The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-11-25
CAPT. KITCHINS LETTER.

Capt. w. FL. Kitchln recently to a
Democratic friend Of his, copy of
which has come into the hands of the
editor of THE COMMONWEALTH, and we
commit no breach of confidence in
printing it:
MY DEAR SIR We had as we'll be
honest with ourselves look facts
in the face because, twist and squirm as
we may, these facts must in the wind
up be met and satisfied or we must go
under in the coming contest. The De-
mocracy in this State can not whip
Pritchard, Butler, and A. Andrews, the
negroes and the Devil and his angels
all combined with the gold bug element
added for good measure. 1t has accom-
plished wonders and can accomplish
wonders in the future, but cannot per-
form impossibilities. I believe the
world has an inallenable right to curse
the "stuffed prophets" Cleveland and
Butler, because they have both betray-
ed the trusts reposed in them, by de-
serting the people and joining forces
with the common enemy of the people.
But the honest, deluded victims who
followed them, some into the Republi-
can party, some near the outer lines,
and others standing trying to deter
mine what to do and where to go, do
not deserve the abuse that some papers
and people seem determined to heap
upon them.
Judge other people by myself. And
we all know thousands upon thousands
of good men left the Democratic organ
lzation, not because they disapproved
of its principles, or believed in the
principles of the Republican organiza-
ton; but because they felt that the
party had been betrayed into the hands
of the enemy and that they were being
led into the Republican party and
made to eat dirt and crawl in slime to
build up the fortunes of Cleveland and
his followers at the expense of true
Democracy and the interest OF their
country. / was one OF that number,
and I have no pangs of conscience, and
no apology to offer. I have never
been off the Democratic platform, MOI
have ever ADVOCATED any other doc
trlne than the purest, cleanest cut
Democracy and I never will. But
when you undertook to cram Cleve-
land down my throat, as Democracy
pure and undefiled, you made as big
a mistake as Butler and his crowd did
when they undertook to make me swal.
low Zeb Vance Walser, the Republican
party and the negro, as Jeffersoniar
Democracy.
The Democratic party was wrong ir
following Cleveland into the Republi
can party, and those who rebelled de
serve credit and the national Democra
cy when assembled at Chicago said sc
in tones of thunder by the adoption o
a Democratic platform, and the nomi
nation of democrat thereon, and alst
by the reputation OF Cleveland, Hill
and Wall street Democracy. No, in
sist that those who left Clevelandisn
simply preceded the Chicago conven
ton in the right direction little il
advance.
Now since the Democracy has passei
a bill OF enforcement and separation
from Clevelandism, republicanism ant
negroism, and gone into business OF
its own hook, renewed, regenerated ani
redeemed from republlcanism, I deem
1t the patriotic and christian duty o
every gentlemen who left the party TO
the above named reasons, to either re
turn or aid that party to re-establisl
good government in the State. Thos'
who lett because they we're not Demo
Gratis, or because they preferred spoil
and plumber to an honest administra
ton Of the laws and white supremacy
are not coming back and 1t is useless
expense of time and labor to abus'
them, or beg them to come back.
/ But those who acted with the Thirt
party from patriotic motives, or from
honest though mistaken motives, ar,
as good and true as the best OF us, ant
ought to be encouraged to come home
| from among alien enemies, and d.
service in the cause of good govern
ment, and for the restoration of pros
lperity, harmony and brotherly loye.
i And this wholesale denunciatiol
and abuse of all who aided In admin
lsterlng merited rebuke to the ma
tional Democracy, is all wrong and GU
of place.
There is one thing as certain as tn
setting sun, and that is this if none O
the fellows who voted with the Thir,
party three years ago and even on
year ago vote with the Democrat
party, but against it with the Republi
can party, the party can not win. No,
do you want to win the next battle? ]