The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-12-08
THE CAUCUS
Of Ghe Democratic Members Of the
House of Representative.
Kerr, Of Indiana, Nominated for
Speaker, Adams, Of Aen-
lucky, for Clerk.
Address of Hon. L.. q. e. Lamar,
Chairman of Ghe Caucus.

Mississippi, was choSen PIesIuinS ViLSSI'
On motion of HOLMAN, of Indiana, Ban
ming, of Ohio, was made Secretary. On
taking the chair, Col. Lamar addressed
the caucus as follows:
Gentlemen In calling me to this posi-
ton Of responsibility and distinction, you
have conferred an honor which l appre-
ciate most highly, and for which | thank
you most cordially.
We here are confronted with a crisis in
the history of the Democratic party, and
of the country, which brings to our party
grand opportunities, but is at the same
time freighted for us with solemn respon
sibilities and if we do not improve these
opportunities, and rise to the measure Of
these responsibilities, the fruits Of the
great political revolution which has
brought us here to-day, will be for us
like the fruit which grows upon the shores
of the accursed sea. The people Of this
country, by overwhelming majOrities, of
States, and majorities in States, have
placed the Democratic party, after long
period of exclusion from power in pos
session of the most important department
of the Federal Government. When l
say important, / do not mean that the
individual members are invested with
imposing prerogatives or great personal
distinction. The departments of patron
age, those which hold and command the
glittering prizes of government emolu-
ments, are the coordinate branches of
the government which are still under the
control of our political opponents. The
members of the House of Representatives
have no patronage whatever beyond that
of the appointment of a military or naval
cadet, and their compensation is barely
adequate to a life of Republican sim
plicity and prudential economy. There
are many offices in the gift of the EXecu-
tive that are more profitable, and the
public esteem far more distinguished than
that Of a seat in the House of Repre-
sentatives, but this branch is, neverthe-
less, under our matchless system Of gov
eminent, the cornerstone of our fabric of
liberty, because it is the only department
of the Federal Government directly
responsible to the people of the country,
and receiving its powers directly from
their hands.
All the other branches of the Govern.
ment are two or three degrees removed
from the people, in the mode of their selec-
llOllJ VI III tic VI liCiA lCSlipHHiJllT
tiles But while the House OF Repre-
sentatives is thus Immediately responsible
to the people, all the other branches Of
the Government are responsible to this
body. The people of the country have
charged us, have charged the Democratic
party in the House of Representatives,
with the important duty of bringing these
coordinate branches of the Government
to their just responsibility, and thus, by
an unerring instinct, or by keen intel
ligence, have blended together our duty, |
our interests and our inclnations. There |
has been for some time in the public mind |
conviction, profound and all-pervading
that the civil service Of this country has !
not been directed from considerations of
public good, but from those of party profit |
and for corrupt, selfish and unpltrotic |
designs. The people demand at our
hands the sweeping and thorough reform,
which shall he conducted in Il spirit that |
will secure the appointment to places Of /
trust and responsibilities the hoEest, the /
experienced, and the capable. There is
also an imperative demand that a vigilaut
examination be made into the admins
tration Of the public revenue Of the coun.
try, both in its collection and its disburse-
ment; that all the public accounts shall
be scrutinized by US, as it is the solemn
privilege and duty of the House to do,
and that corruption be ferreted out, and
wrOng-dOers-no matter how high or how
low-shall be fearlessly arraigned and
fully exposed and punished. There is
growing and irresistible sentiment in the |
country, that under the specious theory
of protecting and fostering particular in
dustries and interests, a system Of mis-
called revenue laws has been in OPP
Grafton, detrimental and blasting TO
country, and maintained at the ex-
pense of the general revenue and |
to the injury of the great majority of the |
people, and of those classes the farmers
and laborers who are least able to bear
the burden of oppressive laws One of
the highest and most pressing demands /
upon us will be not only to insist on I
bringing down the expenses or the Gov /
eminent to the needs only Of economical /
but to perfect and adopt /
such system of taxation as will bring 4
In the required revenue with the fewest /
upon commerce, and with the .
least burden to the people, and that
burden equitably distributed and skillful- I
ly adjusted. Owing to the exgencies Of
these great internecine conflicts incident
to the life of almost every country, and
also to pernicious system of legislation,
our people, our business investments our
and all the diversified interests
of the country are suffering from the evils
of an irredeemable currency.
In meeting and graphing with the
of this vital and perplexiug
question it will be our duty to take care
that nothing is done which would impair
the good faith Of the country, or tarnish
the public honor, or disturb the credit of
our government. But we are to remove
those distractions which bar the
progress and check the prosperity of
he American Republic. 1t is our
iuty as Democrats it is the duty,
md is to be the glory Of the Demo
,ratic party, while it controls the House,
% see that the national debt is paid in full,
md that the currency of this Democratic
'epublic is made equal with that Of any
nation on earth. Upon the part of those
Who have been invested with the polit-
al power and destiny of our country
Turing the last ten or fifteen years, it has
'OSH itOduCHI lVhaIh lhdI the era OF
constitutional politics had closed; that
he questions of constitutional limitations
md restrictions were no longer to hinder or
lelay the legislation of the government in ,
is dealings with financial, economical or ,
ocial subjects, which were, it was
ssumed, now the only matters worthy
be public attention, and amidst this !
rand boasting, the Forty Third Congress .
ound themselves faced with the grandest
uestions of constitutional law, reaching Z