Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-05
The New York Democracy.

Upon the reassembIing OF the State Demo
cratic Convention of New York yesterday even
ing resolution was adopted that the democTa'
oy of New York send greeting to the democracy
Of New Jersey, and congratulate The voters OF
that State on the nomination OF the patriot and
soldier, General George B. McCleau.
The Committee on Permanent Oitao;zl'ion
reported Clarksou N. Potter for permanent char
man. Mr.. Potter adore 1sed the convention
as follows:
The honorable gentleman who discharged the
difficult duty Of presiding over your orsan;za'
ton 10 his opening address naturally referred
to the great wrong which has been done 10 the
democratic party and to popular goScrnment 10
excluding from Office that great statesman whom
the people had selected for thelrC Magistrate,
q wrong due to unconstitutional protection OF
fraudulent returning boards BY Federal troops
and to the regulation By Congress OF its duty OF
determining The disputed electoral Votes to a
commission. 1t is indeed as fortunate as uneX
pected that the minority candidate thus wroDg
fully installed 10 place should have adopted a
course towards the Southern States at one cOG-
stitutional and wise and just. Whatever may
have been the motives which influenced him,
whether Just and lofty patriotism or mere
selfish calculation as to what was the better
policy for himself and his party, it Yet remains
that the course he has pursued toward the
South was the only wise, just aud, as We lhlhk,
constitutional course for him to adopt, and deep.
" as | feel the wrong that was done to the pco.
pic 10 declaring him to be elected, and the
danger Of our Institutions arising trcm the
methods by which that result was procured, |
also remember that 10 respect TO his actions now
that be is Installed in office, he is entitled to be
treated with justice and judged With fairness;
but while commenting as | do the conduct oil
the President towards the South, we should not
forget that elfeovcrnment By the pelmlasion
of any man is toleratio0, but cot freedom, Tor
you will observe that We owe It 10 the
accidents Of the Cincinnati convention that
the republicans have ilstalleG 81: Ctlet
Magistrate Que disposed to de-! wisely
and Justly with the Southern States instead Of
one who would pursue the cruel aud 'yranuous
policy Of his predecessor. Had that convcn
ton selected az their candidate some other OF
the prominent names before them, We might
still have an administration ready 10 repeat the
orders of Dure AMI enforce them with the zeal
of Sheridan, and We might thus have still con-
tuued throughout the South The same m2as
ures Of oppression, the same organization to
control the coored vote, the sauna support I'll
"tarpet bag rule, the same effort TO make the
prosperity Of that section subordinate IL tue
political use TO which it has been heretofore
subjected.
Nov, whether greater States shall have the
right to govern themselves, or shall be kept
under the rule Of Kclloggs and ChamberIaiu5 by
the aid of Federal troops, is a question that
ought not to be left dependent on any mau' $
will nor to the accidental choice of any conven
ton. Such things ought to be settled by law,
and be beyond discretion, and while we may we'll
be thankful that since discretion is to be used, it
has fallen into the hands Of those that use it as
wisely and Justly as MIR. Hayes has done 10 this
regard, We shall never have discharged our duty
to ourselves, to our children, and to good gov.
eroment, until We have done our part to put an
end to condition Of things that admits ofsuch
abuse, that puts the protection OF the people Of
all the States against military usurpation and
Garnet bag government under fixed and Impair
lial laws, and removed beyond the discretion or
voli,ion of any man. But the action OF the
President toward the South is not the on y part
Of his conduct which has been remarkable. AL
though more dependent upon the support OF
the ofioehollers than perhaps any President
who preceded him, since his majority 10 three
principal States hardly equallcd the number Of
Federal oficeholders, yet he declared that the
patronage for which his followers contended shall
not be given them. Whether, it this be really
meapt, his party will sustain him 10 il may we'll
be doubted. Already leading republicans de-
clare this purpose to be lmprac.lcabc and to be
10 part abandoned as no one but republicans
get Office Ills order against tie participation
oN, l., ,,ol;f;o, dol oa his e1iion do
nouUc,d and repudiated at the convention Of
his party in the chief State Of the Uni0n. Far
be it from me to speak ofthe Presidents action
without respect The evils arising from our sys
TEN Of civil service and from the magnitude OF
the Federal patronage are indeed SO great that
honest effort to be rid of them ought to be favor
ed and for myself, Isay that heartily respect the
President ADD his advisers 10 just 20 far as they
are earnestly and honestly endeav0rog TO carry
into effect the reform to which they make clam.
But should he succeed in withholding from his
followers the patronage TO secure which they
outraged the whole system of free government,
the cure for existing evils would still be uncer
tain and transient. Here, again, republican
reform proposes only personal ret0rmatlon.-
Doubtless personal government by Hayes Is
better than personal government by Grant; but
the reformation proposed is not one 10 adnln.
istration. No one believes that had the choice
OF the Convention at Cincinnati fallen upon
Mr. ConkIiug, Mr.. Morton or Mr.. Blaine we
should have heard anything Of such method
of disposing Of Federal patronage as is proposed
by the President; and therefore if the President
can effect such reform it will be purely per
soual and temporary one, beginning and ending
with him. No, we shall never see real civil
service reform until We have change 10 the
power OF appointments When an end is put
to the Capitalization of all appointments 10 the
President, distributing the appointment of local
officers 10 some way to localities, and making
the tenure of subordinate officers for fixed
time, the evil Of this enormous Executive pat
ronage will be cnded-a patronage greater by
f.r than that Of civilized monarch, and yet
which was 10 the beginning SO Insignificant and
unforeseen that the fathers failed 10 make any
provision in respect to it whatever. From the
beginning of the Government there has bceu
but one permanent party-that great demo
cratic party which you represent. 1t is the
party of the limited and localized Government.
Its duty and purpose should be to secure rights
and remove abuses by law. To that end it