Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-06-30
Judge HOadIey's Speech.

~ N>~'-~-- N HN-So 49, ~ ~--'- N' 49,
election Of the chief magistrates of
the republic. Their children to-
night, by experience, have wisely
modified the constitutional scheme
by an unwrittcn amendment, which
combines the advantages of the cleo
toral system with the direct popu-
lar vote, while it preserves to each
State its just weight Of influence
upon the result. Conventions OF
delegates chosen by the people Of
two or more parties have already
presented candidates for popular
acceptance at the coming election,
and another great college Of electors
is now assembled in this hall. The
office you thus fill, though not de-
fined by law, is of transcendant le-
gal consequence. l need not say
that in this assembly it will not be
doubted that you arc not delegates
from congressional districts, but
representatives of those indestructi-
| bic units Of our indestructible
Union-the States. Custom has
defined your duties. They are to
construct a platform and to nomi-
nate candidates. You are not, how
ever, called together to create a
creed, but to apply a known pcTdi,n-
ciple to present public affairs. The
democratic principle does not date
IFS birth from your assembling and
will not perish with the success or
defeat of the candidates you nomi-
nate. 1t is not eternal; divine
burning in the hearts Of men. 1t
puickens the thought Of the states
man. nerves the arm Of the soldier
and doubles the energy of the toiler.
tits found in the Roman precept,
s,tll7a c,liquo trijusre, and In the
self evident truth Of the American
patriot, that all men are create equal.
! It is the unrelenting foe Of despot-
ism and of communism, whether
open or sought TO the hidden under
the guise Of paternal government
Its 6enefcient Office in political at
fairs is to secure to every man the
utmost possible liberty Of action
consistent with equal liberty to
every other. Yours is not. there
fore, tie Office Of invention, but Of
PRONUNCIATION, not to discover, but
to declare; to apply the democratic
principle to the changing affairs OF
human society. And that this
principle may have living force in
public concerns, you will nominate
candidates whose election will in
sure its full iruition during,the next
presidential term. These duties no
democrat doubts that you will wor-
thily perform. But you are called
to their discharge this day, under
circumstances OF no common mo-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which may
God, in His mercy grant shall, in
the histork Of our republic, never
recur. Four years ago the demo-
cratic party, in convention assem-
bed, at st. Louis, annOunced to the
country its platform, and named as
its candidates two OF the foremost
men of the nation-both then and
now-mcn worthy Of the most en-
thusiastic political devotion, and
the most ardent private friendship,
and Samuel j. Tilden cheers and
Thomas A. Hendricks were elected
President and Vice-President of the
United States; elected as fairly as
was George Washington or James
Monroe. That they were not inaug-
urated; that the chief magistrate Of
this nation has more than three years
been one whom the people and the
electors rejected; that in the execu-
tive department government by
the people" has ceased since March
4, 1877, is a living monument, seen
now Of generations, Of the fraud Of
the republican party, Of its infdeli-
ty to republican principles, OF its
willingness to sacrifice the right OF
popular elections, the "vital prlnci-
pie Of republics, rather than relax
its hold upon power; and Of the
loyalty OF the democratic party even
to the forms Of law; Of its conf
dence that the will Of the people
must finally prevail, abiding in
which it patiently waits for the full
fruition Of its hopes until March 4,
1851, but no longer; no longer, un-
less defeated at the polls. If beat
en- fairly, we shall submit. L re-
peat, we shall submit and again
wait; but if again successful,no cum
ming device Of dishonest arbitration
shall deprive us Of our rights. The
democratic party will never again
appear before a tribunal falsely call
ed "of justices" a tribunal deaf to
the appeal Of testimony, but not
blind TO the reckoning finger Of
favor. But though we failed to in