The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-12-09

senility of the old man; and how differ
ent his braggadOciR is from the estimate
put upon HIM by the brave boys who
we're there and stood the test, some Of
whom did not surrender and 60 10 Rich
mOnd. The truly brave man and
heroic soldier INDUCES not in self
glOrihcati0n and nurses not his malice
10 keep 1t warm, like Tam O'Shanter's
old wife.
Judge Meyer dwells upon the fact
that his 0ffi1e was not political. This is
only pitiful pettifogging. Nominations
are made for the Probate Office by the
respective political parties just as
regularly and ss properly as for any
other county office. And why nOtp The
duties deV0lVing upon other county
officials are public duties, not political
party matters at all. How silly then is
all this subterfugel
Why was 1t Judge Meyer cast about
for suitable Democrat to make his
deputy, and found him at last in the
person Ct John Sponseller? This was
evidence that Judge Meyer scknowl-
edged his obligations to the Democratic
party. OF course the tangled web In
which the Judge has placed himself
c0mpels him to resort to the claptFap
unworthy respectable pettifOgger.
Get to California, Judge by all means,
soon as convenient Otherwise you
may lose all the reputation You ever ac
quired.
In making other appointments Judge
Meyer recognized party obligations. In
this connection | need only mention
county school examiners and examinere
of the county treasury. SO that his own
Off !ial acts establish the fact that he,
even Judge s. Meyer, did regard his
Office of Probate Judge as political"
His twaddle then as to the Probate
office In his hands being non political,
Is only the shallow excuse of man
hard pressed for argument to Justify his
uDwarrsntable course.
Judge Meyer refe-s 10 the fact that
the STARK COUNTY DEMOCRAT supported
John G. Breckenridge in preference to
Douglas in 1860, giving us no credit,
however, for supporting the Democratic
State and county tickets, which were
regularly and fairly nom mated. He
also fails to state that the Charleston
Democratic National Convention In 1860
broke up without making nomination,
one branch afterwards meeting In Balti
more and the other In Richmond and
nominating, one Douglas and the other
Breckenridge. Neither nomination was
regular and no Democrat was bound by
either. Ia our support we preferred the
man who had stood by Buchanan's Bd
miaistration to the man who had an
L8gCnizad 1t throughout in the Senate
Mr.. Breckenridge was Vice President
elected with Buchanan.
The trouble was at Charleston, that
sAt Of unprinoipled politicians like
Henry B Payne, were the Douglas
leaders, and their cry was, Douglas, OF
nobody" They would listen to no ar
rsngement looking to harmony. Those
desperate men disrupted the Democratic
party, which was then, as now, the bond
of union. Hence the STARK COUNTY
DEMOCRAT and its editor and others like
him, were stigmstizod as "uniOn
savers"
There are c'ttzens OF Canton yet living
who could testify to sudden and re
msTBable conversion to loyalty aud war,
that took place here, after that same
Individual had been applauding
Jefferson Davis for some time previous
Judge Meyers reference TO the war
period Is unfortunate for him. The old
gentleman talks as though he had
| gained laurels thereinl Well, we for
bear, not caring to further disturb
delusion or cOnceit.
1t may not be improper in this con-
nectiOn to state that, during the winter
of 1861 the universal sentiment among
Democrats and largely among old Wings
too everywhere over the North, was
against coercion and war. This was ex-
pressed In county and In State cOnVen-
tiOns, with which sentiment we cheer
fully credit Judge Meyer. Even Doug
las declared In the United States Senate
against war and coercion, saying: "War
is disunion, eternal separatiOD;" and he
arraigned and denounced the Republi-
can leaders for opposing peaceful com
promise.
When war did come, Mr.. Douglas, un-
der promise of high command, urged
war measures, but falling Ill at Chi
C0go, soon died. Judge Meyers cOnver-
sion, too, was remarkably sudden, and
so closely connected with consideration
as to call up facts, when revived by
Judge Meyers partial reference thereto,
which show parallel to the late per-
fOrmance.
But the Judge invites to the field of
glory. Let US follow him there. We
ask: How would that soldier be regarded
who would sell out to the enemy? Or,
how would that officer be held among
honorable soldiers, who, instead Of raj
lying his men, would hasten to sur
render to the enemy to save his own
baconp OF course, as In this Probate
case, excuses may be found.
"Peace hath her victories no less re-
nowned than war" And peace has her
surrenders and betrayaIs no less in
famous than those above indicated. 1t
is pitiful that man Of Judge Meyers
ability should be 80 weak In conscience,
30 Vscillsting In conduct, and so despic-
able and treacherOus In the treatment
Of friends to whom he owes so much.
The fact remains that Judge Meyer
In transferring the Probate Office, sold
out to Republican, when he was elect
ed thereto as Democrat by the Demo-
cratic party Of Stark county. This party
In its great mRgnanimity and forbear-
ance, In which the writer hereof claims
good share, acting on the principle
that while the lamp holds out to burn
the vilest sinner may return" elevated
this man to the Common Pleas Bench,
and twice to the Probatesoffi,e, which
he has just surrendered to the enemy,
for consideration. If this Is not a
perfidiOus act-what is 1t, prsyp Some
say, surprised; others say, mot sur.
prlsed"l A. MCGREGoR,
" A..