The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-02
Tho Duty Of Democrats.

| 6hG pAOkbEn9 ilAtAAI wa
country toward centralism during the
last few years, Is most alarming to any
careful student Of our institutions. Its
influences IRE made apparent in many
ways. The advocates Of the policy, the
henchmen OF this administration in Con.
gross and elsewhere are naughty, dom.
ineering, impatient OF criticism, indiffor-
ent toward the people, grasping and
inscriptions. They are reckless, and
do not hesitate to offend the most pop.
ular sentiment and most enlightened
morality OF the country in tho means
they use in the accomplishment Of their
personal md partisan epds. II m cleo
ton is to be carried, or just popular
Judgment is to be denied fair and vOluu'
tary expression at the polls, they do not
appeal 10 the reason and justice OF the
people, but TO partisan laws and to pas.
sion, to prejudice and to sectional ami.
mostly. Itthese latter fail they resor-
to money, to bribery, to corruption.
To these ends they levy contributions
upon their friends and retainers in office
upon their favored contractors with the
Government, upon their pet corpora
tons, and upon the corrupt lobby md
rings, and II all these fail, then upon the
Treasury-not by direct drafts for mere
partisan purposes, but by indireetion
and by tho indecent manipulation Of Rn'
thorized expenditures. am profound
~ persuaded that the managers OF this
Administration, in the pending campaign
have done, and will do, things with the
corrupt aid OF money, that are simply
lawless and infamous. And pray you
all to DO ever vigilant to detect and ex
pose them. They are now engaged in
| the unmanly business OF hiring purcllRs
able Democrats to support Grant, or to
oppose Greeley, and thus break tho ef
feet Of tho popular mind OF the vas
number Of good, eminentand incorrupt'
lille Republicans who are deserving from
tlieir ranks and coming to the supper
OF the Cincinnati movement. l meal
Just what say. But it must not be in
ierred TINT 30 reproach all Democrat
who oppose Mr.. Greeley. Just the con
trary. Those only I reproach who do i
for unworthy and dishonorable reasons
The people readily know who they IRE
But, my fellow citizens, ! must hastel
on, for / must not tax your attention
much longer. / want to remind you
that for many years past the mind OF thu
Democratic party Inns been filed will
moro or less adequate conceptions o
these great dangers and abuses, to which
| in some detail have now referred. Bu
our political opponents came slowly, OIL
have not yet come at all, TO appreciate
and admit them. During the present
Administration however, they have he
come SO open, repeated and bold thai
the entire country hns felt thrill o
alarm, thousands OF true and patriotic
Republicans in every State, and many
OF tue ablest and the purest leaders ant
founders OF the Republican party, boil
lin and out Of public life, now admit them
bravely cooperate with US to check and
reform them, and testify to the people,
from their personal observations thu
great extent Of the corruptions and dan
gers which stand in tho way OF reform
and threaten the safety Of our free In
.stitutions.
These events aud facts most naturally
and logically led to great popular
movement to secure n change of admin
istration and reform in the conduct o
the Government. That movement found
OK preston in tho Cincinnati Convention
and adopted declaration OF purposes
and n NATIONAL ticket. The Nationa
Democratic Convention ut Baltimore, Ii
a patriotic spirit ofsslf abnegation leycl
before paralieled in the history Of oui
country, accepted that ayowal Of princi
pies aud that ticket. In this act did il
IsufIaf aay humiliation, Or sacrifice any
essential principle Of the party? With.
out hesitation, l answer, no. ~ Demo
cratic National Convention, under othel
circumstances, might have specifically
demanded some additional reforms, but
nons inconsistent with those demanded
at Cincinnati and Baltimore. Let mt
epitomize the great aud noble purposoi
aYowed in our present platform;
/. Equality before thelaw, and equa
justice to oil men.
2. The preservation OF the UnioI
under the constitution as amended.
8, The removal OF all political disa
bilities, so that there shall DO aetna
equality in rights between citizens Of thl
country.
tial suffrage.
6. The supremacy Of tho civil owe;
the military power
@. Tho uninterrupted enjoyment o
the habeas corpus.
I. The return OF the country to III,
methods Of peace aud law.
8. Strict observance OF the constitu
| tional limitations upon power.
0, Effective and honest civil.serSlc,
reform.
10. No reelection Of President, 81
that his personal motives may not con
flict with his public duty.
II. Taxation shall not necessarily in
terfere with industry.
u. The questions Of tariff protection
and free trade shall be romitted to thl
people and to Congress without executive
Influence. -...I ......e.,
is. Economy and obedience Of III,
laws in public expenditures.
II. Tho amount Of the revenues ant
taxation to DO reduced.
10. The public credit TO be maintain
ed animpaired.
10. As speedy return to specie pay
ment as is safely practicable.
II. Justice and reward to tho ox.sol.
liers OF the Union.
is. Hostility to land.grants-tht
lands to the people.
~. In foreign intercourse, the cult