Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-08-24
SPEECH OF HON. D. W. VOORHEES,.

for Congress
Whenever and wherever, in all the ma.
tions of the world, men have associated
themselves together for common objects,
whether in affairs of Church or State, tho
power of q final decision over matters in
controversy among themselves has been
specifically lodged somewhere. Without
this authority no band would bc strong
enough to produce united action in behalf
of any purpose, however great and benefi-
cent, so widely do men honestly differ in
regard to the means aud details by which
the most desirable 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 convictions of
its members, and it is not only the privi-
lege but the duty of members of any Or
ganization to abandon it whenever they
see that they can more surely secure the
great object they have in view by doing
so. Great aud binding, therefore, as all
Democrats concede the authority of more
than two-thirds majority of the National
Democratic Convention to be, yet, if you
were fully persuaded that you could better
serve your country and more certainly res.
cue 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
Democratic 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 warmly conceded
with me rs to the proprcty of Mr.. Gree
ley's nomination, and their name is legion,
let me say that the Democratic party is
infinitely preferable, in my judment, even
with Horace Greeley as its candidate, to
that portion Of the Republican party which
acknowledges the leadership of Grant and
the profligate managers by whom he is led
on to his own and his countrys ruin. No
thought of recreanoy or infdelity to the
Democratic party ever entered my mind.
AS cannot control its councils l shall
submit to them, hoping that time may
show its ways to be easier and more benc-
fetal to the country than l predicted. He
who cannot have his own way in this
world is not, therefore, in my opinion, jus.
tilted in doing nothing. He can, without
inconsistency, concede that others may be
more enlightened than himself on the
points at issue, and give their plans fair
trial.
FAILURE OF GRANTS ADMINISTRATION.
IF We turn, however, for brief survey
of the broad field of national policies,
many strange and significant aspects are
presented to our view. We constantly
hear of the unwontcd position of the Dem.
ocratic party. Its action and its attitude
VIC admit to be unusual, but l think if we
examine VIC will find occurrences in the
political world quito as novel and striking
as anything in the conduct Of the Democ.
racy Is the condition of the Republican
organization SO natural and healthy that it
can afford to snecr at the sickness and
death of its powerful neighbor? At the
close of the war it succeeded to llimitable
power and possession. Its means by which
to seducc the venal, ovcrawe the timid,
and coerce all others into its support,
were absolutely boundlcss in eleven States
and nearly so everywhere else. If this
powerful party had been pure and unself-
ish in its devotion to the welfare of the
country, if it had been managed with an
eye single to the prosperity of the laboring
people, if it had fostercd the industrial
classes instead of the monopolists, if it had
conciliated tho conqured instead of abus-
ing them every day afresh with additional
stripes, if it had sought to invigorate and
enrich an impoverished section of the
greatest natural wealth instead of scourg-
ing it into still more horrible barrenness
and misery, if it had lived on love and
patriotism instead of hate and greed it
would have had before it longer lease of
power at the hands of the American peo-
plc than was ever granted to any political
party in the history Of the world. But,
bloated with much power and countless
wealth, its career has been full Of wicked
ness, gradually but surely forfeiting the
confidence of the people, and dividing tho
best elements out Of its organization.
This fact is strikingly illustrated by the
history of political contests in Indiana. In
1864 when tho waves of Radical msrule
reached their highest point in this State,
a majority of Il 900 was recorded against
tho Democratic party. Two years later, in
1866, We again met the same enemy and
reduced his majority to $4,000. In 1865
we fought again under the same colors,
and wiped out the entire majority against
us, tho Radicals only saving the State Off
GERS by fraudulent returns of a few hund-
red majority. Thus stood the contest of
Indiana, when the Fifteenth Amendment,
never legally ratified, a fraud in my indi-
vidual judgment on the American people,
gave an increase Of 10000 negro votes to
the Radicals, yet in 1870 We defeated the
coalition of blacks and whites, and placed
a majority of 5000 on the side of the gal
LIANT and unfaterins Democracy of the
State. Certainly this is not record to
begct Encouragement. 1t shows steady
decay Of tho Republican party in Indiana.
1t shows loss on its part in eight years