The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-09-05
NECESSITY FOR REFORM
And Change Of Admins
tratiOn.
SPEECH OF HON. HENRY g. DAVIS
Before the Tilden and Hen
bricks Club at Keyser,
West Va, Saturday,
Sept. Cd, 1876.

Your presence here, the formation
Of this club, and the interest the people
Of this county take i'll political affairs,
indicate that they are in earnest, and
are thoroughly in harmony with the
great reform movement inaugurated
by the Democratic party throughout
the state and country, which II followed
up must insure success which never
seemed so necessary to the future well
fare of the people and the government
The approaching Presidential and
the State Campaign is one OF the great
est importance and the country appears
10 realize the fact. On it hinges far
reaching results. The outlook Tor the
success of the Democratic party on
which depends the restoration of the
Government to its original landmarks
is most encouraging. And unless
there is repitition ol Federal interier-
cnce in the south, of bayonet rule,
and heavy expenditures of Government
money in some Of the large cities OF the
Union to influence votes, a fair election
and success is assured The people ap-
preciate that they are not only called
upon to decide pending issues! but
must say whether or not in the future
Capitalization, personal Government
extravaganza, corruption in office,
shall continue, the existence and prac'
tice of which by the Republican party
has not only brought the Government
almost To the verge ci disgrace, but,
imperiled the liberties Of the country;
because Capitalization and the evils
that follow in its train, have preceded
and mainly caused the downfall OF all
former republics. The twogreat parties
are nearly equally divided. They are
to measure strength.
To my mind the Democratic party
represents the cause OF the people, the
Government in its purity and the great
principles upon which it was founded,
honest administration OF public affairs,
economy, retrenChment, and reform;
on the other hand the Republican
party represents all that is destructive
OF good Government by the people, ex-
travagancc, centralization, corruption,
the destruction OF states and state lines
and ultimately the liberties Of the peo'
pie rs guaranteed by the constitution
The contest is unequal. On the side OF
the Republican party, there are 100000
Federal Office holders and employees
fighting for official existence, whose
leaders have not in the past and who
will not in the future hesitate Ia use
the whole patronage Of the Govern
ment to promote the success OF their
cause. The honest and prudent will
give these facts due weight, and when
considered it becomes clear that the
Democratic party is called upon for
its best efforts and best cXertiOns in
the impending struggle, and its mem.
bcrs if they succeed must watch and
work from now until November with
unCeasing energy and vigilance.
The Condition of the Country,
without exaggeration, is alarming. Re
form is the watch-word and remedy.
The Republican party has had con
troll Of the Government for the last six
teen wears, four Of war, twelve Oi peace,
and in these twelve years since the war
closed in 1865, what has it accom-
plished? Nothing in the way Of progress
and prosperity; nothing in the direct
ION Of curing the sad results OF the war
and restoring peace and harmony be
tween the different sections Of the I'M
ion: nothing toward reform and honest
Government. But on the contrary,
every step has been backward, and the
country hasgone with rapidity from bad
toworse until we find ourselves almost at
the lowest depths OF dispair and tinan-
cial distress as people and a nation
During this period, centrallzatlon and
consolidation OF power in the general
Government has made alarming strides;
constitutional liberty has suffered the
rights Of states and individuals dimin.
isbed: whole state Governments Inaug'
nrated by the people under the con.
stitutiOn have been overturned by Fed.
cral force, and Governments sustained
bv military power substituted; faithful,
efficient and honest officers violently
removed from the public service and
their places generally filled by narrow
partisans: taxes increased, officers mul.
tiplied. corruption and extravaganza
i'm every branch Of the Government
has grown to large prOpOrtlOnsi our II.
nancial affairs are in confusion, managed
for the most part in the interest Of the
bond holders. the Treasury Department
has been invaded and without author.
itv Of law figures, reports, statements and
records officially made have been ar
bitrarily changed. after they have stood
in many instances more than thirty
years and been accepted and acted up
on az accurate and correct, by reason oi
which the public debt has been in.
creased hundreds Of millions, the *.
pauditures many millions, and the rev.
rnue decreased as many more. In.
deed very little that is good in govern,
meut and national morals has been
encouraged during this period, while
almost everything that u bad has been
aided and i0stered by the Republican
party. Corrupt associations for corrupt
purposes usually called rings have ex
erci-.d. in these twelve year., great in
fiuence in public affairs, and have On
loved respectable standing with ths
administration and IL followers to sucf
extent that this period will 90 down IN
history a. the era Of rings, Of which tho
following may be named a. the mos
powerful The whisky, Indian, straw
( bid. Real Estate Pool, Army, Navy. Post
trader. Moth ExterminatOr, Credit vi"
! bilier. Washington City Custom House
Freedmans Bank and Burean, Pacific
and other Railroads, DC. These corrup