Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-10-26
Judge George Hoadley's Letter.


being invited to the Columbus jolli6ca.
tion, sent the following letter:
CINCINNITI, October 49, 1882.
To Hon. John G. Thompson, Chairman
Executive Committee, and Hon. Clark
Irvine, Chairman Central Committee,
and to John A. Rule and G. N. Val
landigham, Esqs., Secretaries, Colum-
bus, Ohio:
GENTLEMEN:-Your letter of the 18th
of October Is at hand and contents noted.
| am grateful for the expression of your
good will, although you magnify far be-
yond its desert the service l rendered in
the campaign just closed. regret to say
that it will be out of my power to attend
the meeting at Columbus on the Goth,
owing to the engagements here; but you
need not be assured that l rejoice with
you. The recent election has vindicated
the Democracy of Ohio from the asper-
sions OF its adversaries and is long step
towards redeeming the state from the
control of the party in power, which, IL
not such, bids fair to become the organ :
lied foe of personal liberty as we'll as of
economy in governmental expenditure.
am especially glad that the color line
was in some degree obliterated in the re-
cent election in this state. For the first
time in its history the Demo cratic party
has been intrusted by colored men in
considerable numbers with the care of
their rights. 1t is our duty so hereafter
to act as to manifest to them and to the
world that we are worthy of this generous
confidence, and that the interests of these
children of oppression are as safe in our
hands as in those of the Republican par
ty. The time will come, doubt not, ,and
l trust to the agencies of the Democratic
party to bring it about, that every legal
and personal disability which now weighs
down and obstructs the progress of the
colorn6 people of Ohio, shall be ohlitera-
ted in form and in fact, and the color line
be entirely excluded at lest from Ohio
politics.
The Democratic party in the pending
canvass has occupied negative position,
criticising freely and justly the work Of
its adversaries. II the generous conf
dence with which our labors have been
rewarded during the past canvass should
be continued in 1883 by the election of a
Democratic Legislature, the responsible
ty will be upon us to act afirmatively,
and to Justify our promises by our
works. The Republican party shows
strong signs of abandoning the platform
upon which it was defeated at the recent
election, and of recurring to the evasive
experiment of such an amendment to the
Constitution as the platform of 1881
promised. May I not properly urge up.
on my brethren of the Democracy to take
affirmative ground in opposition to any
action which shall invite and render le-
gally possible the great disaster Of pro-
hibitory Legislation or of local option,
which is nothing but prohibition in
spots, action which shall carry out the
long settled and often avowed principles
of the Democracy, by the adoption Of a
constitutional amendment providing for
q reasonable license system. A constitu-
tional amendment which shall relegate
the whole subject to the legislature, with
plenary power, but without instructions
will invite an annual struggle and Danish
every other consideration from Ohio
politics for many years to come except
that of the control of the liquor traffic.
1T is far safer and in better accord with
Democratic, principles to reserve power
to the people than to trust it to any agen.
cy. And / greatly hope that our friends
in the Legislature will not be deceived
into assisting the Republican party in its
enterprise and resurrecting its abandoned
policy. @ s
~ Yours with great respect.
GEORGE HoADLEY.