The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-11-06
SPEECHOF
Hon. a. G.. Thurman,
AtCleveland Oct. %, 1873.

present at the grand Jollitication In
ClevIand, on Saturday evening, Octo-
Der 25th, but he had prepared a brief
and able address which he had intend
ed to deliver on the occasion, which
was read to the immense meeting by
William Heisley, Esq. It is as fol-
lows, and we commend il to theatten-
tion of our readers as document in
every way worthy OF its distinguished
author: 81, = sssaa s.t,.. ss
1FKLLoW=CIT1zENs I am here to-
night tossh0W my respect for you and
to participate in your rel jOicing, rather
thansto make speech. shall there
fore speak briefly. The battle has
been foughtand won corruption has
been rebuked and the cause of gen
uine reform has acquired new, and,
may we not hope, irresisti strength.
We have assembled, not to triumph
insultingly over eur opponents, not
t05wound the feelings of any upright
man. but TO give expression to the
natural joy we feel at victory des-
tined, we believe, to benefit all. And
sufelysWe have cause for reioicings---
The grand old party to which Wesbe-
long has been ssEindicated, its
patriotism and honesty OF bpurposS
have been fully endorsed,l its name
and organization have been preserYed
and lis acapacityI for usefulness has
been completely demonstrated. Dis
heartened. by repeated defeats many
good men had begun to despair and
to think that success could never be
achieved under the old 3name and the
old banner. lThey will think so no
30ngers8 They Unjust now see that
while. free Institutions exist the DEM
0eratic party must exist; and this for
the plain reasonsthab more fully than
any other party, il is imbued with the
spirit of freedom. L. isfthei natural
partysOf free instituti0nsI and soIong
as they survive it eanHot die. sgThis
accounts for it's vitality, that seems so
marvellous to superficial minds si 1t
hives becan6e it deserves to live: il
lives because its foundations are the
great and enduring principles of self
governm ent and eqnal rights Hence
itohas stood firm and intact in adVers-
ityeand in thesti1 creator trial of long
continued power and prosperity Ii
hRs erred at times--for it is human to
err-but it has meyer abandoned the
cause of the people or yielded its as
sent 10 thea of feorruDtion. e 1t Was
once said of another party, by one of
its most distinguished members, that
it WAS shield together by the cohesive
poWersof public pI1nder." No such
tremark could ever be- truly made of
the Democratic party Even when
its power was most tlnrestraired it
was a party of economy and honesty
in government. Then look at the last
twelve years during which it has been
out of power in the Federal and in
most ofsthe State Governments, hav-
ing no public patronage of any kind,
and yet maintaining its organization
with tho same tenaeity 1T displayed in
the days of its prosperity. 7les
|. But the victory we celebrate means
more than the perpetuity of the DEM
ocratic party. .3oz ao
4 lLt means that dead issues shall re-
main dead issues, and that no party
Bcanfsuceved upon any but the living
issues of the day, y lisfs.et.is..sI
1t meaus that the people can no
longer be moved by mean miserable,
false charges against the Democratic
party inirespect TO the war. sfa
1t means that the government shall
be- reformed and that no genius how
over exalted, no services however
great, can atone fer want of integ-
fity. frs $40 e. e 1a8 af 80
n Tt means that the government shall
be administered in the interest of the
people and not in the interest. of
sehemers and rings. ilf
Is It means that economy shall take
the place of profusion anda equal and
exact Justice the place of oppression.
Tt means that taxation shall be
lightened and its burdens be imposed
with greater equality and justice.
1t means that the Constitution is
otiobsolete and that its provisions
cannot beiYiolated with impunity.
1t means that the Federal Govern
ment shall be supported in the exer-
else Of its constitutional rights, and
that nullification Or secession shall
not be tolerated but, on the other
hand, that local self-goYernment shall
be preserved and the reserved rights
of the States and the people be main
tanned. a sSsfgagg 81 81 a81s
It means that individual liberty
shall be cherished and protected in
stead of being. arbitrarily restrained.
Alllthis it means, tor with these
principles inscribed on our banner we
went to battle, and, fighting for them,
won the victory. 80
tzhas been said. of us by our oppe-
neAts, that we are men absorbed in the
vain admiration of the past aud inca
pable of appreciating anything that
does not boar the stamp of antiquity :.
And the sarcasm uttered long ago
against the Bourbons,- shat they
learned nothing and forgot nothing
.--has been frequently applied1to u.s.
Nothing could be more untrue, more
Miust, than these accusations. The
principle of democracy, upon which
our party is founded, has been, and is
!! yet, the greatest innoYator of modern
times. Its influence was felt in Eu-
rope when the continent of America
was yet unknown. Our fOrefathers
drought itwith them, and ins every
settlement they made from Plymouth
rock to the Gulf of Mexico, it became
the Yitaliprinciple of the colonial gov
ernments. 1t found full expression
/ In the great Declaration of seyenty-
sir, and more than any other cause
perhaps served to achieve American
Independence.f From that day to this
! it has battled stead dfastIy for.the riphts
erty qualifications, special privileges
md unjust monopoly in all their
forms. It. has elevated the humble,
! ameliorated the condition of the poor
disseminated education, aud Welcom-
ed TO ourshores the oppressed of the
world. It has hberaIized, more or
less, nearly every government in Eu-
rope and has overturned thrones erect
ed more than thousand years ago.
1t is still at work to free mankind
from oppression, to improve the con-
dition afslabor, and to bless all men
by a system of equal and just laws,
Such is the Democratic principle, and
party like ours, that is founded upon
it, must from its very nature and con-
i.stitution be party of progress.
The obstacle to tho development of
the Democratic principle that was
I Il -