Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-09-07
a Gard.

feel it due to myself and my friends, as
well as to the constituency that elected ne to
the position of State Senator, 10 publish the
following statement:
During the Temperance Campaigning at
Shenandoah junction one of their speakers. j.
L. Thomas, who / learn is q paid State Tenn
lperance Lecturer, made the charge against me
In a public address that in the canvass four
wears ago I promised the Temperance people
that, I would vote for the submission of the
Prohibition Amendment to the State constitu-
| ton, which charge / then declared to be false
and do now so declare. / made no promise to
any one that I would vote for its submission,
nor did / promise any one that l would vote
against the submission.
T took the position in the outset that I would
not make any promises to either party, on the
Prohibition proposition. twas not a question
in the nominating convention. 1 was nomi-
mated as q Democrat, by the Democratic party,
in opposition to the Republican party, and to
have promised either party on that question,
would have been to drive the other away from
me and thus defeat my election and the party
that nominated me. Shortly after my nomina-
ton a committee appointed by the Temperance
lodge at Shepherdstown wrote me q letter de-
handing to know how l was going to vote on
the Prohibition Amendment, If elected. / de-
clincd to answer their letter, but went to them
in person, stated to them that had been q Son
OF Temperance from my youth, and claimed to
be as good and consistent q Temperance man as
they had in Shepherdstown. / made them no
promise. The result was that a portion of
their lodge became offended and voted against
me-. After the charge made against me at the
Shenandoah Camp-Meeting, l endeayored at
once to see every one that I had any CONVERSE
ton with during the campaign on the Prohibi-
ton question, and 1 have seen all that l can
think of, and every one. with exception named
below, has stated to me that l made them no
promise. One decided Temperance man stated
TO me that / had told him, at that time, it was
not my business to be making promises. A
few days since I drove to Gerardstown with q
friend to see Mr.. Morgan editor of o Temper
ance paper) and Mr.. j. P. Stump. The latter
I failed TO see on account of his absence from
home. I had not supposed there was any one
who would sustain the charges made at sheni
himself in conformity with a card published at
solicitation of Mr.. J. P. Stump. but admitted
to my friend it was possible hc might have been
mistaken in his construction of my convcrsa-
ton. as I stated that l had been a Son of Tenn
pcrancc from my youth and a friend and well
wishcr of the cause. He then produced a copy
of a late issue of his paper containing a state
ment of Mr.. J. p. Stump and himself that l
told them, without mental reservation. &C..
that l would vote for the submission of Prohi-
bition amendment If elected. / told him then
their statements were not true (Which, ! now
reiterated that I had taken the position in the
outset that l would make no promises to either
party. to which position / adhered. and they
had misunderstood or miscOnstrued my con-
versation. This conversation occurred before
the convention met. There was but one dele
gate. from their town to the convention and he
expressed himself favorably to me and was not
connected with the Temperance order. l had
no assurance that would get the nomination.
and there was no good reason why L should
make such a promise.
When the Prohibition Amendment was in
troduccd into the Senate, L was much per-
picked to know what was my duty. Having
been q friend of the temperance cause all my
life, my inclinations and feelings inclined me
to that side. While always holding to the doc
trinc that q Representative was a public SER
want. and duty required him to represent the
sentiment of the majority of his constituency.
l was then and am now inclined to the opinion
that the majority of the voters of this SEN
atorial district, were opposed to the Prohibition
Amendment to the State Constitution. When
it became apparent to me that the Republican
party was cndcavOring to make political cap
ital by forcing the Prohibition Bill through the
Legislature. hoping thereby to harm the party
in powcr-thc Democratic party ut that time
having nearly a tT:o-third majority in the Leg
islaturc-wOuld have been held responsible for
its submission. which would have come up at
our October election, 1884. for ratification. just
previous to November Prcsidentian election
Looking at the question from that standpoint.
l could not for Il moment entertain the thought
of being u party to a proposition that would
bring about such q result as the turning of our
State over to the Republican party ut the Oc-
tobcr election. for if lost then to the Dem
ocratic party, certain to be lost at Presidential
election i'll November, and thus greatly hazard
the election of u Democratic President: of the
United States. Which view of the question
decided me at once to stand by my party, which
position 1 have never regretted.
AS to the rumor which | learn has been cir
culated by some that | promised and pledged
myself to the manufacturers and dealers of
| Martinsburg and Berkeley county. l refer not
only to them but to any dealer in this district
or elsewhere, in proof of the fact that [ neither
promised nor committed myself in any way as
to how I would vote upon the prohibition qucs-
ton. 1 have cndeavored to give n calm, honest
and faithful review of the question, and writ
j. s. MELVIN.