The Portland daily press., 1876-05-17
FIFTH AVENUE CONFERENCE.
AN ADDRESS To THE PEOPLE.
A Dark Picture of the Republic,
Electors Urged to support only
RefOrmers.


NEW YORK, May Is AT 10 O'Clock the Re
form conference at the Fifth AvenIe Hotel was
called to order by President Woolsey, without
any particular Formally.
Charles Francis Adams, Jr., was called for.
He was an independent voter; he wanted an
honest government and honest money; he saw
that the elements with which he wished to act
were concentrating in the two great parties up
on one or two of their representatives. He for
one was here, however to act with these pres
ent and other independent voters, to induce
the Republican party to nominate for President
the present Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. B.
ii. Bristow, but if the Republican party, lis.
iening to its purely partisan leaders, put such
man in nomination that we cannot support
him. and if the Democratic party should nom
mate for President such man as Samuel Til
den. then he shall support him. (Applause.)
But if the two parties do not do either, then
let us come together again and nominate one
for whom we can at least throw a conscientious
vote. He said this was the main point of what
he had to say, and he hoped that none now
misunderstood him. He then referred to those
who were considered as candidates for the
Presidency and considered them unworthy.
For himself, for one, he would meet with only
a dozen, and nominate man who would be an
honor to the country. He only asked that he
might be allowed in this centennial year to be
counted.
Parkej Goodwin followed, and considered that
the duty of all was to follow Mark Twain's ad-
vice, and wherever you see serpents he adj put
your foot on it, whether it belongs to Repub-
lican or Democrat. He read from Congress
sonal speech to show that corruption was
abroad. He considered that the late war was
the cause of much of the corruption that has
followed. The generation which has been
growing up since, has not had that thorough
training in the constitutional and economic
questions that prevailed before their time.
Many of the present oficessare filled by men
who have served well as soldiers, but proved
very poor officials He looked forward to the
formation of party which while being the
become the triumphant party throughout the
country in the future. He had been present at
the birth of the Republican party and unless it
continued its work in the right direction he,
for one, was ready to drive the nail into its
coffin. (Applause.)
Carl Schurz read the address of the commit
tee, which was adopted as an address to the
people of the United States, as follows:
The Address.
Fellow Citizens-A conference of citizens as
sembled in New York sincerely desiring to
serve the best interest of the American people,
beg leave to submit to your candid considera-
ton the following appeal:
A national election is approaching under cir
cumstances of peculiar significance. Never be-
fore in our history has the public mind been SC
profoundly agitated by an apprehension of the
dangers arising from the prevalence of corrupt
tendencies and practices in our political life,
and never has there been greater reason for
it. We will not display here in detail the cata-
logue of the disclosures which for several years
have followed one another in rapid succession,
of our political life untouched. The records of
the courts of the states, legislation of the Ma
tional Congress speak with terrible plainness
Still they adhere to the scandalous exhibition.
While such state of things would under any
circumstances appear most deplorable, it is pc.
culiarly so at the present moment. We are
about to celebrate the Tooth birthday of our ma.
tional existence. We have invited the nations
ofs the earth on this great anniversary to visit
our land and witness the evidence of our mate.
rial progress as we'll as the working and effects
of that republican government which century
memories from past history are rising up before
us in new glow Of life, forcing upon us the
comparison of what this republic once was,
what it was intended to be, and what it now
is, and upon this we have challenged the judg-
ment OF CIVILIZED mankind conformity with our
own. There is much of which every American
citizen has just cause to be proud-an energy
and thrift; power of thought and action; a
progressive spirit which in magnifcence of re-
suit has outstripped all precedent and antici.
patton; history Astounding in illustrations OF
heroic patriotism, fortitude and wisdom; a
greater freedom from foreign war and revolu-
tionary changes of government than most 9TH
er nations can boast of; our republic but cen.
tury old, and just issued from the only great
civil conflict we ever had to deplore 50 strong
in resources and organization that it stands
rank of the great powers of earth, and yet.
with all these splendid results ON record, it cam
not be denied that at no period during the CEN
fury now behind the American people have
been less satisfied with themselves, and the
centennial anniversary of the Declaration of
lnueDeQ0eDca in tn all
leans day OF sincerest pride and rejoicing is
felHto be in other respects not without self-re-
proach and humiliation.
Of this the corruption revealed in our politi
cal life is the cause. To the honor of the Amer
lean be it said, many patriotic citizens feel the
burning shame of the spectacle presented in
the centennial year. There the mementos and
monuments of virtues of the past, and here the
shocking evidence of the Generalization and
corruption of the present; there the glowing
eulogies pronounced on the wisdom and purity
OF the fathers, and here in mockipg contrast
the verdicts of courts and the records of legs.
lative bodies illustrating the political minds OF
the day, and this before all mankind soemnly
summoned as witness to the exhibition and a
guest TO the feast Never was there cause for
keener modification, and keenly does it strike
every patriotic heart How can we avoid
such dangers and wipe out shame? By prov
ing that although the government machinery
mas become corrupt, the great body of the PEG.
PtN "AO pouhu abu SUZUKI db luc COT6. anu THAI
they are honestly determined to reform the
abuses of our political life and to overthrow al
any cost the agencies of evil that stand in the
way. Only such an effort, we'll directed and
sternly persevered in until success assured will
save the good name of the nation and prevent
the prevailing disease from becoming fatal and
restore to its Old strength the faith Of our own
people in their institutions
AT the impending national election various
questions OF great Importance will be submit.
TED to our Judgment. The settlements of the
CIVIL war as coDstitutonally fixed must be con-
scentlously maintained, and at the same time
the government strengthened in general conf
dence by the strict observance of constitutional
principles and the old brotherhood of the peo-
pie revived by policy of mutual justice and
Cancellation. Oar solemn and often repeated
pledge faithfully to.discharge all national OBJ
legations must be fulfilled, not only BY the
payment OF principal and interest of our bond
ed debt when due, but also by the redemption not
later than the time provided by the existing
law, from the curse of our redundant irredeem.
able paper currency, which not only impedes
the return of true prosperity but has also large
" contributed to the existing Generalization
These are great questions and there are more
we might touch were it our purpose to Law
down complete political platform. But
grave as they are, still in our present situation
we must as American citizens recognize it as
our most pressing duty to reestablish the moral
character OF our government and to elevate the
tone OF our political life. Honest government
is the first condition of enduring national pros
perity, power an freedom. Without the ele-
mentary virtues of political as we'll as civil
life decay will outstrip our progress Our dis
cussIons and struggles about other great ones
tions and principles will appear like mockery
and farce If we permit cur public concerns to
drift into that anarchy which corruption must
necessarily bring in its train because it DESTROYS
the confidence of the people in their self-gov-
ernment-the greatest calamity that can befall
a republic. Its simple question of life or
death. A corrupt monarchy may last by the
will of force, corrupt republic cannot endure.
1t is useless TO console ourselves with the idea
that corruption among us must be ascrbed
solely to the immediate effects of the civil war