The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-17
BY TELEGRAPH
INDEPENDENT CONFERENCE.
The Address to the People.

by the political conference at the FINN aV-
enue hotel
Address to the American people Eel
low citizens A conference of citizens as
sembled in New York, sincerely desiring
to serve the best interests of the American
people, beg leave to submit to your candid
consideration the following appeal The
national election is approaching, under
circumstances of peculiar significance.
Never before in our history has the public
mind been so profoundly agitated by an
apprehension of the dangers arising from
the prevalence Of corrupt tendencies and
practices in our political lite, and never
has there been greater reason for it, We
will not display here in detail the distress
ing catalogue Of disclosures which, for
several years, have followed one another
in rapid succession, and seem to have left
scarcely q single sphere of our political
life untouched. The records Of the courts,
Of the state legislatures, and of the national
congress speak with terrible plainuoss, and
still they are adding to the scandalous ex-
hibition. While such state of things
would under any circumstance, appear
most deplorable, 1t is peculiarly SO at the
present moment. We are about to cele-
brate the one hundredth birthday of our
national existence. We have invited ma
lions of the earth in this great anniversary
to visit our land and TO witness evidence
of our material progress as well as the
working and effects of that republican
government which century ago our
fathers founded. Thus the most inspiring
memories of our past history are rising up
before ms in a new glow of life, forcing
upon us the comparison of what this re-
public once was, what it was intended to
be, and what ii now is, and upon this we
have challenged the judgment of civilized
mankind conformity with our own. There
is much of which every American citizen
has just reason to be proud, an energy and
thrift, power of thought and action, a
progressive spirit which in magnificence of
result has outstripped all precedent and
anticipation. A history Astounding in illus
trations of heroic patriotism, fortitude
and wisdom a greater freedom from
foreign wars and revolution and changes
of government than most other nations can
boast Of Our republic, but century old
and just issued from the only great civil
conflict we have had to deplore, 50 strong
in resources and organization that it stands
in the formost ranks of the great power, of
the earth. And yet with all these splendid
results on record it can not be denied that
at no period during the century now behind
us the American people have been less sat-
isied with themselves aud that the centen-
nial anniversary of the declaration of indie
peDdence in go many respects to all Amer
leans day of sncerest pride and rejoicing
is felt to he in other respects not without
and humiliation. OF this the
corruption revealed in cur political life is
the cause. TO the honor of the American
people be it said, that every patriotic citi-
zen feels the burning shame of the spectacle
presented in the centennial year. There
the momcntoes and monuments of the vir-
tues of the past and here the shocking evil
dence of the decentralization and corruption
of the present. There the glowing eulogies
pronounced on the wisdom and purity of
the fathers, and here in marking contrast
the verdicts of the courts and the records
of the legislative bodies Illustrating the 20.
litical morals of to-day, and This before all
aolcmnly summoned as a witness
to the exhibition and o guest to The presi-
dent. Never was there cause for keener
and kcenly does it strike
every patriotic heart. How can we
avert such dangers and wipe
off such shame2 BY proving that
the government machinery
has become corrupt, the great body Of the
people are sound ard strong at the core,
and that they are honestly determined to
reform the abuses of cur political life and
to overthrow at any cost the agencies of
evil that stand in the way. Only such an
effort well directed and sternly pereevered
in until success is assured will save the
good name of the nation, prevent the pre-
vailing disease from becoming fatal and
restore to its old strength the faith of our
people in their institutions. At the impend-
ing Lational election various questions OF
great importance will be submitted TO our
judgment. The settlement of the civil war
is constitutionally fixed, must be conscien-
tiously maintained, and at the same time
the government strengthened in the general
confidence by the strict observance of con-
stitutional principles, and the old brother
hood of the people revived by policy of
mutual justice and Cancellation. Our SOL
emn and often repeated pledge faithfully
to discharge all national obligations must
be fulfilled, not only by the payment of
the principal and interest Of our bonded
debt when due, but also the removal, not
later than the time provided by the exist
ing laws, of the curse Of our redundant, ir-
redeemable paper currency, which not only
impedes the return of true prosperity, but
has also largely contributed to the existing
These are grave ques-
tons and there are more we might touch
were it our purpose to lay down COM
plete political platform. But grave as they
are, still in our present situation we must
as American citizens recognize il as
our most pressing duty TO re-establish the
moral character of our government and to
elevate the tone Of our political life. Hon
est government is the first condition of en-
during national prosperity, power and
freedom. Without elementary virtues of
political as we'll as social life decay will
outstrip our progress. Our discussions and
struggles about other great questions and
principles will appear like mockery and
farce, If we hermit our public concerns TO