The Portland daily press., 1890-08-11

hon. VIM. Il. Chandler OF New Hampshire
has written the following letter to Speaker
Reed, which will be read with interest:
WATERLOO, N. H., August 8, 1900
My Dear Mr.. Reed:
/ hope you will not be disturbed by the
insults, threats and rawlings so impotenEly ut
tered against you In Congress and elsewhere.
They are your completest vindlcation, and
the highest honor of your life, and history
will so make up the record. Your assailants
gained national power from 1884 TO 1888 by
the bloody murders Of Southern Republicans
and by frauds in New York. They lost II
again "by scratch in 1888. If they had
believed they were to lose, they would have
redoubled their murders and frauds, and
would not have lost. They will make no such
mistake again. All such crimes as are ne
cessary at the South, and in New York, New
Jersey and Indiana, will be committed with
out limit and without compunction. With
forty congressional and forty electoral votes
more than the North at their command to
start with, does any Republican think the
Southern Democrats will permit any OF them
to be lost IL they can be saved by alternate
winnings and threatenings In Congress, ut
tered when supervisors bills are pending,
and by all the crimes in the decalogue. COM
mitted when elections are In progress?
Northern Republicans who hesitate must
be either false, blind or decrepit. There Is
not ghost OF a chance Of our carrying either
the next House or the next presidential cleo
tion If we make our whole issue on the tariff
and other questions concerning the country's
material interest, an yield to the Democratic
bluster and Republican commercial timidity
which require us to omit earnest endeavors
by law and the enforcement Of law to over
come Democratic violence and fraud. III we
adopt the pusillanimous course advised by
some high In Republican authority, we shall,
in 1890 and 1892, be swept away as chaf be-
fore the hurricane, and shall deserve our in
glorious fate
But the pending question Is not one OF
party success or Of political expediency. IL
is ono Of party and personal honor. The
Republican party without dissent, and many
of its present great leaders In person, forced
the adoption Of the 10Th amendment Of the
constitution, and have repeatedly pledged
themselves to make it living reality by
maintaining manhood suffrage without re-
gard tc race or color throughout the restored
Union. Faltering in the presence Of exist
ing conditions Is dishonoring weakness.
Non-action is perfdy and degradation. With
John M. Clayton a bloody sacrifice yester-
day, and +. M. ID. Cook CHASTITY corpse to-
day, butchered for making Republican
speech in Mississippi, Republicans who talk
about not irritatingthe South by force bills
are false to their professed principles, and
are doing their best to discredit and defeat
their party.
Republicans-old and young-ought to
have clear comprehension of this question.
The principle which some propose to set
aside or waive or postpone is the only vital
and fundamental one which therefore can
not be so treated. Every other is incidental
and may be disavOwed, and the party yet
exist. But this one being discarded, the
The fundamental principles OF the Repub-
lican party have all had relation to the negro.
They have been CD opposition to the extern
sion of slavery into free territory, ~ the
subjugation Of the Shareholders, rebellion,
(ql and fh rnonhnnd cuffra0a
OF these only one remains in contest, and
that Is the fOurth-suffrage. The many other
beneficial purposes OF the party have all been
incidental merely. All could have been
served. This is true Of protection by the
tariff of American industries. A Republi-
can can believe in tariff reduction, or even
In free trade. and yet properly adhere to his
party. But he cannot fail to advocate the
18th amendment. and all proper laws to sup
plement it, and their enforcement and yet
be Republican. His only proper place IS
with the negotiating, Republlcan-killing
Democracy.
So, without regard to results, 1t Is the duty
Of Republicans to push on In all endeavors
which seem to them apt to enforce the 18th
amendment. Doing this, the party, no mat
ter who may carry the elections, honorably
lives. Failing TO do this, the party,
losing the elections, dishonorably dies. 1t
is no easy or agreeable conflict. Discomfort
and contumely will come to all who are alb
solutely faithful. Entrenched behind the
solid South with her 40 extra votes based
upon the black men, and yet wrenehed away
from the black men by murders more horri-
BILE than history elsewhere has ever unfold
ed, those who are now villifying you will
fight with every possible weapon to retain
power obtained by violence, and to regain
the control Of the nation. III any Republi-
can is prepared to surrender 1t to them, he
may retire and sleep. 1t can be kept in Re-
publican hands only by the wise means
which you and your associates in the House
have adopted, and through the high spirit
with which you have been providentially In
spired.
Keep cool, move forward, be patient; let
the heather rage.
Yours truly,
WIN. L. CHANDLER.
TNo Ako