The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-06-15
OUR RIGIITFUL RULERS.
SPEECHES ny TnDEN AND HENDRICKS.

The reception of the Manhattan club on
Tuesday night. After alluding to the de-
parture of Governor Hendricks for Europe
and wishing him good voyage he asserted
that the men elected by the people in the
late presidential contest were counted out
| He would not by any word of his dwarf or
degrade the greatest wrong that has stained
our national annals into personal grievance.
The ultimate consequences will, he said, ex-
tend to every man of the four ard quarter
millions who were defrauded of the fruits of
their elective franchises He said the evils
in governments grow by success and by i'm
punity. They do not arrest their own pro-
gress. They can never be limited except by
external forces. IT the men in possession of
| the government can in one instance main
tain themselves in power against an adverse
decision at the elections such an example
will be initiated. Temptation exists always.
Devices to give the color of law and false
pretences on which to found fraudulent de-
cisions will not be wanting. The wrong will
grow into practice if once condoned. In the
worlds history changes in the succession of
governments have usually been the result of
fraud or force. 1t has been our faith and
our pride that we had established mode of
peaceful change to be worked out by the
agency of the ballot box.
The question now is whether our elective
system in its substance as well as its form
is to be maintained This is the question
OF questions. Until it is finally settled there
can be no politics founded on inferior ques-
tions Of administrative policy. 1t involves
the whole system of popular government.
The people must signally condemn the
great wrong which has been done to them.
They must strip this example Of everything
that can attract limitations. They must re-
fuse a prosperous immunity to crime. This
is not all. The people will not be able to
trust the authors or benefciaries of the
wrong to devise the remedies. But when
those who condemn the wrong shall have the
power they mnst devise the measures which
shall render a repetition of the wrong forever
impossible.
If my voice could reach throughout our
country and be heard in its remotest hamlet,
| would say, "Be Of good cheer the repub-
lie will live" The institutions of our faith
ers are not to expire in shame. The SOW
ereignty of the people shall be rescued from
this peril and re.established. Successful
wrong never appears so triumphant as on
the very eve of its fall. Seven years ago a
corrupt dynasty eliminated in its power over
the million of people who live in New York
city. 1t had conquered, or bribed, or fatter-
ed and won almost everything into acquies-
cence. 1t appeared to be invincible A
penitentiary or in exile.
History abounds in similar examples. We
must believe in right and in future great
and noble nation will not sever i Is political
from is moral life.
Mr.. Hendricks having returned thanks fol
the honor done him, alluded to the presiden-
tial election and said the result as declared
in Louisiana and Florida and at Washing
ton is not, and cannot be made satisfactory
to the country for obvious reasons; that it
was not true great and sincere people will
rest their final judgment only upon truth
and never upon fraud, successful through
technicality. Even should the President
and his cabinet adopt part or the whole o
the policies and purposes for which the dem
ocratic party has been contending for many
years and which became so distinctly defined
last year. even that cannot remove or guie
the public discomfort. The democrats vii
make no factious opposition nor will they
seek to embarrass the de .tact0 administration
but will sustain it in what is right because
it is right and for the welfare of the country
and not at all because ofany fealty to apart,
that stands defeated and condemned by tn
people. The people cannot allow the selec
ton of their chief magistrate to become
thing of chance or of sharp practices. TIL
fraud first triumphant in American histor
, must be assigned to its proper place among
the crimes against popular government an
q made so odious that no party will dare to al
- tempt its repetition. He who is electe
: President must be inaugurated. Until ths
is settled and made sure no democrat can
q seduced from his devotion and allegiance i
any way-not by the allurements of offic
nor even by the strong appeal in the aband
onment by the administration of vicior
principles and dangerous policies and th
adoption of better doctrines and just measure
Democrats will not entrust their most che
If ished principles to the keeping Of powc
e which is attained by vicious and CORFU
l. means. They will rather continue the
e faith in the right ofthe majority to rule in a
y cordance with constitutional provisions. A
Il democrats rejoice with unbounded joy tn!
: free republican governments are once MOI
If allowed to the states of South Carolina an
o Louisiana. They rejoice in the good frui
/ that must follow They know that peaC
= and good order will prevail; that capital wi
e be made secure and labor safe, ,contented an
e happy that enterprise will revive and tt
e cruel burdens Of the government and publ
IS corruption will be lifted from the shoulde
h of labor and that production will increa
: and lands advance in price. But they knoN
r. in the language of Governor Morton, it ha
t. become inevitable. Good government in IL
ID states was not a free offering upon the alta
d of the country. For years the democrats ha
le contended in congress and before the peOpl
Dt for free republican states throughout ii
l. south and finally it became inevitable, bt
lie cause the right and truth were too strong
,e be longer suppressed. In this democra
Us find reason to stand more firmly with the
rs party. Out of power, with no patronage
Ie dispense and no money to distribute, but an
ID mated by spirit of our institutions and il
lie spired by the sentiment of the rights of L
at cal self-goyernment as inherent in the PEI
lg Pile, the democratic party during the past te
i years has restored one state after another vi
:. liz .a.l ~ IL. L.. :;