Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-09-05
NOMINATION OF HON. W. l.. Will
son, OF W. VA, FOR RE-
ELECTION.

He receives an ovation-His speech accept
asSss@a.szzzsi Ing the Nomination. ~
At the Convention of the Democrats
for the 2nd district of w. Va, held at
Martinsburg last Wednesday, Hon
| VIM. L. Wilson was unanimously nomi
mated for reelection for the seventh
term He received an ovation on his
arrival, and was nominated with
unanimity and great enthusiasm. He
addressed the Convention, and was
followed by Governor elect Oates, oil
Alabama, and Representatives Tracey
of New York, and Hall, of Minnesota
| MIR. WILSON'S SPEECH.
In accepting the nomination, Mr.
| Wilson spoke substantially as follows
1.-The honor to which you summon
me to day is not Il new one for me tC
receive at your generous hands. SC
many times has it come to me. in the
past-never coldly or grudgingly-that
| should vainly seek for new and
stronger language in which to assure
~
your approval and support. But il
fitting and sufficing words are slow to
come, | beg you not to doubt that
l. IN more deeply moved and more af
fectionately touched by your action
to day than l have ever been before
That action comes at the end of one OF
| the greatest and most mOmentous
struggles that has marked our politi
cal history, and it comes in such a way
as to stamp with your approval, as
constituents and democrats, the servi
ces which your Representative was
called upon to render for the suprem
acy of democratic principles and the
fulfillment of democratic pledges. II
is no mock affectatiOn-for nothing
could be more blameworthy or criminal
on my part ON this occasion-but the
simple candor which is due from me to
you, when l say that but for what
seemed duty and a call growing Out
of that struggle, should gladly ask al
your hands an honorable discharge
from further public service and per
mission to take my place once again
in the ranks of the militant and ever
| faithful democrats of the second con-
gressional district.
''In other campaigns l have accepted
this trust at your hands with full
knowledge of the labor and strain re-
quired for a thorough canvass of sc
large and SO stoutly contested dis
trict as our own, but also with a conf
dence in my ability to meet that labor
and strain. To-day l cannot have thai
confidence and in view of the large
and dangerous drafts made upon my
strength and health, shall be con
strained to ask at your hands some re
mission of the labors OF public can
wasting, which l have heretofore sc
greatly enjoyed. l shall, not. however
| be a drone in the approaching contest
| and shall spare no reasonable effort tt
meet personally, if not upon the hust
ings, as many of the people AS l can.
THE FIGHT FOR TARIFF REFORM.
"Fellow citizens, this is enough fol
me to say of personal nature. There
are other thoughts that fill your minds
to-day. Boundless as is your kindness
to me, it is something beyond kindness
| to me which has gathered this grea
convention and great assemblage. TIL,
Congress which adjourned yesterda,
was charged by the American peopl
with a duty, clear, unmistakable
transcendent, to secure from the gras]
of private and selfish hands the powe
of federal taxation, to lift from tn
backs of the American people tina
burden of tribute to privilege ant
monopoly which under thirty years
republican legislation had grown con
stantly heavier until it far exceeded
their legitimate and necessary taxation
for the support of government t,
reclaim and make forever sure tina
heritage of American youth which i
the true meaning and priceless boon O
democratic institutions-equal oppo1
tunity in a land of equal rights Thi
was the inspiring mission which tn
democratic party had long sough
from the American people, power an,
authority to perform. To this mission
the immediate representatives of tn
people gave themselves earnestly an,
faithfully.
A TRIBUTE TO CLEVELAND.
I'm that work they were at all time
cheered and encouraged by their 81 ca
leader, who for eight years, in defea
and victory, had led in the movemen
for tariff reform. While he scrupu
lousy abstained from interference
with the work of those entrusted will
the reform legislation, he was insistent
in season and out of season, in urgIn,
that the pledges on which we ha,
come into power should be fulfilled il
the letter and in the spirit, and tina
the blessings of reduced and just tax
alton should be fully and honestl,
secured to the American people.
| PERSONAL AMBITION PUT AWAY.
'In this great work your own Repre-
sentative, thanks to your kindness il
granting him a long public service
was assigned an important and mos
arduous part. No man could fiji,
undertake to frame a revenue bill TO
a nation of 100000 of people unsur
passed in wealth and in the magnitude
and the variety of their industrial ant
commercial interests, to purge injustice
and monopoly from that system, t,
replace class exaction by public tax
alton, privilege by equality, to lighter
the burden of the people, secure large
rewards for their labor and freer pla,
for their industry, without being APP
palled by the greatness of the trus
committed to him and thickening diff
culties in the way of its successful per
Torrance. No man could worthiIy APP
proach such work without putting
a way from him any petty personal am
bition and any selfish concern for hi,
own political future. No man coulC
hope for any measure of real success
who was not willing to dedicate tt
such task every power of body and
mind, with an humble invocation fol
strength and wisdom from the unfail
ing source of strength and wisdom. ]
| cannot claim to have risen to the full
height of this duty, but l have never
faltered in the belief that you, my
friends and constituents, expected and
desired me to enter upon my work in
this spirit and in this spirit to perse.
we're to its close.
GENUINE TARIFF REFORMERS,
Il knew that you were tariff re.
formers without reservation; | knew
that the democrats of West Virginia
| were not protectionisus for West Vir-
ginia and reformers and free traders
for other States. But even if l had
known otherwise l should not have
gone aside one step from what was to
me the clear pathway of duty to all
| the people. You know, for you have
followed with watchful interest the
varying history of our attempt at tariff
reform. You have followed with rising
hopes and hearty approval the action