Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-06
Mr.. Har1son,s Reply.

We printed yesterday Mr. H.RRIsoS's
reply TO the address OF the committee which
informed him Of his nomination as the Re-
publican candidate for President Of the
United States.
IL Is difficult 10 understand how Virginia
HARRISON. proud OF bis ancestry. could be
20 trained IN State not far from The lnnd OF
his honored kinsmen rs to be able to make
such an address as that OF Mr.. HARRISON
now under consideration. Mr. HARRISON
wrote out this speech, aud 1t may therefore
be accepted not as the uttersnce OF an i'm
pulsive man speaking upon the spur OF the
moment, but as the deliberate words OF a
lawyer experienced IN the ways OF the
world, who chose the words In cold blood
which he prepared TO send out TO the country.
Mr. HARRISON says that the Republican
party has made more perfect Union secure
by making al men free; aud then he adds
that "w WASHINGTON and LINCOLN, Yorktown
md AppOmattox, the Declaration OF Inde-
pendcace and the Proclamation Of Enamel
patton" are naturally associated In thought.
WASHINGTON and---LNCoLSi Think OF
that. Yorktown and Appomattoxl The
Declaration Of Independence and the Pro-
clsmation OF Emancipation! The Declara-
ton Of Independence associated with pro-
clamation emancipating the negroes whom
The author OF the proclamation had
taken an oath not 70 set Tree. lie
knew that he had no right TO emancipate the
slaves. He had again aud sgsin declared that
Congress had no power to abolish slavery
even In the District OF Columbia, and the
platform upon which he was elected Presi-
dent In 1860 declared that the Republican
party did not propose to interfere with
slavery in the States. In word. he went
into Office bound by as solemn pledges as
ever man took not to issue an emancipation
proclamation. and yet found 1t in his heart
20 issue such a proclamation as "war
measure"l Yet Mr.. HARRISON couples that
proclamation with the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. lie desires to get the negro vote.
And the name OF the author Of the eman-
cipation proclamation is by Mr. HARRISON
linked with the name OF him who was /" first
in war, FIRST IN peace, and first IN the hearts
Of all his grateful countrymen." We don't
think that Mr.. HARRIsON's Virginia kinsmen
will overlook this proof that ne is not true
Nirginian.
Net no one imagine for moment that we
regret the abolition OF slavery. We would
not ree,tablish that institution II we could
do 1t by merely writing a paper no longer
than the emancipation proclamation. But
this fact does not preclude US from cepsuring
the manner Of its abolition. We rejoice over
the defeat Of JouN SHERMAN at Chicago, but
We despise the traitor FORAKER who had so
much to much to do with bringing 1t about.
Mr.. HARRISON voted in the Senate against
ant-Chnese legislation, and opposed the
BLAIR bill. The Republican platform de-
ciares on the other side of both these ques-
tions, aud Mr.. HARRISON coolly abandons his
own convictions and tells the notifying COM
mittee that he has examined that platform
with some care, and that its declarations are
in harmony with his views! This is the
high-minded Indiana statesman; the grand
son OF General WILLIAM III. HARRISON, OF
Virginia, and the exempar Of the virtues Of
his house!