The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-12-17

caucus held to nominate u 1""oi""0c
tor Speaker. Clerk and other ofiicers of
the national House of Representatives.
Lamar is one of the ablest, as he IS
unouestionably one of the most elo-
ouent. members of the present Con
gress, aud being reconstructed repei
his views and sentiments Will attract
more than ordinary attention:
GENTIrMEN-In calling me to this POI
sition of responsibility and distinction, you
have conferred IN honor which appreciate
most highly, and for which L thank you
most cordially. We here are CONFRONTED
with 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
RESPONSIBILITIES. and if we do not improve
those opportunrt ies and rise to the measure
of those responsibilities, the fruits OF the
great political revolution which has brought
lis here to- day will be for us like the frult
which grows upon the aecursed tree. lie
people of this country, Dy overwhelming
nlajorities of States and maJoritles III States,
have placed the Democratic party, after a
long period of exclusion from power, i'll
possession of the most important departs
ment Of the federal government. When L
say important, | do uoS mean that the ms
dividual members are invested with impoS~
ing prercgatives, or great personal distne>
tion. The departments OF patronage, those
which hold and command the gilttering
prizes of government emOluments and
honors. 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 ap>
pointment of military and a naval cadet,
and their compensation is barely adequate
20 life of republican simplicity and prus
dental economy. There are many offices
in the gif. of the executive far more profits
able. and, in the public esteem, far more
distinguished than that of a seat III the
House of Representatives, but this branch
is nevertheless, under our matchless system
of government, the corner stone OF our
fabric of liberty, because it is the only de-
paItment Of the federal government directly
responsible to the people of the country,
and receiving it's powers directly from their
hands. All other branches of the govern
ment are two or three degrees removed from
the people in the mode of their selection or
in the nature of their responsibilities. But
while the House of REPRESENTATIVES is
thus immediately responsible, all the other
branches of the government are RESPONSE
ble to this body. The people of the coun-
try have charged the Democratic party in
the House of Representatives with the i'm
portant duty of bringing these coordinate
branches of the government to their just
responsibility. The people demand at
our hands sweeping and thorough reform
in the civil service, which shall be con-
ducted in a spirit that will secure the ap-
pointment to places of trust and response
biiity of the honest, the experienced and
the capable. There is also an imperative
demand that a vigilant examination be
made into the administration of the public
revenue of the country that all the pub
lie accounts shall be scratinized by us, and
corruption be ferreted out, and wrong
doers, no matter how high or low, shall be
fearlessly arraigned and fully exposed and
punished. One of the most pressing de-
mands upon us is to perfect and adopt
such a system of taxation as will bring in
the required revenue with the fewest re-
strictions upon commerce, and the least
burden to the people, ann that burden
equitably distributed and sklfully admin
istered
Owing to the exigencies of one of those
internecine conflicts incident to the life of
almost every country, also pernicious sys-
tenn of legislation, our people are suffering
from the evils of an irredeemable currency.
In meeting and graphing with the diff
|
tion, it will be our duty to take care that
nothing is done which would impair the
good faith of the country or tarnsh the
public honor, or lower or disturb the credit
of our government, but we are to remove
those obstructions which bar the progress
! and check the prosperity Of the American
! people. 1t is our duty as Democrats, it is
the duty and glory Of the Democratic par
! ty, while it controls this House. to see
/
this democratic republic is made equa
with that of any nation on the earth, and
the grandest aspiration of the Democratic
! party and its growing glory will be to re-
| store the constitution to its primitive
strength and authority, and to make it the
protector of every section and of every
State in the Union, and of every human
being of every race, color and condition, il
the land.
The apprehension and distrust of on,
part of the nation that the portion of the
Southern people arrayed against The
authority of the federal government in tn,
late war would be an element of disturb
ance to the American Union, have mainl,
disappeared; as is evidenced by our elcc
/ :ion, and in its stead has grown a more
! fratcrnal feeling, which regards us of til,
Southern States as fellow citizens of TIL,
same great nation. On the other hand
the people of whom | speak and of whom
l am one are here to-day, by their choser
| representatives, to honor any draft which
the American nation may draw upon thei
patriotism or their faith in the glory ant
the beneficence of American institution
(Applause.
! The experiment which has been intro
duced among us, based upon confidence il
the workings of local self lfgovernment anC
intended to solve the difficulties connected
with the recent social and political trans
, formation, shall have an open field anC
fair play, and no hindrance shall be placed
in the way of it's vigorous development ane
its ample success. Applause We want
government that we can love and revere
and serve from the motives of reverenc,
and love. We hunger for patriotism
which shall knit all the people together il
a generous and loving brotherhood. Le
us not forget that the great victory of las
fall which brought us here was achieved
not alone by Democratic votes, but with