Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-05-26
THE LIBERALS.
Address of the Reform Conference 90
the People Of the United states.

and practices in our political life and never has
display here In detail The distressing catalogue
Of disclosures which for several years have FOL
lowed one another In rapid succession, and seem
70 have left scarcely single sphere Of our polit
State Legislatures, and OF the National Congress
speak with terrible plainness, and still they arc
adding TO the scandalOus exhibition"
The address goes on TO cay that such state Of
things most deplorable, and peculiarly at thiI
time, when we are about 10 celebrate the ono
hundreth anniversary Of our National existence
and have invited the nations OF the earth to visit
our land, and to witness the evidence OF our ma
tcrial progress, as well rs the working and ecctt
OF that Republican Government which century
ago pnr fathers founded.
THE Centennial anniversary Of the Declaration
OF Iudependenco, being In so many respcctsto al
Amsrlcaus day OF sincerest pride and rejoicing
is fclt to be In other respects not without selfre
proach and humiliation, OF this, the corruption
revealed IN our political lIfe ie the cause
To the honor Of the American people be II
said, every patriotic citizen feels the burning
shame OF the spectacle presented in the Conicn
nial year-there the memcntocs and monuments
Of the virtues of tNe past, aud here the shocking
evidences of the decentralization and corruption
OF the present; there the glowing eulogles pro
nounced on the wisdom aud purity OF the fathers
and here, in mOcking contrast, the verdicts o.
ing the political morals ~ to-day, and this before
all mankind solemnly summoned as a witness to
the exhibition and guest to the feast. Never
was there cause for keener modification, aud
The question is then asked, +" How can we
avert eugf dangers and wipe of such stainf by
proving Gays the addrcss) that, although the
GOYernmert machinery has become corrupt the
great body Of the people are sound and strong al
the core. aud that they are honestly determined
TO reform the abuses Of our political life, and 10
overthrow at auy cost the agencies OF evil that
stand in the way"
After ailnding TO the great importance Of some
of the questions involved In the impending Ma
ti0na election the address says:
f'NarnNe AS thpN still, in present 9itun-
tion, we must, as American citizens, recognize II
as our most pressing duty to re-establish the
moral character of our Government, and to Gle
vate the tone - our political life. Our
discussions and slruggles about other great ques-
tiOns and principles will appear like a mockery
and farce IN we permit our public concerns To
DRIFT into that ruinous anarchy which corruption
must necessarily bring in it's train, because 1t de-
slroyes the confidence Of people IN their self
government the greatest calamity that can bofall
repuDlic, Its simple queetion Of life or death
corrupt tmonarcby may last by the rule Of force
corrupt republic cannot endure, IL Is useless
TO console ourselves with the idea that the cor
rupu0u among us must be ascribed solely to the
immediate effects OF the Civil War, and will,
withoutan effort at reform, soon pass away.
There is another cause which is not transitory,
but threatens to become permanent II is the
system which has made the offices OF the Govern
ment the mere sport OF party victory; the system
which distributes the places of trust and re.
spOnsbility as the reward Of party service and
the bounty OF lavoritism; the system which ap.
peals TO the mean impulses Of eelfshness and
greed as controlling motive OF political action
the system which degrndes the civil service to the
level OF a mere party agency, and treating the
officer as the hired servant Of the party, ard tax
Ing him for party support, stimulates corruption,
aud places 1t under party protection; the system
which brings the organization Of the parties un-
der the control OF the most selhshly.interested
and therefore most active, element-the place.
holders and the place c-hunters-thus tending to
organize a standing army of political mercenarics
to be paid out Of the Treasury Of the Govern.
ment who, by organized action, endeavor to
snbjugate he viii OF the people TO their ends,
through the cultivation OF a tyrannical party
spirit.
vEyery student Of our political history knows
that since the spoils system was inaugurated cor
ruptfon mas steadily grown from year to year. and
soiong as this systefn lasts, with all It's seduc-
tons and demoralizing tendencies, corruption
will continue TO grow in extent and power, fol
patdotism and true merit will more and more be
crowded out of political life by unscrupulous sci.
hshness.
"The war has only given p1ddeu stimulus
to this tendency, but without the war It would
have grown up, and will not cease TO grow az long
as the hOGbed of corruption, the spoils system
lasts. The kill in corrupt practices acquired by
one generation of spoilsmen will only be i'm
proved opon by the next The result we know.
We have already reaped so great harvest of die
aster and shame that, we repeat, IL has now be-
come the first dIty of the American people to re-
establish the moral character of the Government
by.thorough reform.
"What can we 40 toward this end In the impend.
ing National electonl In this respect, fellow
plainly. Never were the cause OF good Govern
ment and the honor of the American name more
immediately dependent II tbs character, ability
aud reputation Of the men to be selected for the
highest Offices. In view of the grave circum.
stances at present surrounding us, we declare
that the country cannot now afford to have any
man elected TO the Presidency whose very name
is not conclusive evidence of the most uncom-
promising determination of the American peope
TO make this pure Government once more. Our
duty in this respect is plain and imperative. The
worn out clap-trap Of fair promises in party plat
forms will not satisfy IL; neither VIII these fine
pro essions on the R Rart Of candidates nd not mere
but men; and we therefore declare and call upon
all good citizens TO join us, that at the coming
PRESIDENTIAL election we shall support no candi-
date who, iu public position, ever countenanCed
corrupt practices or combinations, impedCd their
exposure or punishment, or opposed necessary
measures of reform. We shall support no candi-
date who, while possessing official influence and
power, has failed 10 use his opportunities IN ex-
posing snd correcting abuses coming within the
reach OF his observation, but for personal and
party ends has permitted them to tester on; for
such men may be counted on not 10 uncover and
crush corruption, but for the party sake merely
10 conceal it more.
We shall support no candidate, however con-
spicuous his position or brilliant his ability, in
whom the impulses of the party managers have
shown themselves predominant over those OF the
reiormer, for he will be inclined to continue that
fundamental abuse--the employment of the Gov
einnent service as a machinery for personal or
party ends. We shall support no candidate who
however tayorably 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 Re
pubic IN experiments on merely supposed virtue
or rumored ability, to be trusted on the strength
OF private recommendation.
In one word, at present, no candidate should
be held entitled 10 the support of patriotic citi
zens of wnom the question may be fairly asked,
Is he really the man to carry through a
thorough going reform Of the Government? Can
he with certainly be depended upon to possess
the moral courage and sturdy resolution TO Crap
pie with abuses which have acquired the
strength of established custom, snd to this end
firmly resist the pressure. even of his marty
tfiendsH Whenever there Is room for such aues-
tlnn, and doubt as 10 the answer, the candidate
should be considered unfit for this emergency
This is no time for so-called availability spring
! from distinction gained on helds of action
foreign 10 the duties Of Government, nor for that
FAR more dangerous sort OF availability which
consists In this-that the candidate be neither
50 bad as TO rep | good citizens, nor so
glod as to discourage the bad ones. Pas
siYe virtue in the highest place has too
often been known 10 prevent the growth Of
active vice below. The man to be intrusted with
the Presidency this year must have deserved not
only the confidence Of honest men, but also the
fear and hatred OF the thieves. He who manages
20 conclltate the thieves cannot be the candidate
Every American citizen, who has the future of
the Republic and the National honor sincerely at
heart, should solemnly resolve that the country
IN ust now have President whose name il al.
and courage for the work are matters CT record
rather than Of promise; who will restore the elm
phcitY, Independence and rectitude OF the early
Administrations, and whose life will be a puAran-
tee OF his fidelity and htness-a man at .he mere
sound Of whose name, even, the most dsheart-
ened Will take new courage, and all mankind
VIII say the Americans are indeed in earnest to
restore the ancient purity OF their Government
"Therefore, fellow-citzenE, the undersigned,
In addressing you, are not animated by the am
billion 10 form or lead new party. Most OF us
have long been, aud sill are, warmly attached to
their party associations. IL would be most grati-
iying 20 us 70 see, by party action candiditea put
forward whose character and record answer these
requirements, which present circumstances rem
der imperative. We earnestly hope and lruat il
will be so. We shall gladly follow such lead,
ahd make every effort In our power TO render ii
successful. But while we are ready TO accent any
and every good result OF party action.
we affirm that the moral reform OF our
IHiblic concerns IL Infinitely tupe Tor in i'm
portance To the interests of any political party
Glad 10 promote that reform through party action.
we shall insist upon IL Al all events Should party
action fail, experience teaches us that the habitual
supmisson OF good citizers 10 choice of evils pre-
tented TO them by party organizations s one OF
inc most prolific causes Of corruption in our poll
tics, The acceptance by the people OF the argu.
ment that one party may be bad and still entitled
10 the support OF good men necauee the other
party IL Sill worse, will induce each To consider
how bad II may safely be. II will strengthen In
zach the most INSCRIPTIONS elements and subject
he will OF the people 10 the subtitle tyranny OF
lrganizalions welded by those who live by poll