The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-09-23

IN any country, Inc D0ldneSs and enron
terry Of his successful raid upon the treas
ury and his subsequent escape, without
conviction or punishment, are believed tc
be without parallel in the history of civil
zed nations, 1t is source Of congratula.
tion to the country that such proceedings
coupled with others Of a similar character
did not terminate in general bankruptcy
and disgrace, considering the impunity
with which these officers and their sympa
thizers acted in carrying out their plans
The interference Of the committee OF
ways and means in the passage Of the res
olution of October, 1875, ordering an in
vestigation into the corruption in all the
departments Of the government, saved the
country, in my opinion, from general ruin
The result shows that we were at the
time on the verge of financial rupture, and
our escape was due alone to the prompt
action Of the Democratic party. The re,
suits are before the country and will show
how far ! am sustained in this assertion
In these times Of general demoralization
in the management Of our governmental
affairs, when suspicion attaches to SO many
in Office, and elsewhere when committees
after committees, are being organized in
every department Of the public service,
and are at work in an effort to hold in
check and turn back, the increasing mani.
festations Of popular dread and uneasiness
no true patriot can fail to recognize the
alarming gravity of the situation. 1t is
no time for weakness and indecision, nor
is it any time for party exultation or tri-
umph. A betrayed and outraged people
look with pain and humiliation upon the
disgrace which has been brought upon the
country and thousands are now asking,
in unaffected terror, as in the gloomiest
days of the French revolution, where the
next bolt will strike, and who will be the
next victim Of its offended wrathP When
a nation sinks so low in its downward ten
dency to anarchy and disorganization, as
to present such examples Of human de-
pravity everywhere meeting our view Off
GERS in high places falling in their tracks
and shrinking from the public gaze, in
conscious apprehension Of impending guilt
and exposure, no one can undertake to fix
limit to the fury of the ayenging arm
which is now uplihed over them. Our
last and only hope is in the virtue of the
innocent masses who have become the suf.
fering victims Of the toleration or compli-
city Of their delinquent rulers, in condi-
ton of things that has rarely found pre-
cedent in the history Of the past.
l desire, fellow-citizens, to state briefly
in this place that l stand here tonight
squarely and without reservation, upon the
st. Louis platform as the only safety of
the people against the corruption which
has grown up since the Republican party
came into power. Ibelieve in oil that that
platform proclaims. l cannot for mo-
ment recognize the doctrine that any one
man is indispensable to the maintenance
of those great principles upon which we
have stood heretofore. Justly popular and
revered as Mr.. Seymour is represented to
be, cannot admit that the maintainance
and custody Of Democratic principles rest
upon him alone, or the will of any other
man, or body of men banded together for
mere party ends, whether friendly or 9TH
erwise. These principles have served the
country on more occasions than one, and
will serve it again if the public exigencies
demand it. 1t is not the weight of Mr..
Seymoufs name, but the abuses which
have taken possession of the government,
in the decay of public virtue and honesty,
which threaten the prostration of our
best interests, that makes reform incum-
bent upon us all in this trying crisis.
In the leadership of any true and re-
liable Democrat, l honestly believe that
the State of New York will carry her
ticket by majority of not less than 3d.
900 votes. Mr.. Seymour, it is known, is
in friendly accord with, not antagonism
to the Democratic party, and to satisfy
the people Of this will be sufficient to
carry the weight of his honored name in
determining the votes Of all who can be
influenced by his teachings. The terror
which has been caused by the fear of his
nomination shows the weakness of the
Republican party and their distrust of
their own power. These men do not know
by their want Of magnanimity and fair
dealing that they are injuring themselves
greatly more than Mr.. Tilden or Mr..
Seymour. The people clamor for honesty
and reform, and the prompt correction Of
the abuses under which we are suffering
and the Republican party must direct
their attention to these before the people
will be satisfied that they have accomplish-
al ,nvtb;no nroct;coI or s,bston,;aI n
~ y;aLa3 -. ..;i,:ce J
.heir wicaeu attempts " 'hiiiy anu tra-
duce the leaders OF the Democratic party.
Such ISLANDERS and attempts at base
as we have Witnessed
,ro sn Jovo;d oe corr,on bonas,,, - -
= 'o ~ ooo" no"oe'' ~ W
lorieit al ciaim 70 respect.
A few days ago number OF the petty
journals Of New York in the interest of
tbe Radical party seriously undertook to
tbot tbo ofFort a. ocono,nv ;n.no
ro,ed hv tho Democra,;e n,rtv baa hen
]asataa bv Demorrots tbowseIvos and
n. IL. p...li;.
w, W i'eP1pi'oans'
p1ube lOF y HlOiHeut 70 uppcuu tUc |