South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-07-15
THElNTKLLlGENcER
FRIDAY. JULY Is. issa.
TO THE PEOPLE OF HAMPSHIRH.

49, W. an w AAAL OH NE
The Democratic Party processes
to DO the Party of the People. It's
conventions profess to represent
In their nominations the choice OF
the People. Its platforms are full
OF declarations denouncing abuses
and corruption in politics and de-
handing the reform Of these abus-
60, and the maintenance of politi-
cal. purity, and through its repre-
sentatives in the Legislature it has
enacted q law intended to prevent
and punish corrupt and corrupting
efforts of INSCRIPTIONS candidates
to obtain Party nominations, and
to deter them from infamous at
tempts to purchase with money,
mercenary promises, gifts, loans or
other thing Of value, the Offices Of
the People, through the medium OF
nominations acquired by such foul
means.
All true Democrats, oil lovers of
the good name of their State or
County, which is furnished and dis
honored whenever the slime of cor
ruption is seen marking the trail Of
their representatives. All Patriots
who see how big with danger to the
country, the purchase aud sale of Of
fees and nominations arc. All
honest men who instinctively de-
tes and recoilj from unfair, base
and unlawful methods and practi-
ces, approve the declarations which
demand Political purity, and the
law which was intended to secure
it ; and the duty they owe to their
Party, their State, and themselves
demands that they should assert
and enforce the law framed to pre-
vent these crimes against the fair
fame OF the State, the good order,
purity and safety Of Government
and the rights of the people. So
plain, so self-evident is this duty,
that it is impossible to conceive that
any sensible, honest, law-respect-
ing man can lend himself az an in
strument to further the ends and
aid in the nomination of any man,
whose nomination is sought to be
accomplished by resort to unlawful,
corrupt or coriupting means, or that
any man who values the respect of
his community and neighbors can
do so, unless he be led astray by
passion, prejudice or self-interest,
most probably the latter, for alas it
is too often true with weak men,
that "when self the wavering bal
ance shakes it's rarely we'll adjus-
ted"
1t is a sad truth that In almost
every community there are few
venal men. either unable to perceive
the baseness of their sale, or 80 lost
to shame, as to let few dollars, or
q little selfish advantage or even
pleasure, outweigh all considera-
tions OF honor and right, and to
them the corrupter looks with a
keen eye whenever he desires to de-
bauch convention or purchase
Unfortunately some-
times too little care is taken In the
selection OF delegates to conventions
to DO sure that each delegate is
above suspicion, and so the "astute
politician, "the slick wire-puller,"
as he ia sometims called, or the I'M
principled trickster, as he is moro
truly called, by those who call
things by their right names, having
an object to attain, is around when
tho meeting to appoint delegates is
held Setting up the pins" that is
trying to get such delegates as he
thinks will either do, Of their own
free will, his bidding, or who can
be "iuducod" (which is a soft word
he uses for "bribod') to do so, and
to this end he bonds all the ener-
gies Of his cunning, all the persuas-
i've powers of his ''slick" tongue,
and all the cheek Of his impotence.
IL he could only be believed, he
is the friend Of every candidate for
every Office, and there is not mem
Der OF the meeting whom he can
hope to influence, with whom he is
not in perfect accord in every thing.
The Devil is the Father Of lies, and
he fully carries into practice the
motto which like all faIsehood ORR
ginate1 with that Father "that ev-
cry thing is fair in war and poll
tics" His Impudence carries him
10 those persons who he thinks may
DO officers or committeeman Of the
meeting with innocentIy put sug-
gestions which he hopes may infiu-
snce them. He tries to get in his
work" on them, and is mover slack
u hattery, promises, false ropresen-
,atlons, and il need be, threats, and
I he finds any of them to be Of that /
base material which is, as be puts il,
open to persuasion" that is, ready !
% sell out, he counts himself hap !
~, and at once proceeds to close a |
bargain. And then whom the meet |
ng Is over, he addresses himself to !
he contamination Of his work, by |
eeing each delegate PRIVATELY, Of |
ering TO him il he thinks him pur- |
'hasable INDUCEMENTS to 60 to the |
dominating convention and stick to |
lim or his man, giving money to |
mo tn helm nm hta vyorL ,.-,,, -. /