Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-08-30

ever countenanced corrupt pra,
tices or combinations, or impede
their exposure and punishment, c
opposed necessary measures of n
form.
We shall support no candidat
who, while possessing official ir
fiuence and power, has failed I
use his opportunities in exposin
and correcting abuses coming with
in the reach of his observations
but for personal reasons and part,
ends has permitted them to feste
on; for such men can be counted
on not to uncover and crush cor
ruption, but for party's sake ready
to conceal it.
We shall support no candidate
however conspicuous his position
or brilliant his ability, in whom the
impulses of the party manager
have shown themselves predomin.
ant over those of the reformer; fol
he will be inclined to continue that
fundamental abuse, the employ
ment of the government service as
a machinery for personal or party
ends.
We shall support no candidate
who, however faVorably judged by
his nearest friends, is not publicly
known to possess those qualities OF
mind and character which the stern
task of genuine reform requires
for the American people cannot
now afford to risk the future of the
republic in experiments on merely
supposed virtue or rumored ability
to be trusted on the strength of
private recommendations.
In one word, at present no can
didate should be held entitled to
the support of patriotic citizens of
whom the question may fairly be
asked: "Is he really the man to
carry through thoroughgoing re-
form of the government? Can he
with certainty be depended upon
to possess the moral courage and
sturdy resolution to grapple with
abuses which have required the
strength of established custom, and
to the end firmly to resist the pres
sure even of his party friends 2"
there is room for such
question land doubt to the answers)
the candidate should be considered
unfit for this emergency.
X
Every American citizen who has
The future of the republic and the
national honor sincerely at heart,
should solemnly resolve that the
must have a President
whose name is already a watch
vord of reform; whose capacity
nd courage for the work are mat
ers OF record rather than of prom
Sc; who will restore the symplici-
Y, independence and rectitude of
he early administrations, and
those life will be q guarantee of
is fidelity and fitness !" man at
le mere sound of whose name
ven the most dishearened will take
ew courage, and all mankind will
ny: "The Americans are indeed {
! earnest to restore the ancient {
urity of the government" a
The first three paragraphs of '
lis eloquent manifesto were in .
nded to guard against the nom {
alton of that class of aspirers to
e highest Office which were aptly T.
presented by Messrs. Blaine, Ii
and Morton, and the re- p
aiming paragraphs were express p
written and were understood to f
ver such mere makeshifts as e
essrs. Hayes and Hartranft, one c
other of whom it was feared L
ight be brought forward at the S,
It moment as q compromise, and CT
+ the defeat Of the friends Of re- Of
I'm. / need hardly say that these b
lging sentences, as they were C,
I'd to the conference by Mr.. m
hurz, were received and adopted it
the sense here given them, amid W
, most tumultuous plaudits and y,
Each man, as he lie
ard the sentences, made the ap- 1t
cation and cheered anew. ri &C
Let us see how this plain and tr
ambiguous manifesto was met by lii
, respective conventions. bt
The Cincinnati Convention met in
the 18th of June, and was or W
nized in the interests of Mr. W
zine, who was by far the most II
pular name presented to the suf- hs
ge of the Convention. Through so
the ballotings Mr.. Blaine, se- th
usly smirched as he was by the dc
ent publication of his overtures pI
jobbery, continued the leading all
ldidate. Mr.. Bristow, who, be- ci
lse of his outrageous onslaught br
On the whisky ring, had become mt
standard-bearer of the Re- sp
mers only succeeded in getting. We
The highest, 126 votes out of 756. te'
Q adherents of Blaine, Conlding is
| Morton were largely in the of
endant, and might at any time di
70 determined the result. But st,
y could no: agree in their per- mi
al preferences, and then, after kr
~, bo1tot,,rxe ~ tbo so.to,oo ~r ,.r