The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-07-27
Republican National Nominations.
REEDR VI.

REFORM.
In the Centennial year of the American
Republic. there arose a loud cry in the land,
and the people thereof looked and listened,
and behold it was the voice of the great un-
washed bawling Reform" From the Five
Points a smell Of gin and Reform from
The Dance Houses arose dust and 'Re-
form''-from Mackerelville" and from the
Hook" filth and Reform; The peacea-
bic inhabitants of Blackwell's Island join
their pads of Auburn and Sing Sing Re-
form. Long Island City kicks the Bible
out of The public schools Reform. Mon
roe county vote for school opponents IRE
form -Southrons raise again the Rebel flag
and hurrah for Reform" The adopted
citizen lands upon our shores and his preist
gives him the watchword Reform. So
are the hermts Tweed, Genet, &c. undoubt-
ly praying for Reform" Where is Floyd
aud his host shouting with the rest . Re
form? What matters whether the rank and
file know the meaning of the word. Do they
know what the word Democrat means?
.
year, for Reform with them means spoils.
Probably no two men ever had their lives
scrutiuized so closely as Mcssrs Tilden and
Hayes, the object being to judge what they
,rill do in the future by their record of the
past; if there is any virtue In this method,
let US apply the same rule to those men who
have been guilty of corruption during the
present administration when it will be found
that a great majority of the corruptionists
were educated in and brought up by the
Democratic party, and the Republicans as
party are in no way responsible for them.
They were kicked out as soon as detected.
Democrats ask control of the Government
on the score Of iniquity by the Republicans:
What guarantee are they able to give that
they viii be honest and abstain from all cor
rupt practices?
Certainly the old time record will not give
them character. The Republicans present
the great advantage in this respect that their
leaders have had sixteen years trial, with
unmpeachable record for the great majority,
and the few corrupt ones discarded, punished
and weeded out The Democrats come with
the same bad men of 1860 still in their par
ty, with q very hungry look on their faces,
and with the dangerous doctrine 'To the
victor belongs the spoils'' (which means any
thing else than Reform) embazoned on their
banners. Now the American people are not
to be fooled with any thing so thin as this
cry Of Reform" Let them apply Reform
FIRST to themselves, let them raise the Ameri-
can Flag in the South, and trample down the
Rebel rag forever Cut loose from the slums
OF the cities. Advocate education and dis
courage ignorance. Retain the bible in the
public schools, in short cast the beam from
their own eye. before setting up such a
transparent dodge as Reform for their
ncighbor.
We admit that the Democratic ranks are
sadly in need of reform and it is to be wished
that they will succeed in reforming them
selves. No party needs it so much as they.
But what mounstrous absurdity for the De
nocracy to attempt TO lead reform with
Billy McMullen and John Morrisy at their
head. Bill Tweed could make more plau-
sible showing than that. But why add
words to their miserable pretense? We all
know that the Democracy have done every
thing to get into Office except reform, and
now they are resolved to try that. And who
in his sober senses doubts that they would
reform twice week if they could only make
votes by so doing? And who believes that
they would say a word about reform if they
did not hope to add votes to their thin ranks,
get into Office and gobble the spoils? But
we have no fear that the people are silly
enough to be deceived by any such lame,
bog-hay pretense of reform. They will go
Tor the genuine article which grows thrifty,
rich and strong Oh the fertile lands of the
west.