The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-04-15
The REPUBLICANS OF WeSTaOBFLAnD
declaration of Principles &c

An enthusiastic mass-meeting # the
Republicans Of Westmoreland was held
at Chiffon 's, April lst. for the purpose
Of selecting candidates for the several
county Offices to be filed at the ap.
preaching May elections. Mr. Robert
Reed and ). Bombrake were unani.
mously chosen by the convention, for
temporary chairman and secretary, re-
pectively. Unusual enthusiasm and
harmony prevailed throughout the
meeting, as was more strikingly mani
! tested by the unanimous selection by
the convention, of the following ticket
! Mr. 5. b. Hardwicke, Of kinsale, for
the Office Of treasurer renominated
| Chas. Sanford, Of Chilton's : for Com
missioner Of the Revenue and James
7 Trew, Of Baynesyille. for sheriff
Short addresses were made by each Of
these gentlemen During the course
Of the meeting, Mr.. Edgar Goodrich, a
prominent farmer Of Westmoreland.
and a former democrat, in stirring
address, which elected frequent ap-
plause. severely arraiRned the Demo
cratic party Of Westmoreland, for their
incompetency and the utter lack of
party principles upon local, as well as
state and national Issues, and after
reciting the many abuses suffered by
the people through Democratic NAL
administration of local affairs. intro
| duced and secured the enthusiastic
adoption by the convention, Of the fol
lowing declaration Of principles, as
embodying the sentiments Of the Re-
publican party Of Westmoreland
The Republican party Of Westmore-
land, grateful 20 benefcient Provi.
dence which enables them to re-assem
bic under a current Of achievements, so
propitious to its sovereign principles
and grateful alike for the spirit Of con
hdence inspired by the rectitude Of
their cause, and an increasing acces-
sion TO their ranks, submits TO the peo-
pie Of Westmoreaud, the following
declaration of principles
l. We advert with pride to the able,
patriotic and statesman n-like-adminis-
tration Of national affairs, which has
marked the resumption Of the Repub-
lican party to power emphasizing as
we do, the glorious and unparalleled
achievements, under the executive
guidianship of President Mckinley.
of our military and naval forces over
the vanquished arms Of Spain; culmi-
mating in the Liberation Of an OPP
pressed and struggling people, and the
salutary advancement Of the causes OF
| Christianity and civilization; to the
restoration of commercial and indus
teial prosperity throughout the United
States to an increased activity i'll our
Interstate, coastwise, and foreign COM
merce- in all the beneficent results
arising from the steadfast adherence Of
the Republican party to a sound and
stable currency.
3 We heartily commend the clean
and buisnesslike methods which has
marked the administration Of the OF.
fees Of Treasurer and Commissioner
of the Revenue of our county, by the
present incumbents, Messrs. Sanford
and Hardwicke, and we pledge our
selves, through our nominees for those
offices, TO q maintenance Of that high
standard Of efficiency, honesty, and
sobriety, which should ever. and as we
believe, has ever marked the incum'
bany Of those important departments Of
oar county government, by the nomi-
nees of our party
3 We denounce the existing methods
of so-called road repair and I'M
provement, whereby the public funds
are expended to no apparent benefit
and whereby the public highways OF
our county have become, throughout
most Of the year, a serious menace to
life, limb, and moving property
and a hinderance rather than facility
| to public movements; and we favor
such improvement of the existing law
as will impose a more searching and
rigorous enaction, both as to the con
tractual requirements, as we'll as to the
bonded penalties under which the work
of highway repairs is undertaken.
We denounce as pernioious to the
public interests, and as conducive to
no material elevation Of the educa-
tional Standard Of our community, the
mischieYous tendency of recent require
ments, whereby patrons are subjected
at frequent intervals to the unnecces
sary annoyance and expense arising
from corrupt and ill-advised innoVa-
tions in our school text books; and we
favor such amendment of the existing
laws. as will restrict at least the au'
thority thus injuriously exercised.
1--WE regard with distrust and unqual
flied disfavor the inequitable spirit OF
such existing legislation, enacted by a
Democratic Legislature, as directs the
removal Of the assessing power over the
craft. tackle, and the like, Of our local
oyster industry, to officials residing at
remote and Indifferent points, and
computing their assessments upon the
basis of defective and incompetent re-
cords, whereby gross and palpable un-
fairness is arbitrarily inflicted upon
a worthy class Of toilers. and, whereby,
as it most frequently occurs individuals
are assessed upon property that they
have ceased to own, whilst others re-
main unassessed upon considerable
taxohla rosoaseio,a and tua favor cueh |