Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-11-19
SENATOR VANCE.
He Opposes Civil Service But Supports
the President.
From the Wilmington Star

the PRESIDENT.
From the Wilmington Star.
The Senator writes from his noun
tain home, Gombroon, under date of
Oct. 9th, tonight
Dear SIR 1t is known to you, per-
haps, that l have spent my vacat ton
as quietly as I could in this mountain
region. My object was health and rest
and the creating of summer home in
these highlands of my native county.
During this partial seclusion I have
read few newspapers and have kept up
but the slightest knowledge of current
events. When 1 do get batch of DE-
pers by our weekly mail 1 find much
old news in them some of it personal
to myself which probably I should
have noticed promptly had / seen it
sooner. Among other items deserving
of my attention is the suggestion which
have lately seen in more than .one
newspaper that l am making or pre-
pairing to make war upon the Admin
istration of Mr.. Cleveland. This state
ment is based upon the report of an
interview Of mine with an editor of the
| Courier-Jour7aol, Of Louisville, KY,
in which l declared myself opposed to
the Civil Service law, and gave it as
my opinion that the people of Nerth
Carolina were dissatisfied with and inn
patient of it, and the manner of re-
movals and appointments under its
| provisions. | believe this to be strictly
true. | believe that very large por-
ton of the n. G. Democracy regard
the whole thing as wrong,if not hum
bug, and would gladly see it rejected.
AT the same time do not know of any
Democrat disposed to make war" up
on the President because in the dis
charge of his duty he is executing
law Of Congress. Surely l am not.
Should [ at any time fail to support
the Administration my constituents
may rest assured the difference between
us will be in regard to some great is
sue of principles and not the mere dis
tribution of patronage. Nor do 1 pro-
fess to be one of those who refuse to
see anything that may be wrong with
a Democratic Administration or who
hold that it is disloyal to criticiss It,
A true friend to Mr.. Cleveland will
tell him the truth; an honest man will
give counsel and sensible man will
appreciate it if satisfied the motive is
friendly. This is a government of
opinion and it is all.important that
that opinion should be honest. It can
not be so unless it be free; and it can
not be free if men are hastily and un-
justly impeached of disloyalty to party
organization or leadership for every
attempt at manly criticism. Let not
the coercion of official power and pat
ronage ever be applied to any Demo
crat who has anything to say for the
benefit of Democracy. AS for my part
when have anything to say am 60
ing to say it.
! Another floating item in the papers
| which / will notice is one which states
that ex-senator Herman, of N. Y .,and
myself had been employed to defend
the Mormons in the Supreme Court of
the United States in the pending liti-
| cation under the Edmunds act; and
that Senator Herman had declined with
indignation. | do not know what that
gentleman has said or done in the
/ premises, but / have never been ap-
preached by the Mormons at all, in
this Or any other matter. I voted
against the Edmunds Bill because l
regarded it as great an outrage upon
liberty and the essential principles of
our government, as the evil it was
aimed at is upon the purity of society.
1t was the same hell-broth which the
South had to drink in the Federal
courts during Reconstruction and 1
would not put it to the lips of even the
Mormons of Utah. But no application
has ever been made to me to appear
for them in the courts.
With the compliments of the noun
tains to the sea coast,
! am, dear sir,
/ Very truly yours,
z. B. VANCE