The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-09-24

W SCale DelOre au uODe speaking ,lnOS
important of all is the question, Hoy
shall perfect reconciliation be brough
about between the North and the South
Upon this question Greeley is fully il
accord with us, and no candid and in
telligent man can doubt that, in thi
particular, his election would prove 0
immense benefit to the country. ,
Next, he Is in favor of the on,
term principle in relation to the Presi
dency, and so are we. Pledged as he i.
to it, bis election would probably estab
lish that principle firmly and forever
Again, he is in favor of genuine, aciyi
service reform; and so are we. .i...g- -ag,.
He is in favor of an honest and econ
omical administration of the Govern
ment; and so are we. ....--.! ....
He is opposed to the absenteeism and
neglect of business that is so striking
a feature in the present Administration
and so are We. ......s. ......
He is opposed to the, ncpotism and
favoritism that disgrace the appointing
Ipower; and SO are we. . O.. -.,..i &c.,.
He is opposed to civil affairs being
controlled by parasites and military
rings; and so are we. ....+. ... p.
He believes that the public lands
should be sacredly reserved for occu,
patton and acquisition by cultiVators,
and not given away to great corpora
tions; and so do we. ''''
Finally, (and now / use his own Ian.
guage, and call upon you to notice how
Istrictly it tallies with Democratic prin
iciples, he believes: ''.,.. | ~
THAT, subject to our solemn Consti.
tutional obligation to maintain the equal
rights Of all citizens, our policy should
aim at local self government, and not at
Capitalization that the civil authority
should be supreme over the military
that the writ of habeas corpus should
be jealously upheld as the safeguard OF
personal freedom; that the individual
citizen should enjoy the largest liberty
consistent with public order; and that
there should be no Federal supervision
of the internal policy Of the several
States and municipalities, but that each
shall be left free to enforce the rights
and promote the we'll being of its inhab-
itants by such means as the judgment of
! its own people shall prescribe "
| What Democrat is there who will not
say amen to this declaration Of princi
lples? What Democrat is there who
does not contend for this very doctrine ?
And what man Of any party, who is a
friend of freedom and free institutions,
can deny in his heart its truth and
soundness
My fellow Democrats, I mean to be
perfectly candid and frank with you, l
always have been, and ever shall be.
therefore plainly say, that | do not ex-
pect straightout Detiotratic Admins
tration should Horace Greeley be elect.
ed ButI do expect and believe the
man who agrees with us upon so many
of the living issues of the day, the man
who upholds the sound principles that
| have read to you in his own words,
who stands solemnly pledged to them
in his letter accepting his nomination,
will, if elected, make fair and upright
President; and that his administration
| will be far more benefcient and useful
than that Of General Grant. Of one
thing, at least, / am sure, and that is,
that it can not be worse OF another
thing l am perfectly confident, and that
is that it will be far better Where, then,
is there any dishonor in Democrat s
supporting Greeley2 Does" honor or
principle require us to throw our votes
away? Is the elective franchise Of so
little value that we ought practically to
renounce it? Is self government of so
little moment that we will forego our
right to be heard in the choice Of our
rulers, and let others choose them for
US? This right of self government was
achieved for US by seven long years OF
war, waged by our Revolutionary faith
ers Have we become so base that we
are willing to give it up-for the man
who will not vote, or who knowingly
casts his vote in such wise that it can
produce no effect, does give up this
right for the time teing. My friends,
this principle Of self government is rev
olutionizing the civilized world. 1t is
shaking every throne in Europe and fast
making the voice Of the people more
potential than the mandate of Kings
Shall we, the people of America, who
first adopted it, be the first to bring it
into disgrace? For disgrace it we do
if we refuse TO exercise our right, or il
we throw away our votes at. the bidding
of passion, prejudice or folly, instead of
casting them according to the dictates
of patriotism and common sense. -.'1
The enemies of free government have
always asserted that the people are in
capable Of self-government We Dem
ocrats have strenuously denied the as
sertion, and affirmed the capacity of the
people This affirmation has ever been
the very cornerstone of the Democrat.
ic party-its fundamental principle
And now, my friends, let me ask you to
consider what it implies.
It implies that the people will exercise
their right; for otherwise the Govern
ment would not be Government of the
people; it implies further, that they will
endeayor to exercise it in the Ii ght OF
reason, rather. than passion, of good
sense rather prejudice This is what is
meant when it is said that the people are
capable of self government.
And now, appeal to You, my fellow
Democrats, to show your own capacity
for self government Show that you art
practical, sensible men. who, if you car
not get precisely what you desire, will
seek to obtain that which approaches the
nearest to it. ] sometimes hear Dem
ocrat say: II will vote for Greeley ir
preference to Grant, on the principle o
choosing the lesser OF two evils" o
course, when man is compelled to
choose between two evils, wisdom die
tates that he should choose the lesser
But do not put our support of Gree
Hey upon that ground; for l do not be
lieve that his administration, should HI
be elected, will BE an evil The mos
that can he said Is, that pure Demo
cratic administration would BE preiera
bic But repeat, Greeley, if elected
= L. IL, ;rkt -,