Wichita eagle., 1886-09-22
MooNLIGHT's RECORD AND POSITION.

! An old Kansas Democrat mournfully re
marked, a few days ago: Il heard Ton
Moonlight make speech, in 1868, that was
the most violent and abuse TRADE against
the Democratic party and its leaders ever
listened to; and now they have nominated
him for governor, and expect me to vote
for him, Somehow the abusive speech
rings In my ears II lie was right then, the
Democratic party ought to be eternally
damned in this election, as well as in all
others. If he slandered and lied about the
Democratic party then, no Democrat ought
, to vote for him now.''
Old Kansans remember the time, not
many years ago, when Moonlight was the
most radical of Republicans. In 1868 he
was the Republican candidate for secretary
of state, and made speeches for the Repub-
lican ticket. Two of the planks in the
Republican state platform of 1868, on
which Col Moonlight ran, and which he
heartily endorsed at the convention, and
approved on the stump, were as follows:
Resolved, second, That the history Of
the Democratic party in Kansas, from its
earliest attempt to force the system OF hu-
man slavery upon reluctant people, its
systematic violation of the ballot, its per-
fidious apathy during the struggle for ma
| tiOnal existence, is record of violence
cowardice and fraud. Its leaders and its
principles are unchanged, and deserve alike
the unqualified opposition of every citizen
who believes in the supremacy OF law and
the perpetuity of free institutions.
RESOLVED, third, That the studied and
persistent hostility of the Democratic party
to the prosecution of the war for the pres
ervatiOn of the Union its constant and ma
lignant efforts in the North to perplex the
Government and dishearten the people,
and its open and undisguised treason in the
South, its position of uncompromising op
position to every measure originated Tor
the safety of the Nation its nomination of
candidates for President and Vice Prcsi-
dent (Seymour & Blair who propose, if
elected to trample in the dust laws duly
enacted, to disperse State Governments,
constitutionally established, and undo the
work of reconstruction with violence and
blood, impel all friends of the Republic
with renewed energy, to rally in support of
the Republican party, around which the
hopes of the Nation clustered in its darkest
hours
In the Democratic State Convention that
year, as delegates, were Hon. Thomas P.
Fenlon, Judge w. r. Wagstaff, Judge
John Martin, S. C. Bephart, J. p. Taylor
Isaac Sharp, A. G. Otis, B. P. Waggener,
and many others equally well known. The
Democratic candidate for Governor was
George w. Click; for Congress, Gen,
Charles w. Blair for Secretary of State,
Wilson Shannon, jr.; for Associate Justice,
ID. r. Wagstaff and for Attorney Cen
eral, Ross Burnes. These were the 'lead
ers' who, Colonel Moonlight then declared,
deserved "alike the unqualified opposition
of every citizen who believes in the su-
premacy of the law and the perpetuity of
free institutions" and whose history and
actions in Kansas constituted an unbroken |
record of violence, cowardice and fraud"
Colonel Moonlight made speeches, in all
parts of Kansas, endorsing this platform,
and he was elected Secretary of State by
the Republicans. beating Wilson Shan
non, jr.
In September, 1870, Moonlight was a
before the Republican state con-
vention at Topeka, for congressman, re-
ceiving ten votes. Failing to receive this
he became candidate for re-
nomination as SECRETARY of state, but was
beaten, receiving only thirteen votes out of |
one hundred and and seventy-six Two
years later, in 1872, he was an applicant
for appointment as United States marshal
Failing to receive this appointment, he be-
came sour and sore-headed and drifted
into the Democratic party.
This is the political history Of the man
The Democrats of Kansas are asked to vote
for Senator ingalls, made him Democrat
by refusing to have him appointed United
States marshal, and he has ever since hated
md abused the Republican party and John
J. ingalls, with about equal bitterness.
GIoOuilSut Is, uOWcNCI, CouSIotcul III oHC
hing He is for free whiskey, all the
imc. He it was who forced Judge John
Martin to decline the Democratic nOmina-
ion for Governor, in 1882, by bulldozing
he Dcmocrotic state convention into adopt
nc and notification platform, on which
Judge Martin refused to run. The Leavcn-
worth platform of 1856 is his platform. 1t
5 not only against prohibition, but against
ny restraints or restrictions on the whisky
raftic. 1t is against local option, against
Ugh license. and against anything except
4 unrestricted whisky traiiic-a license
ys,em permitting anybody to open saloon
vino pays for the privilege.
This is the record and position Of the
lan for whom the Democrats of Kansas
re expected to vote this year
4 PARTY OF BOSSES.