The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-11-01

Allen @. Thurman on the Democratic
Victory in Ohio.

victory IN Uhio.
Just Cause for Rejoicing over the vindication
fthe old Party--lhe Meaning Of the
Recent Victories Principles
Understanding Issues, Political lntegri-
", and Reform
At meeting Of the Democracy Of
Cleveland on Saturday evening last, called
to rejoice over the great Democratic victory
in Ohio, Senator Thurman was present and
made the following remarks;
FELLOW CITIZENS IL am here tonight
to show my respect for you and to partiei-
pate in your rejoicing, rather than to make
speech. l shall therefore speak briefly.
The battle has been fought and won
corruption has been rebuked; and the
cause Of genuine reform has acquired new
and, may we not hope, irresistible strength.
We have assembled, not to triumph
insultingly over our opponents, not to wound
the feelings of any upright man, but to
give expression to the natural joy we feel
at victory destined, we believe, to benefit
all. And surely we have cause for rejoic-
ing. The grand old party to which We
belong has been amply vindicated, its
patriotism and honesty Of purpose have
been fully Endorsed, its name and organiza-
ton have been preserved, and its capacity
for usefulness has been completely demons
trated. Disheartened by repeated defeats,
many good men had begun to despair and
TO think that success could never be
achieved under the old name and the old
banner. They viii think SO no longer
They must now see that while free institu-
tions exist the Democratic party must
exist aud this for the plain reason that,
more fully than any other party, it is
imbued with the spirit of freedom. II is
the natural party Of free institutions and
so long as they survive it cannot die.
This accounts for lis vitality, that seems
so marvellous to supei fetal minds Itlives
because it deserves to live, it lives because
its foundations are the great and enduring
principles of self-goyernment and equal
rights. Hence it has stood firm and intact
in adversely and in the still greater trial
of long continued power and prosperity.
II has erred at times--for it is human to
err--but it has never abandoned the cause
of the people or yielded its assent to the
arts of corruption. 1t was once said Of
another party, by one of its most distin-
guished members, that it was "held to-
gether by the cohesive power Of public
plumber" 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 the last twelve
years during which it has been out of
power in the Federal and most Of the
State Governments, having no public
patronage of any kind, and yet maintain
ing its organization with the same tenacity
it displayed in the days of its prosperity.
But the victory we celebrate means more
than the perpetuity Of the Democratic
party. 1t means that dead issues shall re-
main dead issues, and that no party can
succeed upon any but living issues of the
day. 1t means that the people can be
no longer moved by mean, miserable, false
charges against the Democratic party in
respect to the war. Il means that the
Government shall be reformed and that no
genius however exalted, no services how
ever great, can atone for n want of integ.
rity. 1t means that the Government shall
be administered in the interest of the peo-
pie and not in the interest of schemers
and rings. 1t means that economy shall
take the place of profusion and equal and
exact justice the place of oppression. 1t
means that taxation shall be lightened and
its burdens imposed with greater equality
and justice. 1t means that the Constitu-
ton is not obsolete aud that its provisions
cannot be violated with impunity. II
means that the Federal Government shall
be supported in the exercise Of its cousti-
tutional 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 be maintain.
ed. 1t means that individual liberty shall
be cherished and protected instead Of be-
ing arbitrarily restrained All this il
means, for with these principles inscribed
on our banner, we went to battle and
fighting for them, won the victory.