Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 July 1888 — FAVORS CLEVELAND. [ARTICLE]

FAVORS CLEVELAND.

An Old-Time Republican Farmer’s Pretest Against the Iniquitous Tariff. S. M. Henderson, a leading farmer of Green County, Ill., who has voted the Republican ticket for thirty years, has announced his intention of casting his first vote for a Democrat next November, when he will add his mite toward the election of Grover Cleveland. Mr. Henderson, through the columns of the White Hall Jiegister, addresses tbs following farewell words to his Republican friends: Eprroß Register: In your issue of the22d ult. you gave me an unexpected and undesired notoriety, in saying with whom and for whom I shall vote, which brought forth criticisms abundant from my foimer political associates, one of whom in his exuberance gave me the benefit of the official prayer concluding the sentence of a dojmed criminal: “And may God have mercy on your soul. ” Poor man! He forgot that there are those whose prayer is an abomination in His sight, as well to the ears of many good people. 1 suppose I had as well ho d a farewell reception for my Republican friends, believing, however, that it will not be very long until most of them will emigrate rapidly, as soon as the way is blazed and the goodly land properly reported. They well know Item no office-seeker, and never will be, consequently must be tincere. I am not to b6 ; 'J,lamed if, after months of earnest, honest search and investigation of political economy, that my conclusions in reference to a high protective tariff were arrived at more,than a year ago, in opposition to my party and my party papers, consequently Mr. Cleveland’s message had nothing to do with my political course. lam not in for a friend, party, or even my country, when wrong. Now, Republican iriends, let me rehearse something of the history of our great party, which you may have partially forgotten. Thirty years ago two mental athletes, sons of Illinois, held the listening ears of all this republic. One championed the rights, equal rights, in all the land of person and property, the product of his own labor. The other held that persons and certain property were subject to constitutional provisions, vested rights which public sentiment or law could not derange. I want to say to you that it was not your nor my abhorrence to slavery in the abstract nor our refined sense of humanity that enrolled us under the Republican banner then, but it was the sense of justice to the white man. The South had clamored for more protection of her pseudo property and obtained the obnoxious fugitive slave law; and, not content with that, demanded more protection and more territory. It was this that aroused the whole North in ’6O as it never had been before, and placed Abraham Lincoln in the chief executive chair. Ana our chief —chiefest of the mighty—when the emergency came and the great opportunity offered, with more than magician’s wand stooped down and touched the bowed, wearied, chafed chattel, and up rose a human being, with his e\erlasting longings, aspirations after immortality, though bis soul was overlaid with ebony. It is strange (only it is so human to err) that the party which so long and faithfully championed equal rights in political campaign, in the forum, and finally in the bloody strife, should now be arrayed against equal rights—“the greatest good for the greatest number’’—for a section, for an unjustifiable protection of another species of property, to join in the uptoar, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians. ” More to follow. Faithfully yours, S. M. Henderson.