The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-17
THE REFORM CONVENTION.
HONEST MEN EARNESTLY DEMAND
ING AN END OF GRdNTIsM.

-hose verv Name shall be a Gunrhhtee
that the Nation sbaii no Longer be Ruled
nv nm Army Of Political Mercenartcs'
The political conference called by Will
Ham Cullen Bryant, Carl schurz and others, TO-
s,,emb,ed at 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
amono tho s,semblsge we're the veteran Thur
low Weed, the venerable Peter COOPER anu Wv
ara, other New York gentlemen who ala nov 1'-
,,c,ro,a IN the frst meeting. President NooiS'y
having taken the chair. Mr. Schurh' ou ".""'
tbe committee that had been appo'n'eu "
-. =. r,.r Of action for the conference ie"u
Ihe following
.,nprss TO TINE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
FELLOW CITIZENS; conference OF G,,,aen a,s
mbIod In New York; sincerew uesit'nR 70
ssSve the best interests Of the American people
beg leave to submit to your canoiu CONSUMERS"
'u'' nstinnsl election is approaching under GER
,umstsnces of peculiar significance; Never DC
fore I'm our history has the public nina oeen SO
s,nfoundly agitated by an Apprehension OF the
danger arising from the prevalence OF corrupt
Tendencies aud practices In our political ne
and never has there been greater re son for II.
We will not DISPLAY here In detail ne d,stress-
fno catalogue Of the disclosures when ior sew.
s1al wears have followed one another In rapid
succession, aud seem to have left scarcely a
,,neIe sphere Of our political lite untouched.
and Of the national congress speak WIN
terI6le pain%ess' land snd d s, .1nSib,,iSn'
Win e such n state ~ things would under any
Circumstance appetr most ueploraoie, r Us
..rcut TO- celebrate tho one hundreh birthday
Of our national existence. No have Invited tne
visit our land, and to witness the evidences OF
our national progress, as well as the working
and effects Of that republican government
which century ago our fathers founded. Thus
the most in pifing memories Of our past history
ins upon US the comparison Of what this re-
public once was, what II WIS intended to be,
sd S M%s' cSullenSed The any judS% 1"% " OF
civilized mankind conjointy with our own
There Is much of who every American citizen
has just reason to be proud-sn energy and
thrift, a power Of thought and action, trogres-
.utsuipped al! precedent ana sntieluauon
history abounding In illustrations OF heroic pa
trotsm. fortitude and wisdom greater free
dom from foreign wars and revolutionary
changes OF government than most other nations
ran boast Of; our rel ubc,outa century old. and
Just issued from the only great civil conflict We
have had to deplore, so strong In resources and
organization that 1t stands in the foremost rank
OF the great powers OF the earth. And yet. with
all these splendid results on record, II cannot be
denied that at no period during the century now
behind us, have the American people been less
satisfied with themselves, and that the centen-
NAL anniversary Of the Declaration OF lndepend-
ence, in so many respects 10 al Americans a day
OF sincerest pride and rejoicing. Is felt to he in
other respects not without self-feproach
revealed in our political life is the cause.
TO the honor OF the American people he " said,
ev ~ patriotic citizen feels tho turnlng shame
year; there the nementos and monuments Of
the virtues Of the past; and here ihe shockioe
of the present; there the glorious euloGies pro-
nounced on the wisdom ana purity OF the faith
srs, and here, IN hooking contrast, the verdicts
OF courts ana the records OF legislative bodies,
insuatine The political morals of to-day and
this before all mankind, solen MY summoned as
witness to tho exhibition and guest to tho
feast Never was there cause for keener morti-
heart. How can We vert such dangers and wipe
81 such shames ny proving that. Though the
great body OF the people are sound and strong
al the core, and that they are honestly deter.
and to overthrow at any cost the tgencies OF
evil tLst stand IN the way lApplsuse.l Only
vered in until success Il assured, will save thu
god name OF the nation, prevent the prevailing
old strength the faith OF our ow people 10 their
lDsiitutions.
AT the impending national election various
questions Of great Importance will be submitted
10 our judgment. The settlements OF the civil
war as constitutionally nxed must he conscen-
tiously maintained. snd at the same time the
Government strengthened In general confidence
by the strict observance OF constitutional prin-
cples, and the old bTotherh0od OF the peoIle
revived by policy 81 mutual justice and con
Citation. tApplause.
OR solemn and often repeated pledge faith
fully 60 dis charge all national obligations must
he fulfilled, not only by the payment OF the pIin-
epll and interest q our bonded debt when due,
but also the removal not later than the time
provided 10y existing law. OF the curse Of our re-
dund. ut ifrsdeemAble paper currency which
not only impedes the return u true prosperity,
hut has also largely contributed to the existing
decentralization. lApplause.l
These grand questions and there are m ore
We might touch. were II our purpose 10 lay
down a complete political platform. But grave
as they are. still In cur Present situation We
must MS American citizens. recognize II rs our
most pressing duty to r,s.tAhlish the moral
character OF our Government and TO elevate
The tone Of our. political life. Honest govern
nlent IS the first condition Of enduring national
prosperity, power, and freedom. Wit out the
elementary virtues OF political us well 70 social
HE, decay will outstrp our progress. Our dis
russiOns and struggles about otner great ques-
tions md principles will appear like mockery
iand farce u We permit our public concerns to
drtft into that ruinous anarchy which corrup-
non must necessarily bring ~ its train. because
u destroys the confidence Of the people in their
self-gOyernmcnt-the gre Attest cal unity that can
hefail arepuolic. IL is SIMPLE question Of life
or death. corrupt monarchy may last by the
rue u force; corrupt republic cannot endure.
Itis useless to console ourselves with the idea
that tie corruption among us must he ascribed
solely 70 the immediate effects of the civil " ar,
and Will without an effort at reform soon pa 5
away. There IL another cause which is not
transtory, tut threatens to become permanent.
IL Il tuat system which has made the Offices OF
NE uvernment the mere sp"ils Of party VIC
trust aud RESPONSIBILITY as the reward OF party
service aud the bounty Of fsyorltism; the sys-
TEN which appeals to tho mean impulses OF self
hhuess and greed as controlling motive Of
Iolitlttl action; the system which deRrades the
and treating the Onicer as the hired servant OF
Tie party and tExirg him for party support,
timulates eorrupton and places Il under par.y
Tutttuou, tie system which brings the Organi-
h,L'h 81 pariies under the control OF their most
t"hsIS lule erted aud therefore most active
.tNit'' We IlAttIoutf ana the IldcenhntcTS,
w tending to organize a standing army Of
r." l'al mercenaries. to he paid out OF the
Treasury q The Government, who hy organized
action ende.yor TO subJugate the will Of tue
people to their ends through the cultivation Of
tinuic j Part, spirit.
hVrn student Of our political history knows
W ttlhce the spOila system WIS intugurated
Vn-puen has steadily grown from year TO year,
, tNl so long Ms this system lasts, with all It's
n suuc'lpns and demorflizng tendencies, cor
IupNoh Viii continue to grow IN extent and
power Tor patriotism and true merit will more
ehd more be crowded out Of political life Oy un-
sIupuloAs schshnoss. The war has only given
sudden Stimulus to this tendency but with
Sut 'He war IL would have grown up, and will
ho' re Sc 10 grow as long hs the hot bed Of
upuon' the spells system. Lasts The skill in
so'iupt practices acquired by ono generation Of
sboi'meh VIII only De improved upon by the
.eAt Tue result we know. We have already
'psuso great a harvest OF disaster and shame
~ we repea, Il has now become the nrst duty
y, 'ne Amer IN peOnle 10 Establish the moral
~ rd-tet Of the Government by thorough re-
,oim. what can we do toward this end In the
Impending n'ti0nol clectonI
III ,hs RESPECT fellow citizens, we consider IL
"'l uuli 10 speak very plainly. Never were the
.u9o OF goOd government and the honor Of the
AWe'loih name more Immediately dependent
W. tNr Guar rtcr, ability, and reputation Of the
n''u u be selected for the highest Offices. In