Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-08-02

| NOMINATING MIR. j. N. WISNER EOR
| CONGRESS.
Messrs. Editors.
At the request Of the writer,
| Prof. Clifford has furnished me
full notes of his speech in nomi-
mating Mr.. j. n. Wisner for Con
gress, and | hereby respectfully
ask for it place in yourcolumns.
1t is as follows A DELEGATE.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of
the Convention
On the 18th Of April, S65 the
night of Lincoln's assassination.
the county of Berkely and the
town Of Martinsburg welcomed
and adopted stranger, of whom
they have ever since been proud.
He found the town Illuminated over
the surrender of Gen. Lee, and being
invited upon the rostrum made his
maiden speech, we'll seasoned with
youthful ambition, loyal patriotism,
and an abundance of common sense.
Recognizing cultured talent, frank
ness OF expression ,boldness to defend
it, fidelity to man and fealty to the
Union, Berkeley chung to him with
more than fraternal affection. Under
his management and tillage she has
never suffered from a political fam
inc, and II you recognize his ability
and worth, a proof of which will
be to nominate him, l vouch for a
glorious harvest in October and a
complete threshing of it in Novem.
Der. BY him more than any living
man to my knowledge the principles
of our party, which in purity rank
next to heaven s, have been held sa-
cred in Berkeley county. He is the
man, who at the polls in 1866. when
1t was dangerous, by his own man.
hood and Herculean strength, main
tanned equal political rights, and who,
during our most exciting elections,
time and again, with surging masses
OF exasperated opponents all around
him, kept them at bay, and not only
made Republicanism honorable, but
prevented it from being trampled in
the dust, in consequence of which
his former foes are his present
friends. In the court house. with.
out a superior, battling for human
rights, regardless Of color or poverty
and on the rOstrum in defence of re-
publican principles, his rhetoric has
been sweeping tornado and his logic
like fire! Philosophically he is the
Socrates of Berkeley. Politically and
intellectually he is the Webster of
the Eastern n-handle-around
whom the loyal sons of Ham will
rally as they would to no other man
in this Congressional District. AS
the gathering of bees is a test of
sweetness, so is Negro devotion to a
whiteman test of his unsWerver-
ing manhood; and, like the 54th
Massachusetts,, in the name of God
and the Union, we will follow our
Shaw, of Berkeley, through thick
and thin; yea, surmount the enemy's
fort, and there, if he falls within we
will be found lying around and Gov
ering him with bleeding bodies, as
did the heroic blacks that of Colonel
Shaw,at the battle of Oulesee. I'm
der the existing circumstances, over
which you have but little control-and
l know where of speak-this conven-
ton could do nothing wiser, if it wish
es its candidate to succeed, than to
nominate the man whom l shall soon
name, to represent us in the next
Congress of the United States. He
is your Leonidas with whom you can
cut your way through the foes Their
mopyl8. Like James G.. Blaine. of
Maine, he has that rare power of at
traction, which draws men to him,
and best of all, it is tinged with no
deception, for he is as true to his
friends as Jonathan was to David.
/ fearlessly challenge any man within
the sound OF my voice, yea, who
claims West Virginia as his home,
to say that he has not been true to
the principles of the Republican par
ty and the men representing them.
Ask your Golf, your Hoke, your
Sturgiss, your Mason and others and
they cannot say better Republican
lives. That he has his envious op
posers, whose weapons lie rusty and
broken at his feet, is evident;-show
me a progressive man void of them,
and | will show you an angel. But
| sincerely thank God with my whole
heart, that like King David, of old,
he lives to see them fall on the right
and left, and is human enough to
write upon their crumbling tomb
stones sympathetic epitaphs. Ac-
cept him, gentleman, and every val
ley will be traversed and every noun
tain crossed in search of votes. Ma
pOlean like, if the way be merely
possible" he'll cross the Alps and
march to glorious victory. Accept
him, and you will be sure of every
cOlored vote, without which, you can
not succeed. With these remarks, l
have, and esteem it great honor, to
present to this convention, my PEG
pies favorite, and the poor man 8 un-
hinching friend, j. Nelson Wisner, of