The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-10-27
Promise and Performance.

The one great issue, to which everything
else must for the present give way, is Reform.
On this subject the position of the Demo.
cratic party is clear and well defined Its
platform, the letters of acceptance of its can
didates and every authoritative utterance of
its leaders, pledges the party most solemnly
to the great task of purifying the govern
mtnt. 1t has given convincing proof of its
carnestness and sincerity by nominating for
the Office of President, Samuel J. Tilden, the
sworn foe of corruption, and by welcoming
to its ranks those who differed with it in the
past, but who are now united with it in the
effort to restore to the republic pure and
free government.
The Republican leaders and party organs
see plainly the intense desire of the Ameri-
can people for a change in the conduct of
the government, and also promise Civil Ser
vice Reform. They apparently overlook the
fact that their ACKNOWLEDGING of the neces-
sity for reform is powerful argument against
entrusting them any longer with power
They have abused their trust so often that
it would be folly TO expect them TO do aEy
better in the future than they have done in
the past. Their promises have been made
but never kept, as We will show.
Since 1868, every National and State plat
form adopted by the Republicans has prom
Used Civil Service Reform and almost every
message and inaugural speech by the Pres-
6anf hoe onnaalad IN (tnpuracc fnr
on that ISSUE Let us also show the people
Belknap acquitted by the Republican Senate :;
Robson still retained in the Republican cab
met; Chandler at the head of the Republ
can Committee; Delano, Creswell, Williams
and Murphy, retired with handsome letters
of eulogy. while Bristow and Wilson are
driven from office, one with frigid letter
accepting his resignation, and the other with
no letter at ALL Let us show the people
Babcock acquitted through the Presidents
efforts; the sale of post-traderships, carried
on by the Presidents brother through infor-
nation impaired by the President for that
purpose. Let US show the people that the
man who came within thirty votes of the
nomination ut Cincinnati, and who is now
the leading Spokesman Of Gov. Hayes, was
convicted by his own letters of pcddling his
decisions as speaker. Let us show the peo.
pie corruption in every department of the
Government without one single exception,
and almost without exception in every
bureau. Let us show them corruption in the
Senate, and In the House, and in the White
House. Let us show them that this Admin.
istration, the worst in our history, and almost
in any history, has been endorsed by every
State and National Republican Convention
in the last seven years.
Then let us ask the people whether these
are the men TO be intrusted with the work of
Civil Service Reform. Let us show the peo.
pie on the other hand that The Democratic
party in n single session in the House, has
reduced the appropriations $50, 100000 below
the estimates of the Republican departments;
and that Gov. Tilden, in less than two years
Administration, has reduced the taxes nearly
one-half, and has purged his State Of rings
Then we can ask, which party will you trust
the party whose record is bad, but whose
promises are good; or the party whose rec.
ord is good, and whose promises are even
better? We await the answer with conf.
dence.