The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-09-16

pASu sentiment. winch man1feStS
itself with astounding holiness, that
the government must be enlisted in
the furtherance of private enterprise
and to the advantage OF private in
terests, through their willing agents
in what should be spIaces of public
trust We have seen under this
abandonment of the idea of patriotic
action on the part of these interests.
the estimate of the peoples fran
chise degraded, and openly and pal
pably debauched for the promotion
ofthese selfish and partisan schemes.
Young men, stop and think re-
fleet upon these matters. Investi-
gate for yourselves, honestly, fairly,
impartially and with full purpose
of arriving at the truth. If you
will do this, you will find that, the
present Republican party is guilty
of having repeatedly debauched the
ballot in order to perpetrate itself
in power to further the selfish
schemes of its leaders and their
friends-you will find that, its poll
cy and aims and tendencies are all
leading Uery far a,oay from the teach
ings ofthe fathers of the Republic.
You will find that this party is
to-day confronted by one of the
greatest perils that has ever con-
fronted any party in this country.
You will find that it is beset by men
who are blind TO the consequences
of their acts on the future of the
country. You will find that the
leaders of the Republican party have
made it responsible for the most un-
republican measure ,chich has ecer
marked the history of any political
party in this country. We refer to
that most iniquitous measure,
known as the "Force Bill"
The Gazette, of this city, and
those who train with it, have fully
endorsed that measure. These men,
inspired by reckless partisanship,
intoxicated by power long enjoyed
and much abused proposed this
most unrighteous and unholy meas
ure and struggled with desperate
energy, feeling that they had for
feited the confidence of the people,
and with the use of forbidden ex-
pedients tried TO force it on the
country. That measure, if it had
been put in force, would have put
into the States election machinery
that which would have deprived
the people of their heretofore un-
questioned right to manage and
control the elections of their public
servants. The effort of The Repub-
lican party to fasten upon this coun-
try that infamous measure, and the
bold and reckless manner in which
they tried to do it, ought to fill the
minds of all thoughtful and patri-
otie men with alarm for the safety
of our constitutional liberties. We
believe it has done it. We believe
that, to this utter and reckless dis
regard of the rights and liberties of
the people by the Republican par
ty, is, to be attributed the great up
heaval last fall moro than to any
other cause. The people of this
country are slow to move, but when
they see their rights and liberties
thus seriously menaced, they more
as an dUaldnche. That "Force Bill"
was at war with and wholly abhor-
ent to the spirit of our free institu-
tions. In it were provisions which
destroyed the law and the customs
of the country from the day of its
birth to this day. 1t is the very
foundation of our system of govern
ment, which is that of govern
ment for the people by the people,
that the people shall in the most di-
rect manner. free from interference or
force, manage, conduct and control the
choice OF those ,cho are to make or to
execute the lacs to goUern them.
We ask the young men, just at
tanning their majority, if they desire
this country and its liberties to be
handed over to a set of mercenaries
like these? We ask these young
men if they desire to hand the coun-
try over to a party who would thus
trample upon the constitutional
rights of the people, the customs
and theory of the government from
its birth, for the purpose of retain
ing power against the will of the
people? We ask them if they desire,
so soon in life, to surrender the
rights and liberties which cost so
much of tho blood ond +raosrra ofl