Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-01-12

7 justified by the existence Of grave danger
Such peril not only to you, but even to
popular government by the people, your
committee conceived, was lurking in the
legislative halls in Columbus. AS your sen
tinels, placed on duty by you, we deter
mined to lay the situation before you and
ask you to take such action as you might
deem wise
Last spring and summer the Republican
county district conventions in Ohio instruct
ed their nominees for representatives and
senator's, If elected, to cast their votes in
the election for United States senator for
the superb leader and general who planned
of Ohio and the nation in the vital cam
paign of 1S96-Marcus A. Hanna. This
was the exercise of right and privilege,
guaranteed to the people by the constitution
which says 1.-The people have a right to
assemble together in a peaceable manner
to consult for their common good and to
instruct their representatives"
in June the Republican party, by it's duly
authorized agents assembled in state con
ventiOn at Toledo made covenant with
the people that if successful the representa-
tives would return Mr.. Hanna to the Sen
ate. During the campaign which followed,
at every meeting held in Ohio, all our
speakers, from Gov. Bushnell down to the
most humble orator in the log schoolhouse,
pledged themselves that this covenant of
the party should be kept. Upon this issue,
among others, the campaign was conducted tea
and the people returned an ample majority
of Republicans to the general assembly.
Fought from Ambush.
All during the campaign certain men,
claiming to be Republicans, fought our can
didates for the Legislature, from under
cover and from the bushes.
They did not make an open, manly fight
in the light Of the day and where the peo-
pie could see what they were about.
This charge is amply. proven from the
election returns on file in the office of the
secretary of state. However much we must
despise the methods of these. men. and
doubt their party loyalty and love Of Re-
DnDllpHn tl1t
as American citizens they had right to
vote against our legislative candidates.
Here the contest should have ended. But
it did not. The last returns from the cleo
ton had not been received by these men
before there was disclosed the existence
of a conspiracy with our opposition and
ayoWed enemies to bring Shame upon the
Republican party and to lead her trusted
and honored representatives into paths OF
dishOnOr. Behind barred and locked doors,
through which no sound could escape to
alarm the honest people, they sought to
have our party, which through all her glori-
Gus history never did dishonorable thing,
break her faith solemnly pledged to the
people of Ohio. With the whispering and
inSinuating wiles of dishonest politicians
they tempted your representatives to dis
obey your instructions and disregard the
will of the people.
On Monday last they captured the out
posts of our citadel in organizing the SEN
ate and House of Representatives of Ohio.
Then the extent and strength of the, con.
spiracy first dawned upon the people OF
Ohio Then the question was not whether
Mark A. Hanna should continue to be Unit
ed States senator 1t was Shall the honor
and integrity Of the Republican party be
preserved unsullied? 1t was, Shall the will
of the people be done?
In this emergency we appealed to you.
A storm of Indignation has swept over our
great state and has eliminated in this
meeting today. Republicans of Ohio, you
now know the situation. 1t is for you to
deal with it as you consclentlously may
dictate.