Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-10-26

responsibility of this war, and of its burdens
1t may be our misfoTtune-it may beour fault
1T may be both. 1t boots us not TO quaTre
about that The debts exist, and have to be
met, and Democrats and Republicans anu In.
dependents, whether they have been Union
men or COIfederateS, have all to pay the1I
share. The reduction OF these debts is the
road to relief, and that party, which with the
|. lightest taxation, reduces these Oblig itions
most rapidly, should receive the support OF
the people. Retrenchment and reform are
the watchwords, and as pecul- arly fitted fO1
such work before, beyond and above all the
distinguished men of our great country stands
in peer jess solitude, Samuel j. Tilden. Before
his blows rings disappear, expenditures are
retrenched debts are paid and taxes reduced.
mands his punishment. No niEtTation
in these degenerate days can compa'e with
Governor Ttlden, in the great State of New
York.
The Republican party asserts the honor of
having Waged the war and made this debt,
and, therefore, claims the right to administer
the government until the debt is paid. 1t is
easy 10 go into debt. 1t Is another thing to
pay the debt. The war closed more than
eleven years ago. The first Republican Preei-
Dental convention after the close of tue war
met in lo66. That convention, in its platform,
toll the people that abuses had sprung up
under the administration OF President John
son which should be reformed. 1t is true that
thai party had placed Mr.. Johnson in Office
and by the tenure of office act and other laws
bound him hand and foot 50 that he had little
authority left and congress arrogated to itself
the whole power of the government. The
abuses were fearful, but they were the abuses
OF the Republican party, and not of Mr.. J Jphn.
son, and the Republican platform of 1868 was
melancholy confession that, although that
patty had been in full, complete and ua-
checked power for eight years, great abuses
had sprung up and reform was needed, and
was promised. Well. the people gave the Re.
publican party, In S6S, new lease OF power,
and in 1872, when that party again met in ma.
Iional convention, they frankly told us, in t1efr
DeeI able to correct all the abuSes which had
grown up under It's administration, or reform
the civil service. but these corrections and re-
forms were again promised. How have these
last promises been redeemed? Remember that
a greater than Cover or Hayes has been at
the helm one every whit as honest and cour-
ageOus. 1t has been he who led the armies of
the Union to victory over a most powerful re-
bellion; he who stands among the foremost
generals of this or any other country. How
las be been able to redeem these promises,
and how has his party assisted him? There
was his secretary of war, who received more
than twenty-one thousand dollars for post
leadership, and yet President Grant AID ms
party were never able, through tive long
years, to discover and expose the fact, and IL
y was only brought to light by Democratic
cock, the private secretary of the President
possessing his affection and fullest conf
dence, who, n defiance of his duty, BETRAYED
mis- trust: and there we've M'DonaId M,Kee
Joyce, Avery, and Others, many others, of
the appointees of the President who
themselves with infamy. 1t may
be said that MDonald, M'Kee
Avery and Joyce have been tried, found
guilty and punished, and that is true. But
what became of those who discovered their
guilt and brought about their punishment?
Where are Brtstow, Wilson, Pratt and Var
cuted these offenders? Dyer and Henderson
were dismissed; Bristow, Wilson, Pratt and
Yaryan had to resign, SO that in these cases, II
he guilty did not escape, no more did those
secured their 10 iE
reform In the Republican party; this is how
the promise OF the Republican party made
four years ago for reform has been re ieemed.
And what does this party tell us in its plat
form for this cam paign? Does 1t tell us that
it has reformed those abuses " hich it has con-
fessed have grown up in its party? No. Does
1t promise better things than heretofore? No
1t says! "Sixth-We rejoice in the quickened
conscience of the people concerning political
affairs, and will hold all public officers to a
rigi1 respo visibility, and engage that the pros
ecution and punishment of all who
betray official trusts shall be speedy,
thorough and unsparing." Tho party
has not done its duty heretofore.
rhe public conscience hes been dead, and
"cared fer none Of these things" but now it
form shall come. Belknsp sold post-trader-
ships; BabcOck betrayed the confidence of the
President. and gave Information and aid to
the whisky rings; Boss Shepherd sppropri-
ated millions of the peoples money; MDon-
aid, Joyce, M'Kee, Avery and NJ 'Guire stole
the public revenues, ana Bristow, Wilson,
prosecuted anu convicted them, were hurTieI
from office, that the conscience Of the people
might be quicRened. We have often heard
ministers Of the gospel attempt to alarm the
fears OF the wicked by pictures of the horrors
of the bottomeSS pit, but this is the fiTst time
in history, SO far as know, in which gov
ernment permitted its revenues plundered
ee fansflSnSe S oi , ihe psonie mIgnt BE
iorm-makers of the Republican party have at
last discovered that the public conscience has
been quic cxened. November must tell the re-
snlt OF this quickening. 1 believe in the hon
esGy and patriotism OF tie people of ali parties;
Leaders may deceive, butt they cannot cOrrupt
the people. dp Rot believe all honest men are
found in QSe EAry or all dishonest men in the
oJAeSNXAsh1nk 1t is plain that the rule of the
Republican party has not been of the highest
and best type of administration. Can 1t be
shown that the Democratic party can be
trusted? 1t is probably true that for the past
several years the Democratic party has failed
to exhibit that progress anu enterprise which
the people had the right to expect of it. The
war had reduced it to a feeble minority. The
young men of the party EbSolvef themselves
from the duties, studies and policy of states
manshlp. They left all these to their ancient
and venerated leaders, and the Democratic
party became mere party of opposition. 1t
opposed the measures of the Republican ad-
ministratiOn. 1t opposed some measures
which think it ought not to have resisted,
and it failed TO devise and present to the
people any good measures of reform and re-
lief and demand their support by the country
To make a successful party two elements are
essential: the wisdom, experience, caution
and conservatism Of age, and the fire, dash,
bOldness and energy of youth. rejoice to say
ties of the times, have rallied to the aid of
our old leaders, and the Democratic party
cient renown. AS it was in the days oG Jeffer-
efSon, of Madison, of Jackson, 1t has become
q party OF enterprise and of progress Its
young men have given tn cir aid and their i'm
press to its platform and to its conduct. The
Democratic platform is a broad one; it l. q
liberal one, upon which any patriot may
stand, regardless Of minor difference, or past
opinion. In 1t we are now told that 'tFor the
Democracy of the whole country we do here
reatfirm our faith in the permauence of the
Federal Union, our devotion to the constitu-
ton of the United states, with its amend
ments universally accepted as 8 final settle
ment of The controversies that engendered the
civil war" What are the amendments thus
universally accepted? They are these SUBJ
stantially:
Article i8 Neither slavery or involuntary
SerVitude shall exist within the United States
Article IA, section l-An persons born or
naturaliZed in the United States and subject
to the Jurisdiction thereof are citizens Of the
United States and of the State wherein they
reside. No State shall make or enforce any
law which shall abridge the privileges or i'm
muntties of the citizens of The United states,
nor shall any State, deny to any person with
In Its jurisdiction the equal protection of the
laws.
Section 4-The validity of the public debt of
the United States authorized by law, includ-
ing debts incurred for payment of pensions
and bOunties tor services IN suppressing in
surrection or rebellion, shall not be question
ed. But ther the United states nor any
State shall assume or pay any deOt or ohliga-
tion incurred in aid of fnsurrection or re-
belliOn against the United States, or apy
claim for the loss or emancipation OF any
slaves; but all such debts, obligations ana
cI aims shall be held illegal and void.
Article l5-The right OF citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or any State
on account OF race, color or previous condt-
ton of seTvitude. And in the case of each of
these articles 1t is provided that congress
shall have power by appropriate legislation
TO enforce It's provisions.
Erhe Democratic party accepts and abides
by the determination OF the issues of the war;
the emancipation OF the slaves; that no COM
pen sation Is TO be allowed for them; that the
freedmen are clothed with the same rights of
to vote and hold office, which no State can
aOridge or change, aud If a State deny or
abridge the free exercise of these rights, con-
gress, by appropriate legislation, may enforce
them. Alrdebts created In aid OF the rebellion
shall be repud1ated, and no debt of the United
states shall be repudiated. Here the Demo-
cratic party has fl mly and properly taken its
stand. Since the war; as well as during the
war, the administration of the Federal gov
ernment has, in all its departments, been in
the hands of the Republican party, until the
forty-fourth congress found the Democrats
in a majority in the house OF representa-
tives. Has the house shown patriotism and
ability?
WHAT A DEMOCRATIC HOUSE HAS DONE.
Let US see 1t has reduced the amount of
appropriations by about thirty million dol
lars, and the revenues saved by the reduction
may be applied to the public debt. IL has
found secretary of war guilty of gross breach
of duty, and topPled him from his high office.
Ii found the department OF the navy reeking
in fraud and corruption, laid bare by dis