Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-06-21
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s3k, {he speellI vesI H. SI|ek' rss
the presence ia, this city ef 4r. Hen
bricks and Of Governor Rob1nsoa md
Lieutenant Governor Dcrsheimer. One
Of your guests, Mr.. Hendricks, embazks
tomorrow on'a foreiGa excursion for
rest and recreation. He win carry with
him our best wishes for z prosperous
voyage, pleasant visit and . safe return,
and for the health and happiness Of him
self and family. have been availing
myself. for similar purposes, Of brief
interval, and find myselfnow with some
reluctance, drawn away from those pri-
yate pursuits. But the occasion and
the apparent general expectation seem
to require that should say a word in
respect to public affairs, and especially
that should allude to the transaction
which in my Judgements the most por-
teatous event in our. political history
Every body knows that after the recent
election the men who were elected by
the people President and Vice-Presi-
dent of the United States were "counted
out" and men who were not elected
were "counted in" and seated. dis
claim any thought Of the personal wrong
involved in this transaction. Not by
any act or work of mine shall that be
dwarfed or degraded into a personal
grievance which is, in tuih, the great
est wrong that has stained our national
annals. To every man of the four and
quarter millions who were defrauded
OF the fruits of their elective franchise
it is as great wrong as it is to me-
And no less to every man ofthe MINOR
ity will the ultimate consequences ex-
tend. Evils in government grow by
success and by impun,ty. They do not
arrest their own progress. They can
never be limited except by external for
ces. II the men in possession of the
Government can in one instance main
tain themselves in power against an ad-
verse decision at the elections. such an
example will be initiated. Temptation
exists always. Devices to give the col
or OF law and false pretenses on which
to found fraudulent decisions viii! not be
wanting. The wrong will grow into a
practice II condoned-ifo once condoned.
In the worlds history, changes In the
succession of governments have usual
ly been the result of fraud or force. II
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 sub
stance as we'll as its form, Is to be main
tanned. This Is the question Of ques-
tions. Until it is finally settled there
can be no politics founded on inferior
questions Of administrative policy. II
involves the fundamental right of the
people. 1t involves the elective prin-
ciple. 1t involves the whole system of
popular government. The people must
signally condemn the great wrong W hich
mas been done to them. They must
strip the example Of everything that can
attract imitators. They must refuse a
prosperous immunity to crime. This
is not all. The people viii not be able
to trust the authors or benefciaries OF
the wrong TO devise remedies. But
when those who condemn the wrong
shall have the power they must devise
the measure which shall reader repe-
t,tion 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 repubhc will live. The
institutions Of our fathers are not 70 ex-
pire in shame. The sovereignty Of the
people shall be rescued from this peril
and dre-established." Successful wrong
never appears so triumphant as on the
very eve of its fall. Seven years ago
a corrupt dynasty culminatedi in its pow
er over the LOCO. 900 or people who
live in the city of New York. Ii had
conquered or bribed. or hattcred and
won almost everybody Into acquies-
cence. II appeared to be invincible.
A year or two later its members were
in the peDitenharies or in exile. His
tory abounds in similar examples. We
must believe in the right and in the iu-
ture. A great aud noble nation will
not sever Its political from its NOR
al life.
Mr.. Tilden was enthusiastically cheered
at the close of his speech, which was
frequently interrupted by cheering and
clapping af hands and. bowing repeat
edly in response, he stepped Into the
ante-room, where he was cordially con-
graduated. @
MIR. vanderpoel then said: "Cen.
tlemen, Mr. Hendricks leaves to-mor-
row to regain in foreign travelthe health
and strength which enabled him TO "a
through the last political campaign.
am sure you wish to hear him.
Mr.. Hendricks then delivered ths
following address. His manner was
calm. and rather Judicial than oraton.
cal. His words, evidently weighed
carefully, were listened 10 with the
most profound attention. and we're IRE
quently interrupted With hearty sp.