The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-12-04
RENouNcEs THE a. o. =.


RENOuNcES THE q. O. r.
On Of virsinia's Ex-Govsrnors Tells why
He Hss Len the Republiean Party.
The following Is Ex-Governor Will
lam e Came.on's letter announcing
his determination to leave the Repub-
iican ranks:
To w. 8. DAsHIELL, ESQ, Richmond, va
Dear Sir: have been taught by the events of
eighteen months past that iven Of our ante
cedents and convictions cal 40 longer with
SELF respect, lend our voices, Our votes or even
the negative support OF silence to the Repub-
iican party % # Is expounded by the organizes
ton In this State or "a 1t Ii administered By
the present executive and legislative depart
ments Of the United States Government.
The Republican party preserves no longer
the semblance Of speaking for the entire
country, but bases its claim to supremacy ON
sectional prejudices and sectional interests,
pure and simple. Not only So but the direct
ors OF its policy have not hesitated In the At
tainment Of their ends to prostitute the plight
ed faith Of the party in sight OF all the world
and to renounce in their Congressional enact
ments the promises solemnly made to the Chi
cago platform. They stand selfconyicted, not
only Of false pretense and punic faith, but OF
mathematical malignancy in seeking to retain
power by awakening the war sentiment at the
North and West, and by resurrecting all the
stock phrases Of fanaticism and sectionalism
which could stir the South into resentment and
retort. This object was and Is to force the
fighting as between solid North and solid
South, and at the same time to use thesmall
contingent Of Southern Republicans in Con
gress to minimize the power Of the South by
such political denominations as the Lodge bill,
and bySso framing tarin law (under pfetext of
protection TO American labor and American
products) as to increase every burden Of the
customs upon the weaker section, and as to
leave In force in all its shameless inequality
the revenue tax upon the tobacco Of Virginia,
Carolina Tennessee. Kentucky Missouri,
Maryland and Florida.
The utterances Of Mr.. Mckinley on the floor
OF the House, he the patron Of the Chicago plat
form and the leader OF the House of Representa-
tives and the chairman Of the committee which
framed the tariff bill, and the action Of the Sen
ate in regard to the tobacco clause, constitutes
an open declaration Of war against Southern
development, and I'VE must realize that this
action apart from its inherent injustice Is de-
libcrate wanton and absolute Justification Of .
solemn promise given to the tobacco States by
the National convention.
The record on the Blair bill Is no better, and
the tariff act, with its so-called revision and
equalization Of import duties. bristles with
determinations against the South and those
industries and products In which Southern Re-
publicans have the same interest as Southern
Democrats. The Lodge bill is miscalled the
force bill" because in operation it would be
impossible OF enforcement to the ends pre-
tendedly sought. To enact It would be to par
alyze the commercial progress Of the entire
country and to set back Southern develop
ment, in which Northern capital is large
ly engaged, half century. But the
matn sufferer would be the negro who,
by this vicious effort to neutralize in
evitable conditions, would be deprived OF
all the safeguards which now surround
him. Personally and politically he would be-
come the scape goat An q leeal- strife n-whieh
Mr.. Lodge and Mr. Reed would have no concern
and no influence The passage Of this act into
law would be public calamity. Its passage by
the majority of the House OF Representatives
fixes the responsibility on the Republican par
ty. The call for a halt by Senator Quay in the
Senate only voices the protest OF frightened
financial and commercial North, and only
proves that Mr. Quay is afraid to risk this cam
paign on an issue which one section. would re-
gard as blunder and the other as a crime
Il see no reason to believe that the President
has not been in active sympathy with all that
his party has done and left undone in Congress.
His own performances have not. however been
one whit in advance OF the Legislative depart
mel. He has done nothing south OF Mason,s
and Dixon's line since his inauguration except
to recognize with reluctance that any such
country existed. His appointments with just
q few enough honorable variations to prove the
rule, have been OF men not representative in
character, influence or capacity. He has shown
utter inaptitude to square his actions with his
utterances, his performances with his prom
ises, his principles with his prcjudices, or his
status with his statue. He has been the instru-
ment willing or unwilling, OF the machine eie-
ments of his party and for want of bold and
brave and catholic action he has made himself
responsible for the fact that in the North and
West there is divided Republican party and
that In the South there is none worthy Of the
+ name.
After less than two years Of his administra-
ton, Mr.. Harrison has removed the last vestige
with which we had hoped that the Republican
party, by fostering an American policy, by sub
ordinating the past to the present, by equal
consideration for all sections, by removal OF I'm
necessary burdens of taxation, might prove IT.
self the restorer Of the Union as well rs the
preserver Of the Federal Government.
1t is not worth while for one man or one
thousand men to seek to stay the current Of
partisanry which has swept Republicanfsm
from its legitimate moorings. But one thing
remains in my judgment for us to do-for men
who recognize a higher duty than that which
can be expressed by party name-and that
is to free ourselves from all part and lot with o
party which has no faith too sacred for viola
ton and recognizes no pledge as too solemn
to be broken. can not lend myself to the OPP
PiOooioh vi LILY poopic, buu II tuerc ID no puitt-
ical organization which meets the full measure
OF our approval we can at least leave that
which violates ourevery idea Of right and senti-
ment.
Not presuming to set up for any other man
or set of men a standard Of duty, and willing to
concede to every ons else that freedom of
thought and action have always claimed for
! myself, my resolve, founded on a desire to be
true to myself and my country is to refuse all
sympathy or cooperation with the Republican
party in the crusade against this section which
it now espouses and under the leadership to
which 1t submits Sincerely your friend,
WILLIAM +. CAMERON.