The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-09-03


ton of our national affairs. Many |
have heretofore clung to
their party who have Regretted the ex-
tremes of violence to which it has run |
They have cherished afaith that while |
the actions of their political friends
have been mistaken, their motives
have been good They must now see
that the Republican party~is- in that
condition that it cannot carry out
peaceful policy, whatever its motives
may be.
1t is misfortune, not only to the
country, but the party ITSELF that its
action is unchecked by any form of
opposition. 1t has been the misfor-
tune of the Republican party that the
events of the past few years have
given it so much power that it has
been able to shackle the Executive, to
trammel the Judiciary. and to carry
out the views of the most unwise and
violent of its members. ,s. ..f.i- nj, 4
rs When this state of things exists in 1
any party it has ever been found that
the judgment of its ablest leaders do
not control. There is hardly an able
man who has helped to build up the
Republican organization, who has not
within the past three years, warned it
against its excesses; who has not
been borne down and forced to give,
up his convictions of what the inter-
ests of the country call for; OF, if too
patriotic to do this, who has not been
driven from its ranks. t,a4.-
If this has been the case heretofore,
what will be its action with this new
infusion of men, who, without de-
cent respect for the views of those who
had just given them their positions,
beginning their legislative career with
coils for arms, and demand that States
shall be regarded as in condition of
civil war, and a declaration that they
are ready and anxious ia degrade the
President of the United States when.
ever they can persuade OF force Con-
gress to bring forward new articles of
impeachment ? The Republican party.
as well as we, are interested in put
| ting some check upon this violence.
1t must be clear o-eEery- thinking
man that division of political power
tends to check the violence of party
action, and assure the peace and good
order of the country. -iZts.5l
| The election of Democratic Exc
cutive and a majority of Democratic
members to the House of Representa-
! tives would not give to that party Or
ganization power to make sudden OF
violent changes, but would serve to
cheek those extreme measures which
have been deplored by the best men
of both organizations. The result
would most certainly lead to- that
peaceful restoration of the Union and
establishment of fraternal relation
ship which the country desires. / am
sure the best men of the Republican
party deplore as deeply as do the
spirit of violence shown by those re-
| Gently admitted to seats i'll Congress.
| The condition ofcivil war which they
contemplate must be abhorrent to
every right-thinking man. II l,,
t3lI have no mere personal wishes
which mislead my judgmentin regard
to the pending election. No man who
has weighed and measured the duties
of the office of President of the United
States can fail to be impressed with
the cares and tolls of him who is to
meet its demands. 1t is not merely
to float with the popular current,
without a policy or a purpose. On
Y
gives. just weight to the public will,
its distinguishing feature is that it
seeks to protect the rightsof minorities.
Its greatest glory is that it puts re-
straint upon power. 1t gives. force
and form to those maxims and princi-
Piles of civil liberty for which the mar
tyrs of freedom have struggled
through ages. 1T declares the right of
the people to be secure in their per-
sons, houses and papers, against un-
reasonable searches andseizures;; that
Congress shall make no law respecting
an. establishment of religion OF the
free exercise thereof OF abridging the
freedom Of speechi OF of the press, or
the right of the people to petition for
redress of grievances. 1t secures the
right Of speedy and public trial by
4 an impartial jury. -9s: ~.
No man can 'riglltfully enter upon
the duties of the Presidential Office un-
less he is not only willing to carry out
the wishes of the people, expressed in
q constitutional way, but is also pre-
pared to stand up for the rights of
minorities, He must be ready to up-
hold the free exercise of religion. He
must denounce measures which would
wrong the personal OF home rights, or
the religious conscience of the hum
| blest citizen of the. land! He must
maintain, without distinction ofcreed
OF nationality, all the privileges of an
American citizenship. The expert
ence of every public man, who has
been faithful to- Ills trust, teaches that
mo one can do tile duties of the office
4 of President unless he is ready, not
| only to andergo.the falsehoods of the
bad, but to suffer from the censure of
the good men who are misled by pre-
/ jHdiees aud misrepresentation. There
are no attractions in such position
which deceive my Judgment when
say that a greatcAange Is going on in
publican party are more thoughtful
and temperate and just than they were
during the excitement which iiatten-
| ded the progress and close of the civil
wal. AS the energy of the Demo-
cratic party springs from their devo-
/ ton to- their cause, and not to their
candidates, ] may, with proprietY,
speak of tire fact that never III the 'po-
litical history of our country has fhe
action of: any like body been hailed
with such Universal and real enthusi-
asm as that which has been shown in
relation to the position Of the Ma
tional Democratic Convention. With
this the candidates had nothing to do.
Had any of those named been selected
this spirit would have heep, perhaps,
mare marked. Tie zeal and energy
/ Of the conservative masses spring
from desire to make change of
1 of'policy, and from the thought that
/ they can carry out their PURPOSES In
this faith they are streng gthehed by
the cooperation of the great body of
those who served in the Union army
and navy during tho war. 20 Having
given nearly 10000 commissions to
the officers of that army, 1 know their
views and wishes. They demand the
1 Union for which they fought. The
|. largest meeting of these gallant SOL
diers ever assembled was held in New
Y YoIk, and indorsed the action of the
F AT.,4tH 4 4 = -