Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-07-31

OIuSt w apSShhaih WV btaS R~ee ~
duty as it has been in my power to
make.
If ] could, at this point, abandon
public station consistently with my
obligation to my party, my friends,
and the duties | owe as citizen TO
my country, the path before me would
be easy and smooth. Your action
alone, however, here today under all
tho circumstances of the past and
present impels me to accept your
nomination and make one more cam
paign with you, and for that purpose
we must look the future coolly and
resolutely in the face, in the light Of
the recent result at Baltimore. When
ever and wherever in all the ages and
nations OF the world men have asso-
ciated themselves together for com
mon objects, whether in affairs of
church or State, the power Of final
decision over matters in controversy
amongst themselves has been specifi'
cally lodged somewhere. Without
this authority no bond would be strong
enough to produce united action in
behalf of any purpose, however great
and bene6cept, so widely do men
honestly differ in regard to the means
and .he details by which the most de-
sirable ends are to be attained. OF
course no sect or party, religious or
political, has the right or the power
to crush out the independent convic.
tions of its members, and it is not only
the privilege but the duty Of the mem.
bers of the organization to abandon it
whenever they perceive that they can
more surely secure tho great objects
they have in view by so doing. Great
and binding, therefore, as all Demo.
Gratis concede the authority of more
than two,thirds majority ofa National
Democratic Convention to be, yet il
you were fully persuaded that you
could better serve your country and
more certainly rescue her from the
shame and disgrace into which she
has been plunged, by leaving your old
organization and seeking new party
relations you would be justified in such
course. But let me say TO the Dem.
ocratic masses in this district and
throughout the State that l see no
such course open TO any friend of his
country. To those who have so warm.
ly coincided in opinion with me on the
propriety of Mr.. Greeley's nomination,
and their name is legion, let me say
that the Democratic party is infinitely
preferable in my judgment, even with
Horace Greeley as its candidate, 10
that portion of the Republican party
which acknowledges the leadership Of
Grant and the pro6igatc managers by
which no is led on to bis own and
his country's ruin. No thought ol
recreancy or infidelty TO the Dcmo-
cratic party ever entered my mind,
As | cannot control its councils shall
submit to them, hoping that time may
show its ways 10 be wiser and more
beneficial to the country than | pre-
dicted. He who cannot have his own
way in this world is not, therefore, in
my opinion, justified in doing nothing
Hc can without Inconsistency conccdC
that others may be moro enlightened
than himself on tho points at issue
and give their plans fair trial.
If we turn, however, for brief sur
vey of the broad field of national poll
tics many strange and significant as
poets are presented to our view. We
constantly hear of the unwonted posi-
ton of the Democratic party. It's ac
ton and its attitude we admit to be
unusual, but | think if we examine
we will find other occurrences in the
political world quito as novel and
striking as anything in the conduct o.
the Democracy. Is the condition ol
the Republican organization so natu
raj and healthy that it can afford to
sncer at the supposed sickness and
death of its powerful neighbor? Al
the close OF the war it succeeded tc
illimitable power and possessions. Its
means, by which TO seduce the venal
overawe the timid and cocrce oil 9th
ers into its support, we're absolutely
boundless in eleven States and nearly
so everywhere else. If this powerful
party had been puro and unselfish II
its devotion to the welfare of thu
country; if it had even managed will
an eye single TO the prosperity of thu
laboring people; If IL had tostered thu
industrial classes, instead Of the mo
nopolies If it had conciliated the con
Quered, instead OF bruising them every
day afresh with additional stripes i
it had sought to invigorate and enricl
an impoverished section of the great
est natural wealth, instead Of scourg
ing it into still more horrible barren
ness and misery; if it had built OF
love and patriotism, instead OF hat
and greed, it would have had bcfor,
it a larger lease of power at the hand
of the American people than was eve
granted to a political party in th,
history of the world. But bloate'
with much power aud counties
wealth its career has been full 0
wretchedness, gradually but surel,
forfeiting the confidence OF the peopl
and driving the best elements out 0
its organization This fact is strik
ingly illustrated by the history Of pc
litical contests in Indiana in 1864
when the waves of Radical misrul
reached their highest point in thi
State, q majority of $1,000 was re
corded against the Democratic party
! Two years later in 1866, we again me
the same enemy and reduced thi
majority to $4,000. In 1868 we Tough
again under the same colors an
wiped out the entire majority agains
US, the Radicals only saving tho Stat
officers by the fraudulent returns of
fow hundred ajority. Thus stoo
the contest in Indiana when the FIJI
teenth Amendment, never legally rat
fed, n fraud in my Individual judgmen
on tho American people, gave an il
crease Of 10000 negro voters TO tn
Radicals I; yet in 1870 we dcfeate
this coalition of blacks and whites an
placed about 5000 of a majority o
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