West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-09-11
SPEECH OF ACCEPTANCE
or Hon. William l.. Wilson, Before
the Democratic Congressional
Conventional at Keyser,
August %, 1890.

Mr.. Wilson began his speech by
saying that it was easier to speak
for another than ones self easier
to speak from the head than from
the heart. His present nomination
was particularly graceful, because
1T came as the spontaneous, unasked
action of the Democrats of the dis
trict. He had purposely refrained
from making any canvass or solIci-
tation, because he thought after
the honors he had received it might
seem selfish in him to ask for more,
and also because as many of his in
innate friends present knew he had
had the most difficult and painful
question of his life to decide whether
duty to his own household would
permit his long continuance in
public life.
81 am not growing uneasy" he
said, 'of this fight for right and
principal. i do not lose heart or
hope in the struggle, for j know
that the fight for free government
has been long and weary one.
The forces arrayed against it are
the strongest that influence men in
the world-the force of selfishness.
The Democratic party is the national
and inconvertable enemy of these
forces. 1t can never make truce or
alliance with them, for it appeals
to no mans personal interest. 1t
aims and struggles to secure the
same lawe, the same rights, the
same opportunities to all citizens.
In the last campaign it had to en-
counter the forces of selfishness and
the forces Of sectionalism.
Before this unholy alliance it had
met temporary defeat, but forth
with renewed the contest with cour-
age as high as the great stakes in
volved. The assault on free gov
ernment came here, as in all other
countries, through the power of
taxation. Our fathers understood
this and acted upon it. 1t was a
wealthy English farmer who raised
the flag of rebellion against one
king rather than pay out of his
wealth few shillings Of ship money
illegally levied upon him. 1t was
wealthy Virginia farmer who rais-
ed the flag of rebellion against an
other king rather than pay out Of
his wealth a few dollars stamp
tax illegally exacted of him. The
names of John Hampden and
George Washington are the great
kindling names of our history be-
cause they saw that with a little
taxation men might lose great
deal of liberty.
Great and merciless as the exist
ing system Of taxation in this coun-
try, its effect on the liberties of the
people must be considered as more
disastrous than its weight of pecu-
mary exactions. 1t was almost
certain that every dollar in circula-
ton IN the country. was in the
course Of year taken from the
people in the way Of taxes, Of which
one fourth goes into the treasury
and three fourths in the pockets Of
the beneficiarios under the tariff.
But the most dangerous and m
evitable effects Of such a system is
that, while it takes from the men
Of this generation their property.
it takes from their children the
priceless heritage Of liberty. Dem
ocratic government meant oppor-
tunity it meant an equal start in
life for every youth. 1t holds out
to every man the highest and no
blost Of oil incentives to effort, the
assurance that under free govern
ment and equal laws the prizes in
life arc open to all, and arc the sure
rot.,.,rl 80 ..4 .f