Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1888-02-18

Gazette, Of this city, publishes the following
this morning:
"FLoRENcE, Italy, Jan. %, 1883.
sB. Il, Jones, Esq, Chairman OF the Republican
National Committees
Sir wish, through you, to state to the
members OF the Republican party that my
name will not be presented 10 tho National
convention called TO assemble in Chicago in
June next for she nomination of candidates
for president and vice president Of the
United States.
81 am constrained to this decision by con-
sidcrations entirely personal TO myself of
which you were advised more than a year
ago. But cannot mako the announcement
without giving expression to my deep sense
of gratitude to many thousands Of my coun-
trymen who have sustained me so long and
SO cordially that their feeling has seemed to
90 beyond the ordinary political adherencc
OF fellow partisans and to partake somewhat
Of the nature of personal attachment. For
this most generous loyalty of friendship
can make no adequate return, but | shall
carry the memory Of it while life lasts. Nor
can refrain from congratulating tho Ropub-
lican party upon the cheering prospects
which distinguish the opening OF the Ma
tionai contest of 1885 as compared with that
of 1884
I'm 1882 the Republican party throughout
the union met with disastrous defeat. Ten
states that had supported Garfield and Ar
thur in the election of 1880 were carried by
the Democrats either by majorities or plu-
ralties. The Republican loss in the northern
elections compared with the preceding Ma
tional election exceeds half million votes,
and the electoral votes OF the union divided
on the basis of the result of 1882 gave to the
Democrats over three hundred electors out
of total Of 40i. There was a partial ro-
action In favor of the Republicans In the
elections Of 1888, but the Democrats still held
possession of seven northern states, and on
the basis of the years contest could show
more than one hundred majority In the cleo
toral college of the whole country
"But against the encouragement natur-
ally following the adverse elections Of these
two years, the spirit OF the Republican party
in the National contest OF 1884 ran high, and
the Republican masses entered into the cam
paign with such energy that the final result
depended on the vote of a single state, and
that state was carried by the Democratic
party by plurality so small that it repre-
sented less than one-eleveAth of per cent OF
the entire vote. The change of single vote
IN every 1900 of the total poll would have
given the state to the Republicans, though
only two years before the Democratic plti-
ralities exceeded one hundred and ninety-two
thousand
''The elections Of 1856 and 1887 have demon
strated growing strength In the Republican
ranks Seldom in our political history has a
party, defeated in National election, raj
lied Immediately with such vigor as have
the Republicans since 1884 No comparison is
possible between the spirit of the party in 1882
and 1883, and its spirit in 1886 and 1887. The
periods present simply contrast, the one
Of general depression, the other OF enthus-
astic revival. Should the party gain in the
results Of 1885 over those OF 1886 and 1887 in
anything like the proportion of the gain of
1884 over 1882 and 1888 it would secure one of
the most remarkable victories Of its entire
existence. But victory does not depend on
SO large a ratio Of increase The party
has only to maintain relatively /. s pres
tige of 1886 and 1887 TO give to its Ma
tional candidate every northern state but
one, with far better prospect Of carrying
that one than it has had for the past six
years
Another feature of the political situation
should inspire Republicans with irresistible
strength. The present National administra-
tions was elected wish, If not upon, the
repeated assertions Of . leading supporters
in every protection state that no issue on the
tariff was involved. However, earnestly
the Republicans urged that question as the one
Of controlling Importance in the campaign,
they were met by the Democratic leaders and
journals with persistent evasion, concsalment
and denial That recourse the president has
fortunately removed The issue which the
Republicans maintained and the Democrats
avoided in 1884 has been prominently and
specifically brought forward by the Demo
cratic president and cannot be hidden out of
sight in 1888.
"The country is now in the enjoyment of
an industrial system, which in quarter of "A
century has assured a larger National growth,
o more rapid accumulation and broader
distribution Of wealth than were ever before
known To history. The American people