The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-05-14

of the Republic who, if elected are 10
carry those principles and propositions
into living reality
As TO our platform, we shall he wise
enough to keep in mind those things
which The Republic stands most imme"i'
atcly in need OF. The very fact Of our liav.
ing come together is proof Of our sui :
stantal agreement. Let us oDl V in what
we promised to the people be honest and
straightforward. and not attempt to
cheat those whom we ask to follow our
lead hy deceiitul representations as to
the men whom We shall present for high
executive Offices of the Government
Let us, entteat you, not lose sight OF
the fact that great reforms, tie over
throw Of inyetcraic abuses, the estah-
li,hment of letter order OF things are
not accomplished l'y mere promises
and declarations, but require the wise
and energetic action o! statesmen. II
this is to I've truly reform movement,
and if it be not merely on paper, it must
lie cmhoded in the men we intrust with
the power to inrase the split Of reform
into practical action. If you want to
know how reforms are not executed,
look at those now in power. Iou will
hardly excel them in the profusion of
high sounding professions, and yon VII
never excel them in the art how not 10
do it. Reform must become force in
| the hands of those who either.do not
understand it or do not care for it II
YOU mean reform, intrust the work to
none but those who understand and hon
estly do care, and care more for it than
! their own personal ends. Pardon me if
express myself on this point with free
| dom and frankness | have not, | as
sule You, come here for the purpose Of
urging the claims or advancing the inter
est of any one man against all others |
have come here with sincere and ardent
| devotion to = catSe, and to use my hest
endeavors 10 have that cause put under
the care of men who are devoted to 1t
with eclal sincerity, and pUssess those
qualities of mind and heart which will
, make it safe in their keeping l earnest
IL Geprecate the cry we have heard SO
frequently, ANYBODY to heat Grant, v
There is something more wanted than t"
beat Grant-not anybody who might by
cheap popularity or by astutc bargains
and combinations, or by all the tricks of
political wire-puling, manage to scrape
! together votes enough to be elected
President We do not merely want ALL
other; but we want better President
than we now have. We do not want q
mere change Of persons in the admins
tration of the government; we want the
overthrow of a pernicieus system; we
want the eradication Of fragrant abuses :;
We want the infusion of 4 loftier moral
spirit into our political organism we
want government which the best peo-
pie of this country will be prond Of
Not any body can accomplish that, and
therefore AWAY with the cry, ''AHvbodv
to beat Grant pa Cry too paltrv, too
unworthy Of the great enterprise in
which we are engaged | do not strug.
sic for the mere punishment of all oppo-
nent, or temporary lease Of power -
There is a thing TO me no less-nay.
more mportant-evcn than our success
in this campaign, and that is that the
Americap people shall not be disappoin-
ted in the fruits which our victory is to
bear. if we should select men who would
fail to carry out the beneticent reforms
we contemplate Then let me say it
| hst "a a |, tntt tn h11 a
movement never been undertaken; fer
tie continuance of those In power who
possess it now would mean only refor-
matory movement deferred, and an ,op-
portunitv still, while our failure now
would mean great reform movement
sunk to the level of q farce, a great op-
portunity lost, and the hope of the peo-
p turned into encouragement ant dis
lust Let Us discard Al least the fatal
error into which SO many seem to have
fallen that no craftsmanship is required
to conduct the affairs Of a grea; govern.
ment. | candidly believe the people arc
waking up 20 the truth, for unless l
greatly mistake the spirit of this day,
mand is not that mere good intentions,
but that superior intelligence, coupled
with superior virtue, should guide our
affairs; not that merely an honest and q
popular man, but that statesman be
put at the head of our government. In
selecting candidates for ofii,e, ,noliticians
are accustomed 10 discuss the question
OF availability What does availability
mean in our case? Let US look for tho
best men we have, and among the very
best let US select the strongest. The
people earnestly desire thorough re-
form of our Government. They want
not only change, but change for the
better. They want also, therefore, to bC
assured that it will be for the better, and
that the best candidate is likely to be the
most available. If we present men tc
the sutf,age of the people whose charac
ter and LANES :ppe; to the lofti'r in
stin,ts ana aspirations OF the patriot cit
I.izen, we shalt have on our side thai
which ought to be. and now, trust, vii!
be, tie ruling arbiter of political contests
the conscience of the nation. If that
be done, then success will he certain
then we can appeal to the minds and
hear Is, to the lofliest ambition of the
people, with these arguments and Ell
treaties, which spring only from cleal
conviction of right; then we shal! not
appeal in vain for their support, to those
of our fellow citizens who hitherto were
separated from us by party divisions
who desire honestly 10 work for the best
interests of the country in this crisis ,and
whom we shall welcome with fraternal
greeting in this struggle for grea'
cause, e,whether they call themselves Dem
ocra!s or Republicans. Then we shall
successfully overcome those preiudices
which now confront us,and the insidiou:
accusation that this great Convention is
a mere gathering Of greedy and disap
pointed politicians will fall harmless al
our feet, for we shall have demonstrated
by our action that we were guided by
the pTest and most patriotic OF mo-
tiyes, and this csn be done. Let us de-