The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-09-14
or the poor, or the poor for the bencf

for the security of private property gel
orally suffices for the protection of Il
rich, Democracy, without violating ind
vidual rights, will always aim to educa
aud elevate the masses of the people.
| 5. Offices should be created only whe
clearly demanded by necessary publ
business, and such salaries be paid as I'll
nature and Importance of the busines
require, leaving no just grounds of con
plant or excuse for peculation.
A policy that leads to or requires Il,
multiplication OF offices Is anti DGmc
cratic, unjust and dangerous to freedom
A policy which changes men in Office fo
individual profit instead OF public goo
is a perversion Of the principles of bu
siness, anti-democratic, corrupting an,
perilous to the liberties of the people.
Official power is trust for the com
mon good, which no public officer has
right to use for his private benefit, ant
whosoever does so is a greater scoun
drel than he who misapplies funds in hi
trust, because the official trust is NOR
sacred and the wrong more difficult t.
detect and measure.
Whosoever obtains votes under falls
|pretenses is baser knave than he wht
obtains goods under false pretenses, ,and
on account Of the greater difficulty o
detecting and measuring the evil done
deserves severer punishment and repro
baton.
Regarding all officers as servants o
the people and trustees of power for the
common veal, Democracy favors such
modes of appointment and tenures OF
office as reason and experience show
best calculated to secure good conduct
and efficiency in the public service, with.
out regard to private interest, public
customs, or individual pretensions.
Reason and experience alike condemn
frequent and needless changes of public
officers, and the generally prevailing
practice of making them for personal
benefit instead of the public good, is act
ing in great matters of the State and Ma
ton on principle which would ruin any
private business, and, unless corrected,
will bring the administration of free gov
ernment into deserved contempt. 1t is
essentially opposed to the principles Of
democratic government, and it behooves
the Democracy Of the United States to
make war on the practice, without truce
or delay, returning to the Jeffersonian
standard of official qualification, els he
honest, capable and faithful p
6. The immense increase of National
Executive patronage, placing upward of
one hundred thousand offices, besides
minor positions of emolument,
at his disposal, and the habit of chang
ing the incumbents to secure or reward
Executive partisanship, have become
dangerous to the liberties Of the country
and demand prompt and efllcacious rem.
edy..
That remedy, at least in part, and nu-
merots important national advantages,
be found by providing that no President
shall be eligible for more than one term,
without a joint resolution of Congress
passed by d two thirds vote in each
House previous to the election declaring
the same; and further provision that
the Presidential term shall be extended
to six years.
Z. The Democratic doctrine Of suf-
frage requires distinct reaffirmation
Democracy has always held that suf
frage is nota natural right of every hui
man being, nor of a particular sex Or
race, but a political pricilege, and who
should exercise it question to be deci-
led by what will produce "the greatest
good to the greatest number" and, there
ore, as far as possible, to be determined
ocally, where lays the great body of the
tights of the people.
But in these local discussions the
Democratic idea fayors broad rather
han narrow basis of suffrage. 1t is
not unmindful or regardless of the rights
If women, Of property, and inferior "a
,es; but seeing other effective and ad-
,antageouss ways in which these can
lave their influence OH all legislation af-
Getting their interests, at present il pre-
ers giving the right of voting 70 man
lood and qualifications, which will tend
% create lS IDS of political brotherhood
between the rich and poor, based on mu-
ual interests, and to avert conflicts be-
ween capital and labor.
The caucus system, invented by the
Democracy as practical way of finding
,ut who is proper person to be voted
or where a constituency is too large to
NOW each other personally, and in spite
If its glaring imperfections and corrup-
ions now adopted by all parties, should
,e improved by the Democracy and
'arefully regulated by wise provisions of
aw.
These views l believe to be explicitly |
" implicitly held by three fourths of our
'oting population, and only require dis
inct Democratic enunciation to elicit a
substantial response from the people,
Who well know that neither public pol
cy based on passions, nor Ra0icalism
YER Sc can long rule without running the
country, and would be glad to combine
or the public good on grounds that
would restore our State and National
Administrations to the spirit and prac-
ice of Democratic Republican simple
ty.
Should there be Democrats whose
mental organization or temper docs not
ermit them to recognize existing facts,
+ conform their action to great popular
harges, let them, for the public good,
bdicate leadership, and leave the ener-
les of the people free to act in the line
f life and Progress.
The exceptional political condition Of
arties, and my desire to rccsll Veil
nown fundamental principles, and indi-
ate some of the logical consequences
nd applications in my judgment vitally
Important to the future of the country |
nd the cause Of free government, must
c my apology for the length of this let
er
Thanking you for your eordiality and
indness in.commtinicating my nomina-
ION, and begging, through you, to thank