The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-11-20
speech OF Hon. A. 6. Thurman. ~ cir.
land, Ohio, October -.

~fe
fcllotr- Cifizens-I ana here tonight -
show my respect for you and TO parficinafe
in your rejoicing. rather than t. make
speech shall therefore speal- briefly
The battle has been fought and won cor.
FuptiOn has been rebuked; aud the cause OF
genuine reform has acquired new annRpsv
we not hope. Irresistible strength.
We have assembled. not to triumph in
sultiDgly over our opponents, not to wound
the feelings Of any upright man, but 10 give
expression TO the natural jos We feel At q
victory destined, We behevs, to benefit all.
And surely We have cause for rejoicing.
The grand old party 70 which We belong
has been amply viuiicaied, It's patriotism
and honesty Of purpose have been fully en-
dorsed. itsnAme and ngganizstion have been
preserved, and Us capacity for usefulness
has been complciely 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 name hnd the old banner They viii
think 50 no longer. They must now
eco that while free institutions exist
tho Democratic party must exist; AID
tins for the plain reason that, more
fully than any other party, Il is inn
bued with the spirit of freedom. Il is the
natural party Of free institutions ana so long
as they survive it cannot die This ne
counts for its vitality, that seems 20 marvel
loOs TO superficial minds. Il lives because
It deservcsto live, il lives because its foun-
dations are tho great and enduring princi-
Piles Of self-govunmcnt and equal rights.
Hence i has stood firm and intact in adver-
sity aud in the still greater trial Of long
continued power and prosperity. Il has
erred az times--for it is human 70 err--but
Il has never abandoned the cause Of the peo-
pie or ylelC ed its assent 10 the arts Of cor
ruption. II was once said Of another party,
by ono Of its most distinguished members,
that It was ''held by the cohesive power Of
public plundern No such remark could
ever be truly made of the Democratic party.
Even when its power was most unrestrained
It was party Of economy and honesty IN
government. Then look at tho last twelve
years during whichit has been out Of power
in the Federal and most Of the State gov
ernments, having no public patronage Of
any kind, and yet maintaining its organize
ton with the same tenacity Il displayed IN
the days Of its prosperity
But the victory we celebrate means more
than the perpetuity Of the Democratic
party.
It means that dead issues shall remain
dead issues, and that no party can succeed
upon any but the living issues Of the day.
Il means that the people can no longer be
moved by mean, miserable, false charges
against the Democratic party in respect TO
the war.
Il means that the government shall be re-
formed, and that no genius however cx-
allied, no services however great, can atone
for wanto Of integfity
II means that the government shall be adj
ministered in the Interest Of the people and
not in the interest Of schemers and rings.
It means deuteronomy shall take the place
Of profusion, and equal and exact justice
the place Of oppression.
It means that taxation shall be lightened,
and its burdens be imposed with greater
equality and justice
It means that the Constitution is not OBJ
solete, and that Its provisions cannot bevio-
lated with impunity.
It means that the Federal government
shall DO supported in the exercise Of its
constitutional rights, and that notification
or secession shall not be tolerated but on
the other hand, that local self-government
shall be preserved, and the reserved rights
of the States and the people maintained
1t means that individual liberty shall be
cherished and protected instead of being ar
bitrarily restrained.
All this it means, for with the these prin-
ciples inscribed on our banner we went to
battle and, fighting for them. won the vic
tory.
It has been said Of us by our opponents,
that we are men absorbed in a vain admira-
ton OF the past, and incapable Of apprecia-
ting anything thnt does not bear the stamp
OF antiquity. And the sarcasm uttered long
aeFoinnf tho
learned nothing and forgot nothingn-has
been freely applied to US Nothing could
be more untrue, more unjust, than these
accusations. The prirciplc of Democracy,
upon which our party Is founded, has been,
and is yet, the greatest innovatOr Of mod
ern times. Its influence was felt in Europe,
when the continent of America was vet
unknown. Our forcfathers brought it with
them when they crossed the great ocean,
and in every settlement they made from
plymouth rock to the Gulf Of Mexico.
il became the vital principal Of the colonial
governments. II found full expression in
the great declaration Of seventv-six. and
more than any other cause perhaps served 10
achieve American independence. From that
day to this it has battled steadfastly for the
rights Of the people. Il has opposed prop
erty qualifications, special privileges and
unjust monopoly in all their forms Il has
elevated tie humble, ameliorated the con-
dition Of the poor, disseminated education
and welcomed to our shores the oppressed
Of the world. It has liberalized, more or
less, nearly every government in Europe. and
has overturned thrones erected more than q
thousand years ago. Il Is still at work 70
free mankind from oppression. to improve
the condition Of labor, and TO bless All men
by q system of equal and inst Laws Gtcl,
is the Democratic principle. and party Ike
ours, that is founded upon II, must from its
very nature and condition. be party Of pro-
gress