The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-07-11

moro tragic In the history OF poll
ties than Ex-Governor Russells lament
when he took the platform and In n
voice which shook with emotion uttered
these Impressive words: II have but
one word to say" he began. '"rhc time
for debate Is past. i nm conscious.
painfully conscious that the mind Of
this convention Is not and has not been
open to 'nrSumcnt. l know the will "
great majority which has seen 1T
to override preccdentS and attack the
sovereignty OF states Is to rlSidly en-
force Its views. I know fun well that
appeal also Will fall III deaf ears.
Is but one thing left 10 enter my
protest. l do SO not In anger or In bit
tcrness. but with n feeling OF infinite
sorrow. Our country, II not this con-
vention. Will listen To our protest"
That was the sublImlty OF dcspalr-n
much grander and nobler figure for his
tory than the p~osturlnE OF the Camille
OF South Carolina.
With what alarming frequency his
tory repeats itself. Here IS this con-
ventIon were Massachusetts and South
Carolina arrayed against each other on
the economic questions OF the day. Two
generations ago-lS3O-siants In argu-
ment and discussion were opposed in
the United States senate, Hayne and
Webster. In his celebrated reply to
the South Carolinlan on the Foot Res
olution." Mr.. Webster said: in an
other Of the South Carolina addresses.
having promised that the crisis requires
all the concentrated energy OF pass
ion.' an attitude OF open resistance 10
the laws OF the Union Is advised. Open
resistance to the laws then. Is the con-
stItutional remedy. the conservative o.
the state. which the South Carolina
doctrines teach for the redress OF polit-
icil evils. real or Imaginary. And Its
authors further say. that appealing
with confidence to the constitution it.
self, TO Justify their opinions. they can
not consent TO try their accuracy by
the courts OF Justice. In n sense,
indeed. sir. this Is assuming open
resistance In favor OF liberty. But what
SORT OF liberty? The liberty OF establish
Ing their own opinions. in defiance OF
the opinions OF all others; the liberty
nt Judging and deciding exclusively
themselves, In 4 matter in which others
40 lluGh ll|ak ~ JNANC tAlA bfNAAE
as they: the liberty or placing their
own opinions above the Judgment OF all
others. above the laws. and above the
constitution. This Is their liberty, and
this Is the fair result OF the proposition
contended for by the honorable gentle
man. Or. 1t may be more properly said.
II is identical with 1t, rather than n re-
suit from ""
There is a parallel but there can BE-
no comparison. Haync was an able, II
mistaken Statcsman-an eagle OF In
tellect. while Tillman mn uncoutl, vul-
gar demaEoGuc. Is nothing but n rice
bird OF the Carolina marshes.
Tiliman is troubled with the swcllcd
head. or as one would say in cultured
Boston meEalomnnia- n dynamic dis
turber OF well-ordcred society. and at
fects many things such as disordcred
dress and the slouchy lounGlng man
ners OF the purlleus. Denis KeRrney.
the sand lot ngitntor OF San Francisco,
was n paragon In his way compared to
this pitchturk malcoRtcnt- Denis In his
time created more noise than T!llman
ever will do. And who gives a thought
10 the memory OF Kearney now?
Tlllman's karnngue. ~sIngularly
enough. afforded an opportunity for a
Massachusetts pcrvcrt to air his con-
version. It was an eleventh hour re-
pentancc. but the lamp OF the sIIverItes
was burning for the vilcst gold hereto,
and SO It was that George Fred Will
Jams. the Boston "Opportunist. the Phil
lip EgalItc OF this new revolution. was
wildly received when he mounted the
rostrum to reply to Tlllman. He IncIden-
tally confessed the error Of his former
happy gold bug ways. The sweetness
% sin must lie IN the happiness Of re-
pcntancc and the joy that cometh with
forgiveness. for at the close OF his speech
the fiery blackburn took him by the
hand and pattinE him on his rcgGncr-
ated shoulder. with the other, said:
You did II splendidly. Fred" How
swceter than the honey Of HyTncttuS
that must have been to George Fred.
AL Ills have their co~inpcnsatlOns. II
1t had not been for Tlllman George
Frcd's reception into full communion
and dnnolntmcnt by the blue grass high
priest would not have been. 80, cOnsplc-
uous. Thus do the mysterious ways of
Providence glide on the trolley tracks
OF opportunity and circumstance in this
age OF progress.
The browning crime Of the free silver
ties was the highway robbery commit
ted In unseating the gold delegates
from Michigan. The hasty reader has
not. perhaps. absorbed the cnormIty OF
that vcnnl act. The credentials of the
gold delegates were without flaw. So
perfect was their title that the national
committee endorsed them by n vote OF
forty To one. There were twenty silver
men on the committee and one OF them
had the tcmerl!y to aSsaSsinatc his
conscience by casting n negative vote
and lie waS from Michigan. md, oi
course. had the twO-thirtlS majority In
the convention In mind when he sand
baEg"d his manhood FOR Tho cause
and tho crisis. THE convention with thu
turpltudc that characterized Its entire
proceedings. knocked down ana drag
ged out the gold men and pumped ihG
silver "automltons In their place. What
for? To make Michigan solid for silver
under the unh rule. and To make iOubly
sure the club they were going IL
awlng-a, tw0-thlrds majority. Every
decent man In the nsScnlblaGc spoke
against tho crime. at was not u Uucs-
ton OF gold or silver" exclaimed Stcv.
en8on. the las partner Of Don n. Dick
inNon. hut n question uf honesty and
right" The sIlvcrlles laughed. What
had they to do with honesty on IL lG to
l standard OF morals.
The contemplated uctiOn OF the con-