The weekly clarion., 1872-05-09

war; and we saw highly spirited power re-
fusing to ufe up those who had gone astray
| and were now suffering by a policy o
generous conciliatiOn and statesmanship, o.
1 common sense We observed this. and A
the same time a reckless and reedy party
spirit in the name of q great &ganization
| crowned with laurels and glor&ps achieve
ments, striving TO palliate or j1stify thess
wrongs and abuses, To stifie the moral sense
OF the people, and 10 drive them, by
TYRANNIcAL PARTY DISCIPLINE.
not only to submit to this for the present
but 10 perpetuate it; that the political
power OF the country should be preserved
In the hands OF those who possessed IL. He
who calmly and impartially surveyed this
spectacle, could not fail 10 be deeply alarmed
not only at the wrongs that were being and
had been perpetuated 70 the subjugation OF
the popular spirit, which, il it did not rise
mp against them, the question might well
have been asked, have the American people
become so utterly Indifferent to their true
interests-to their national harmony-to the
purity oftheir political life-to the integrity
-of their tree inStitutions-tO the very honor
of the American name-that they should
permit themselves 10 be driven like flock
of sheep by those who assume 10 lord it
over thems That question has now found
an answer. No; the virtue, the spirit of
independence, the love of liberty. the re-
publican pride of the American people are
not dead yet, nor do they mean that it shall
die. That answer is given in thunder tones
by the convention of American freemen
here assembled.
We don't want another, but
WE WANT A BETTER PRESIDENT THAN WE
NOW HAVE;
we do not want mere change of persons In
the administration Of the government. we
want the overthrow of "a pernicious system (;
we want the eradication of fragrant abuses F.;
we want the infusion OF loftier moral
spirit into our political organism we want
a government which the best people of the
country will be proud of. Not anybody
can accomplish that; and, therefore, away
with the cry
ANYBODY TO BEAT GRANT"
"A cry too paltry too unworthy of the great
enterprise in which we are engaged. / do
not struggle for the mere punishment of an
opponent, or a temporary lease of power.
This is, to me, thing no less more impor-
tant even than our success I'm this cam mpaign,
and that is that the American people shall
not be disappointed in the fruits which our
victory is To bear. II we should fail TO
select men who will carry out the beneficent
reforms we contemplate. then. let me say IL
boldly. il would be better had the move
ment never been undertaken, for the con-
tinu2nce of those in power who possess IL
now would mean only a reformatory move
ment deferred, while our failure now would
mean great reform movement sunk to the
level of "A farce. great opportunity lost,
and the hope of a people turned into dis
and disgust. You must bear
with me if iu this hour of enthusiasm, when
our hearts are big with proud presentments,
address To you word OF sOberness. We
have
GRAND OPPORTUNITY BEFORE Us
grand and full OF promise. We can crush
the corruption irf@ our public concerns; we
can give the Republic a pure and honest
government; we can revive the authority
of the laws; we can restore to full vigor
THE CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARD OF OUR
LIBERTIES;
we can infuse a higher moral spirit into our
political life; we can re-animate in the
hearts of the whole people. in every section
of the land, a frateTpal and proud national
feeling. We can do o'all this. but we can do
it only by throwing behind US the selfish
spirit of political trash; we must obey the
purest and loftiest inspiration of the popu-
lar uprising which sent US here. a great
opportunity il is. great as the noblest am
bition might desire; but equally great. nav.
to my mind, fearful is the responsib bitity il !
brings with it. An opportunity like this, !
period in the history of "A ma |
ton, an uprising of the people such as we
behold, will not occur every day nor every |
ear. lot IL must spFlnH from the spOntane- /
)us impulse OF the popular mind. You dis |
appoint the high eX pect9tions brought forth 4
by that spontaneous impulse, and you have |
not only lost great opportunity, but you |
nave struck a blow at the confidence the /
people have in themselves, and for "A long 1
lime popular reform movements will not /
'ise under the weight of dscredit which /
you will leave tonight upon them. Is il
possible that such should be the result? It |
5 possible, if we do not rise to the full |
height of duty. It-is possible, if instead of
THE GRAND POPULAR IMPULSE.
We attempt to control and use this move
nent by the old tricks of political trade, or
ritter away our zeal in Small chickering's !
nd mean, selfish aspirations. We have
ome together To give shape, point snd prac-
ical productive force to this great upheayal
f the popular conscience. Ii is our busi-
less 10 lay down certain principles and
propositions of policy, and we have TO pre-
ent TO the suifrages of the people men for
he highest offices of the republic. who. If
lected. are TO carry those principles into
wing reality. As our platform, we shall
g wise enough to keep in IN ind those things
'hich the republic stands most i'm need Of.
he very fact of our having come together
proof of our substantial agreement. Let
: only do what we promise TO the people; |
c honest and straightforward, and not at
,mpt TO cheat those whom we ask to fol-
w our lead by deceitful representations as
} the men whom we shall present for high
Necutive offices of the government.
ddreSS of the Committee on