Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-05-25

we know reE - s,s1os
] ! ] ! ! ! | !
cf tie AmerieaSs @0m72
the iuoral sh2ra1 - -
by ! thototS rel - Is
Of the American nsRs nose ipmsdiatss
y depeddene J0u ~. yk1zBGAef, 1bNity
and Hpdtasion cf tbe ~ . @ sglecseii
for The highest oficea bsHss sTrs bsT
In Siev Of the grxye eieddskstaSees Ct
present surroundi1g ius, We sdeekrstbe
country cannot i,ox atfdtdi To bSSs ;srsv
man elected toqtae spfeiadehey wAsSs
very, name b not e6hclusive svideuse
of the. most uueompromisibgd desesui-
nation Of the American pe6pls ITO
make this purs . gosernment ouce
more. Our duty in this respecti IL plAla
and imperious. 'It suffers no srilling or
equivocation. The worn.ot1t clar-trrp
Of face promises Ia party platforms viii
not satisfy IL. Neither will Ane proees.
sions on the part Of candidates. Not
mere words are needed, but scts-aot
mere platforms, but men, We, there.
fore, declare and call upon all good cit.
izens to join us, that ut the coming
presidential election We shall support
no candidate who in public position
ever eountenanced corrupt practices or
combinations, or impeded their expo.
sure and punishment, oropposed neces.
sary measures Of reform. We shall
support no candidate who, while DOS.
sessing official influence and power, has
failed TO use his opportunity in expos
ing and correcting abuses coming With.
in the reach of his observation, but for
personal reasons and party ends has
permitted them to tester on, for such
men may be counted on not to uuSover
and crush corruption, but for the par
ties sake merely to conceal it. We
shall support no candidate, however
conspicuous his position or brilliant
his ability, on wh6aeshe imputation of
the party manager have showu them.
selves predominant over those of the
reformer; for be will he incli6ed to con.
tinue that fundamental abuse, the en-
ploy ment Of the government Dc rvice for
personal or party ends.
We shall support no candidate who,
however favorably judged BY his nearest
friends, is not publicly known to pos.
sess those qualities Of mind and char.
acter which the stern task Of genuine re.
form requires. For the American peo.
pie cannot now afford to risk the future
of the republic in experiments in merely
supposed virtue or rumored ability, to
be trusted on the strength Of private re.
commendation. In one word, at pres
ent no candidate should be held enti.
tied to the support of patriotic citizens
Ut whom the question may fairly be
asked: Is he really the man to carry
through thorougbgoing reform Of the
government? Can he With certainty
be depended upon to possess the moral
courage and sturdy resolution to crap.
pie with abuses which have acquired
the strength of established custom, and
to this end firmly to resist the pressure
even of his party friends? Whenever
there is room for such question-and
doubt as to the answer-the candidate
should be considered unit for this
.-...
This Is no time for so-called avaia-
bility springing from distinction gained
on fields of action foreign to the duties
Of government, nor for that FAR more
dangerous sort Of availability which
consists in this, that the candidate be
neither % bad as to repel good citizens,
nor 80 good as to discourage the bad
ones, as passive virtue in the highest
place has too often been known to per-
init the growth of active vice below. =
The man to, be entrusted with the
this year must have deserved
not only the confidence Of honest men,
but also the fear and hatred of the
thieves. He who manages 70 conciliate
the thieves. cannot be the candidate for
honest men. Every kAericau citizen
who has the future Of the republic and
the national honor sincerely ut heart
sbould solemnly resolve that the coun-
try must now have . president whose
name - already q watch-word. Of re-
ferm;. whose capscity and. courage for
work are matters Of record rather than
Of promi,e. Who VIII restore the sim-
plicity, indepens.eace and rectitude Of
the early administration, and whose
life will be q guaranty Of bis fidelity.
and fitness, man at the mere sound
Of whose name even the most dishesrs-
ened will take new courage, and all
mankind will say, the Americans are
indeed IN earnest to restore the ancieut
purity OF the governnent. "A
Fellow -citisens. the uudsrsisned in
yoa. are net animated by
the ambition to form er lad . new Do
litieal party. Most OF NJ hsse long
been ssd still ass vasnly attached to
their party assseiaaiops. ~ II would be
most gratifying to No 70 &c by psrty
setiou eandidaiss put forward .hoce
chracler and recera sasuer thoss re-
qairsuenas Which puessnt ciscuustances
reaasr imperative. We earnestly hcpe
and trust it viii b .. We shail GLAD.
ly follow such . leader. aad make eycry
effort in our power 10 render il success:
full, but while We, are ready to accent
any and every good result Sf r7rtv .c.