Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-09-06
THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR
GOVERNOR.

be political speech. His so-called
speech was a TRADE of abuse and
Misrepresentation, interspersed with
laudation of himself and his pub
icacts. The thinking and respectable
gentlemen of the Democratic party
were much disappointed and dis
gusted with Mr.. Wilson's weakness.
Should he be elected Governor OF
our State, it will be lasting disgrace
to all concerned in his elevation; not
because he misrepresents and viii
| fies the Republicans, but for the more
weighty reason--his want efficiency
and common sense. His TRADE was
a disgrace to any party which pos
sesses the merest claims to polite
ness. Mr.. Wilson's nomination and
support by the Democratic party, is
the best evidence of it's evil purpose
and abject designs. Gov. Jackson
has disgraced the name of Democra-
cy by his bitter partisanism, but he
has done his work with some appear
ance of decency. Mr.. Wilson's par
tisanism is as pronounced as Gov.
Jackson's but he lacks the sense and
appearance of decency to control it.
The jackson administration degener-
atAd IN all that makes party hon.
orable and progressive; and the po-
litical demagOgues in offering tosuc-
coed Jackson with Wilson are about
to sink the party to the lowest
depths of partisan meanness.
We observed a feao Democrats,
whose hearts are burning with the
fires that were kindled by secession
a generation past, who were delight
ed with Mr.. Wilson's abuse and
misrepresentation of Mr.. Flick
We are glad to know that the
majority of Democrats have buri-
ed the past, and put out the fires
of secession. Notwithstanding the
one-sided views of Mr.. Wilson
concerning proscriptive legislation
must have aroused inquiry in the
minds of the young voters of to-
day concerning legislation that
dlsfranchised citizens in the early
history of our State, such voters have
to be informed that the proscriptive
laws complained of by Mr.. Wilson
were passed to prevent that class of
men from voting and taking part in
the affairs of State who had been
engaged in armed rebellion against
their government that class of per
sous who aided to destroy the Union
of the States, and who denounced
and trailed in the dust the flag of
our country, the old stars and
stripes; that class of persons who
did all that they could to destroy the
which they now desire
to control. Mr.. Wilson denounces
these laws, but fails to tell us that
they were made to prevent those
persons from having a voice in the
government which they were seek
ing to destroy. These laws were
deemed necessary for the protection
of the State and they were advocated
and supported by the ablest Demo
Gratis of that day, and men who are
to-day honored Democrats. Is it
reasonable that the government
should be asked to place power in
the hands of persons who had Just
emerged from conflict to destroy
It'll Was it not wise to use precau-
tionary measures to prevent such
persons from obtaining power until
full assurance of their accep-
lance of surrender could be obtain
edg The COnfederates did not ex-
pect as liberal terms from the gov
eminent which they sought to de-
stroy as they received. These pro-
scriptive laws were enacted by the
Union men of that day, and were
deemed necessary. There may be
an honest difference of opinion in re-
gard to their continuance on our
statute books. In our Judgment
the government had nothing to fear
from the Confederate Soldier after
the surrender of the Rebellion brave
men never strike in the back or in
the dark, and drawer men than the
Confederate soldier never drew
swords; but there was class of Con-
federate sgmpGthizers who did not,
and do not, belong to this class of
brave men,-who required watching
in those days and who need watching
now, and who secretly encourage
the abuse of the Republicans and in
their heart Of hearts gloat over the
Wilson speech. These persons did
not bear arms in the defense of the
Confederate states; they did not
possess the manhood, the honor, the
bravery to sustain the cause for
which their neighbors and friends
were sacrificing their lives. Ne!
they are the MISUNDERSTANDING,
canting hypocrites, whose souls are
black with treachery and cowardice.
The Republican party has nothing
to fear from the discussion of the
"war issues" Every man of sense
knows that excuses are committed
in time of war, and the laws CON-
planned of may have been unneces-
sary, or being necessary may have
| been continued in force too long, or