The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1894-05-03
Ransom.
JARVIS SECOND LETTER.

Our new Senator wrote a second
letter to the editor of the Raleigh
News ard Observer. 1t is such an
admirable letter that We yield our
editorial space to give it practically
in full.
s'In my letter declaring it to be my
purpose not to be a candidate before
the legislature for the place made
vacant by the death of Senator
Vance, | simply said that if the peo-
pie desire to keep up the Sena torial
divisions, SO to speak, | would not
be in their way, that L did not in
tend to be candidate for the short
term. | did not intend to declare
war upon any one or TO throw down
the gage of battle to any one, and /
humbiy submit there is nothing in
the letter to justify such a construc-
ton.
1T is trueI have for months enter
tanned the purpose to become q can
ceeG Senator Ransom, and [ have
not concealed this purpose. l felt
that | had a right to do this, and l
still think SO. 1t must be re-
membered that Senator Ransom is
now nearing the end Of his fourth
term He has been continuously in
this high Office more than twenty
two years. / did not feel and [ do
not now feel that | am infringing
upon any ones right in becoming
candidate for this position, and j
have no idea that the Senator, after
his long term Of service, will, for a
moment, undertake to question the
right of any gentleman to succeed
him. There certainly is no occasion
tor any superstition that we are to
have any undue excitement or asper-
ity over the matter. [ have never
been a disturbing element in the
Democratic party and will not be
now. / will say in advance that [
am willing to leave it to the Demo
cratic voters at ballot to be taken
in the primaries, under such rules and
regulations as may be prescribed by
the State committee, TO say whether
/ shall be a candidate at all or not,
and [ will abide the result. Or, I am
quite as willing for the State conven-
ton of our party to determine that
question. This is the peoples busi-
ness and [ am willing for them to
settle it, and in their own way. I
will go still further, and say that if
at anytime it shall appear that my
candidacy will lose to the party
single county will De ready to retire
Il say this because in my humble
judgement it is of the first import
ance to the people that the State
Government shall remain in the
hands OF the Democratic party.
Under the administration OF this
party the people have had tranquil
ty, peace and all the prosperity that
a good State government could give.
1t Is far better, in my opinion, that
both Senator Ransom and myself
should pass out of public life than
that the State government should
pass from under the control of the
Democratic party. | know it is bet
ter that | should never be heard of
again than that the Legislature
should cease to be in the hands of
the Democrats.
81 notice with regret that it is in
simulated that the Governor has paid
off a private obligation with a public
trust. This charge was made, | am
sure, in ignorance of the facts in the
case. / beg to state the fact, and
then believe the unjust insinuation
will be Withdrawn. The facts are
these: just as soon as the Execu
tive Committee was organized /
wrote to it's chairman, the Hon. f.
M. Simmons, rendering my services
to the party and agreeing to be sub
ject to his orders till the election was
over. About the 18th or Goth of
july l received a telegram from Mr..
Simmons asking me to come to Raj
eigh. I obeyed his summons, and on
my arrival there was told by him
that there would be no joint canvass
and that / had been selected to
travel and speak with our candidate
for Governor. repeated that l was
ready to go anywhere he chose to
send me. All he had to. do was to
make and publish the appointments
and tLatI would be there to fill them.
81 assisted him, at his request, in
making the first few appointments,
beginning at Whiteville on August
1st, but after that I did not know
where was going, or with whom /