction. and must not forget that there
can be no leaders without followers. Such
change Of front in the face OF n well-discip-
lined adversary is very dangerous feat.
STILL when the time comes, os in this case 1t
is n necessary evolution. and it will go on Of
its own force, whatever its fiedgling may Lc
-ringed. streaked or spcckled.
Therefore, I conclude that change of lea.
.
| sr;rit and action ofthose who remain. This
has been my expectation for years. My ad-
vice has been consistent with this view from
the first. 7 am sorry that 1t has not been re-
spected more than it appears to me to have
been. But too much should not be expected
from men grown rigid in practice upon
different line of thought. l do not believe in
the political methods too much ana too long
practiced in our State. The people generally
do not. have opposed them from my first
entrance into legislative life and shall con-
tinue 70 do So. But / must do this in ways
which deem TO be faithful to my obligations
and my duty to the Republican party. shall
be condemned, of course, on the one side or
the other, and probably somewhat upon both
sides. I expected this from the first, for
knew that my election was hut a truce be-
tween opposing ami enduring forcrs," one
of which, founded in conscience and right,
led by superior intellect would be master in
this process of reconstruction. 1t was n ma
tural against an artificial aristocracy These
forces are still eXtant and active, therefore
strife and friction are inevitable.
Now, what do you propose for remedy?
What would you have me do? l am willing
to do anything can to unite and strengthen
the Republican party for the work which lies
before It. It's principles must be adhered to-
The rights and interests of men and capital
demand this, the higher work of the new
| republic in many things requires 1t. The
spirit OF that party will not die. 1t may be in
| corporated anew, but its soul goes marching
| on" The principal dangers, then, which lie
along the way Of this new departure, are mat
terial, and they threaten the tariff, the cur
| rency. the even tenor of trade. and the en-
suffer while we cross this stream, unless we
| make sure OF our footing in passing.
What we now need is representative con-
vention, with n will and mind of its own-a
body OF men who will reflect the sentiment OF
the localities they represent. VIII ich shall con-
| fer, deliberate and decide what is for the best
| as to men for the front, and as to measures for
their guidance in office. The work of such n
| convention wOuld be ratified at the polls; that
of one met only to endorse what has been de-
creed in spirit of dctation will not be, In my
Judgment, ,at the next election. We should find
n common ground upon which we can all
| stand in behalf of the cause we love. Why not :
There are plenty of good men on both sides in
your city. Why can you not invite n meeting
of such, first few in quiet. and later more.
and so carry your delegate elections for good
men who have the confidence of both sides :?
There must be a multiple for each side. II
must be found sooner or later. and the sooner
the better for all. think the men who have
run things In your city see now that rest is
good for them. II not. still there can be such
conference and union of those who will " Join
to guard what each desires 10 gain."I hope
such an effort will be made. For myself am
willing. and / believe the people would be
willing, to lay aside all personal preferences
as against the advice of sach a convention.
This letter Is quite unsatisfactory, but 1t is
the best can do now.
Very respectfully yours,
JSo. I. MITCHELL.