The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-25
Welcome to a Patriot.

For four years he had been regarded
as the orator laureate Of the Repub-
lican party. Now the vials Of their
wrath and the food of their SANDER
will be poured upon his head without
stint All that his friends will have to
do in order to answer their lies about
him in this campaign will be to repro
duce in parallel columns all they have
said about him in the past four years.
They affect to sneer at him now. but
they will hardly continue to do so after
the election.
Wherever there are patriotic hearts
to stir Davis will stir them to their
depths. In districts inhabited by large
numbers of Beers and Germans he will
be particularly strong in the cause OF
human liberty. For years he has been
my personal friend. l have always re-
garded him as too good man to be in
the Republican party. On my own be-
half and in behalf Of thousands Of 9th
er good Democrats / welcome him most
heartily into the Democratic party. He
is only the advance guard Of great
army of Republicans who love their
country better than they love their
party and will join us this year because
they know that we are fighting to the
end that government Of the people. by
the people, for the people. shall not
perish from the earth.
George S. Boutwell,.
Davis belonged to the young gen.
Grafton Of Republicans. He is in the
flower of his years and the prime Of
his powers. but the break from the Re
publican party is not confined to the
Youngsters. Just before Davis quit
them the Hon. George S. Boutwell, Of
Massachusetts cut the same caper. He
is one of the veterans Of the party, one
of the men who made it. He was one
of the earliest Republican governors
Of Massachusetts and if my memory
serves me correctly the first. He be-
longs to that race Of New England
giants of which Charles Sumner was
the chief He was not only governor
of Massachusetts,, but representative
in congress, q senator of the United
States and secretary OF the treasury
Pc was the friend and confidential ad-
wiser of L. S. Grant 1t will not do for
Republicans to sneer at him any more
than it will do for them to sneer at
Webster Davis. The truth is that the
Republican party of today is held to-
sether only by the cohesive power of
public Dlunder. If Lincoln and his con-
temporaries could rise from their
graves, they would utterly refuse to
recognize Hanna and his gang as lead
ers of the party which they once led.
Revolt Against RepubNcanism.
In leaving the Republican party Gov
ernor Boutwell, says:
1T is vain hope that the Republic
an party as an organization can re-
verse this policy of the president. The
hope is as vain as was the hope in
1868 that the Democratic pa!tty as an
organization would aid in the abolition
Of slavery"
Nor is the revolt against the Repub-
lican party confined to men who may
reasonably be supposed to have politi-
cal ambitions 1t extends to men OF all
classes. For example. in my own coun-
ty. in the city Of Louisiana. there is
wealthy and influential lumber mer-
chant who was born 4 Republican and
has been Republican all his lie and
whose ancestors on both sides OF the
house We're Republicans and Maine Re
DublicanS at that. He is Il nephew Of
the Hon. Israel Washburn. once a
congressman from Maine: of the Hon.
Elihu T. Washburn. for 20 years q
leading Republican congressman from
Illinois and both secretary of state ANA
minister 20 France under Grant: OF the
late General Washburn OF Wisconsin.
who was both governor Of Wisconsin
and a general in the Union army: also
of ex-United States Senator WaShburn
Of Minnesota. Colonel Bufum is one
of the few men living or dead who ever
had three uncleS in tne United States
congress at the same time. He is fine
business man. independent financially.
and l doubt very much if he would ac-
cept any Office whatever. Yet with
these surroundings he feels it TO be- his
patriotic duty to leave the Republican
party and join the Democrats.
Colored Men In Line.
Nor is the revolt confined 20 White
men of low or high degree. rich or poor.
Recently the colored people Of Missouri
held convention at st. Joseph for the
purpose of discussing the feasibility OF
nominating ticket Of their own or Of
joining the Democracy. II this move
ment should spread it would carry ter
ror and diSmay into the ranks of the
Republicans in six Or eight states
which usually give their vote to the
Republican presidential candidate. The
truth is that the colored population
have been hewerS Of wood anG draw
erS of water ever since they were en-
franchised. They are bully boys just
before the election in the Republican
estimation and the next day ii usually
Nd