Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-03-25

"Your purpose to be equally defama-
tory is obvious. Your skill in the use
of words forbids the plea that in your
letter you misused them through ig-
norance. The design is plain, and
were it not that you have interviewer
in your abuse reference to my opinions
upon public questions as opposed to
your own, to the Democratic Club of
which I am president, and to its pro-
posed celebration of Jeferson's birth
day, should have left your offensive
statement unanswered.
"The Democratic Club of New York
has membership of nearly 5000 Dem
ocrats, who all hold to the main prin-
ciples of Democracy, while their opin-
ions may vary in regard to such politi-
cal questions as are not fundamental |;
but; merely local or transitory, like
many of the vain conceits you have
espoused. But none of those 5000
members is a Republican. As for N.Y.
self, 1 never voted for a Republican
candidate either for a great or email
Office.
"The board of governors and the
president of so large Democratic Or
ganization endeavored to represent off
cially the wishes of the majority, which
was that the coming anniversary OF
the birthday of Jefferson should be
celebrated this year by the organiza.
tion as in previous years. To recall
these principles and traditions with
which his name is so indelibly asso-
ciated, tends to bring about the revival
of Democratic control based on public
questions, the conditions of which are
not transitory.
"To the explanation made to you
that individual opinions have not been
considered you replied that you do
not understand how any individual
opinion can be ignored in political
gathering Then your proceed to con-
trast your opinions with mine, to en-
phasize their antagonism, and finally
declared that you and l cannot with
propriety join in a political banquet
given in honor of Democracy's patron
saint
"Your contention is that the Chicago
platform applies Jefersonian princi-
Piles to present conditions and that be-
cause criticised that platform in its
application to conditions existing three
years ago, and then resisted your can
didacy for the presidency, therefore
my presence at the proposed dinner
would not honor the worlds greatest
Democrat.
"The course of events will probably
prove your understanding of the rela-
tiops. of individual opinions to Demo.
cratic gatherings, and it is therefore
not required of me now 10 indulge in
your politics of temporary to perma-
nent questions.
"On returning from the Chicago con-
vention, 1 explained ny course in a
public address to my constituents and
justified my protest on the ground that
legislation and executive action in en-
forcing the Chicago platform would be
an assault on wages and savings, bring
on silver monometalism aud impair
the obligations of contracts. 1 there
after contended wherever had oppor-
tunity that insistence by the United
States on the coinage ratio of 16 to 1
would be the grave of international BIZ
metallism and that if Europe opened
its mints at 15t and this government
persisted in the ratio of 16 the result
would be as in 1884, and the United
States would be left with only a SUBJ
sidiary currency.
"I answer you as an individual and
not as committing the organization OF
which am president. No copy ofyour
letter has been seen by any member OF
the Democratic Club, and will not un-
til after the reply has been mailed to
you. =,
ut is not practical for me to recall
in this letter the substance of what l
have written or spoken during or since
the last presidential campaign in re-
gard to the Chicago platform, and its
many new phrases, although do not
in any way recognize your right to
question my Democracy. am sending
you by this mail volume which cor
rectly gives the list of everything
which has been published, and you are
at liberty to Indicate and expose any
portion that is unpatriotic, un-Demo-
cratic, un-American, or in conflict with
the Democratic creed as set forth in
Jefferson's first inaugural address.
(Signed) "PERRY BELMONT"
USE OF SCHOOL FUNDS.