Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-06-14
Letter nom an Old Jacksenlan Democrat
Of Greenwood Township.
NEAR SEVEN STAR TAVERN,
June 10, 1882

June 10, 1882,
MY Dear Mr.. E6itcr:-I could not
neip but go down to the Stars
this Saturday night. Idon't 20 down
every Saturday night as do some of the
oeaux to see their sweethearts, and if I
had stayed long enough after midnight as
Is the fashion down here 1 might have
come in Tor sight of the comet. The
oeaux down here sit up with their girls till
"day break" When l was young 1 tired
out long enough before daylight came, and
oi course IT couldn't stay up all night
with girl how could stay up all night to
walt to see comet. Old Andy Jackson
ana myself don't exactly agree on the COM
et question. He was more superstitious
than am, that's ali. That Is he believed
nat when q comet comes and shows itself.
That 1t meant war, or pestilence, or famine.
or some other great terrible event for the
people TO pass through.
While don't quite believe the same with
old Hickory, | don't pooh; pooh; old
Andy and such people as believe as be.
did, for remember that the bright red
comet Of 1858 was followed by the split in
the Democratic party on the slavery
question in Kansas, and BY the war
that the Rebels kicked up, and later
still l remember that the coming of the
comet last summer was followed by the
murder OF President Garfield. By the way
we had regular old Andy jackson discuss
ion over the Garfield questions, and their
effects upon the country. Our fellows are
all glad that it was not a Democrat that
murdered him. No true Andy Jackson
Democrat would do such a foul deed. Old
Andy would fight if struck, he would fight
duel, but he would have taken his own
life before he would have shot a man from
behind. Garfield was like old Hickory in
this, that he is dead, but still lives in the
hearts OF his countrymen. The miserable
wretch that murdered Garfield will be hung
on the 30th of this month. We talked over
all these things at the Stars to night. but
the question that We got earnest on was
that tho Republican party in this State has
two tickets in the field, for Governor. and
other State offices. We all agreed that
they both cannot be elected, and We nearly
all agreed that the present trouble in your
party began in the Republican State con-
ventions that elected delegates to the Chi
cago Convention that nominated Garfield
for the Presidency. You know that in
Pennsylvania and York State, some men
in the party wanted the delegation to vote
solid when it voted in the National Con-
vention, and other men wanted the delega-
tion, or each man of the delegation to vote
for whoever he pleased, or for any candid
ate that the majority of the people that his
district might favor. The York State con-
vention by majority vote said that the
delegation should vote solid. So said the
convention of this State. But when the
delegations got to Chicago, number of the
delegates from these states said that thev
had the right to vote TOR any candidate
that they chose to vote for, and they did,
and that's how Grant tailed to become the
candidate of your party in 1850, and the
delegates exercising the right to vote as
they pleased was the means by which Gar
field became the candidate Tor the Presi-
dency.
The men that voted against Grant for
nomination. said that they honestly believ
ed that their districts were not for Grant for
3rd term, and that in voting against him
they were voicing the will of the people.
The Garfield men took the advanced ground,
that national conventions must be govern
ed by the will Of the people, and not by the
will of few men that may have a bedroom
up stairs, where they recline as if sick with
rheumatism and send their orders down to
the crowd below. You know what took
place, Garfield was elected, and the very
first fellows that he took to, was the kickers,
so called. The men that favored the pure
Republican or Democratic system of election
by the people, he favored the men that
want State conventions to listen to the ma
jOrity rule OF the party, if that majority
voice is honestly obtained. He said the
Republican party must go higher, and give
perfect system Of government by the ma
jority rule OF the people from the township
meeting to the county convention, to the
state convention. The past record of the
party Is a glorious record for government
by the people. 1t passed through a civil
war for that, and now 1t remains to be seer
whether what was won on the field OF bat
tie can be preserved from outrage from the
hands of mOusing politicians that woIs
through the agency of packed committees,
and conventions. There Is only one ques
ton before the people now, and that is th'
great question Of perfect system OF gov
eminent, based upon the majority rule o
the people, and that all questions Of nom
nation for Office shall be submitted to then
for acceptance or rejection. There Is no
any use of talking about the bloody shirt
That question if il had been stuck TO II
1880, would have elected Hancock. 1ot
know that in Maine the first election wa'
held that year. The great question ther'
was the bloody shirt, when the state eiec
ton was over, and the returns were IN, yo'
fellows were iloored. The bloody shir
failed to move the people; the people wer'
ahead of the speakers and writer's; they IN
stinctively knew that the enslaved man is
: freeman, and that all the armies OF Europe
with the John:es thrown in couldn't rein
, state slavery, and that's the reason ina
, they only laughed at the speakers "ne
, they whooped up the bloody shirt. In
/ people down in Maine only laughed al I'd
bloody shirt speakers, and then went an
: voted the other ticket. But the lesson cam
{ in time to save Garfield. The Repuoiica
' leaders were stunned day or two at IN
result OF that election. Blaine, who cam
turn