Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-10-07
FROM sTRIBLING SPRINGS.
SrR1BI1NG SPRINGS, Oct. 3rd, 1896

EDITOR SPECTATOR AND VINDICATOR:
Pardon me for asking space in your
much esteemed paper, claiming your
charity for myself as an old subscriber,
not that am q patriarch, but from
being continuous subscriber and
reader of the SPECTATOR" since 1846
in prosperity and in adversely, in dark
days as we'll as in sunshine, and OF
course there have been many changes
in the years gov by, but through a
kind providence we have been brought
to the present for which we are thank
full.
We have now been brought to face
the most troublesome times since the
dark days Of the civil war, through
which SO many passed, and those yet
remaining can but feel solicitous in
terest in the affairs of this great coun-
| try Of ours. 1t appears to my humble
Judgment, that as great revolution
in political parties is now being enact
ed as in 1860, when the democratic
party had governed successfully SO
long.
I claim to be democrat from honest
conviction of right, believing it to be
the national States rights Jeffersonian
party handed down to us by the wise
fathers and founders of our beloved
country, whose wholesome laws have
been, and are being SO ruthlessly
changed, altered and. set aside. am
no lawyer, but this is the way the past
and the present appear to my feeble
and humble mind, and would now
earnestly ask those who are disposed,
simply for the sake of change, 10 stop
and deliberately consider the great is
or n I,ofora %ha orioon y,onn1o which
seems to be gold standard and the free
coinage of silver. Gold and silver seem
to me to be the precious metals used
in the days of old, and also the metals
to be coined into money as recognized
by the Constitution of these United
States, and to my mind the only re-
demption money, and now to talk of
debasing the currency of our country
by such money seems to me to be only
ridiculous and foolish.
My only apology for writing this is,
that have taken no active part in
politics for some time, and up to the
time of the Chicago convention ex-
pressed no interest in free silver, and
for quite while after said convention.
took sides neither way, until after the
Indianapolis convention which look
ed upon as a few seeding sore-heads,
a few Of whom are my personal friends
and whose friendship, much esteem,
and now fear their course is only detri-
mental to the great democratic party
| which will continue to live on and on
without them or me.
Further, if am not trespassing too
much upon your valuable space, would
like to say, / think the Chicago con-
vention was representative body of
men, feeling and realizing the interest
of the masses of the people, and the
overwhelming majority by which they
arrived at their conclusions, think
should control at least theirow party
and the party who sent them, and SO
delegated them.
must also say that most heartily
approve and endorse the income clause
in the platform, and think it righteous
to require those who have the ability
to support the government with some
of their extra surplus. and not to op-
press the 'hewers of wood and draw
ers of water"
close this by informing kind friends,
who have been somewhat solicities to
know how stand as to candidates for
the Presidency, that / shall most
heartily support Bryan, Sewall and
Flood believing them to be thoroughly
capable and entirely honest.
Very truly,
T. s. HoGsHEAD.