The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-04-29

WHOLE No. Guy.
4 RINGING RESOLUTIONS.
Adopted at the Regular Democrat
lie state Convention Of New York
at Syracuse, April go, 1880.
Mr.. Morrison from the Committe,
on Resolutions reported the following
The Democratic party of New York
renew their fidelity to the principles
set forth by the national Democratic
convention at st. Louis and approved
by the decision of the popular major.
tiles in the presidential election in '76
The victory then won, was in the name
and for the sake of reform. The peo-
Pile were defranded of the fruits of
that victory by the false count of the
electoral votes. Reform throughout
the federal administration is still an
imperative necessity. 1t yet remains
for the the truly national party to re-
store the national government to the
fraternal spirit of the constitutional
principles, the frugal expenditures and
administrative purity of the fathers of
the republic. But tho Democratic
party Of New York also declare their
solid conviction in that success that
the conspiracy against the peoples
constitutional Sovereignty, which by
perjuries, forgeries, bribes and vio-
lence, in effect, disfranchised 4,3OO, ,316
voting citizens, large majority of all
and by which false count of the
electoral votes reversed the result of
the late Presidential election, .compels
US next to turn upon the single COM
manding issue. That issue precedes
and dwsrfs every other. 1t imposes
more sacred duty upon the people of
this union than ever addressed the
consciences of nation of freemen.
That duty is to vindicate the right of
people to elective self-government; !;
that is, whether this generation shall
condemn or sanction the wrong doing
Of those Republican party leaders who
four years ago, frustrated the peoples
deliberate will and cheated them of
their choice in the supreme act of THAR
sovereignty, whether we shall pre-
serve and transmit to coming genera
tons our own glorious political her.
itage, or paralyze the cause of popular
sovereignty here and throughout the
world. Despite century of broaden
ing precedents, despite the guarantees
of the Declaration of Independence, of
every bill of rights, of the Federal con-
stitutien, and of every State constitu-
tion establishing the right of the peo-
pie to govern themselves, and to change
their leaders at will, those party lead
ers nevertheless foisted defeated can
didate into the chair Of the chief mag
istracy, there to administer the gov
ernmsnt according to policy con-
demned by the people, and through
ministers repudiated by the people.
Every one of the contrivers, abettors,
advocates and apologists were all
straie ehtway awarded for their several
shares in the conspiracy of fraud by
the foremost BENEFICIARY of that unex-
ampled political crime. The Repub-
licans cannot shirk the care of their
own actions. A government of the
people for the people must be a goy-
ernment by the people. The lawful
exercise and orderly transfer of the
peoples power through the successive
administrations of government pre-
scribed by the peoples choice is fun
damental condition of the representa-
tive of q Democratic republic. 1t is
the political object for which the con-
stitution and laws are framed. 1t is
the frat of popular rights for besides
being the greatest of them, it is the
one without which others cannot ex
ist. 1t is that for which q republic is
anywhere preferred above monarchy
and where transfer is by hereditary
succession as an escape from usurped
magistracies and civil wars. 1t is the
substance of civil liberty. AS for
Democracy, (the peoples rule) the
peoples right to rule is the very breath
of its life. This, then, is the moment
ous issue-the right of the people to
exercise and enjoy an elective self
government, without impediment by
force and fraud from any quarter, and
least Of all by fraud and force from
their temporary but discarded servants
Shall the conspiracy of '76 be sanction
ed as q precedent by the impunity OF
its authors and the submission of its
victims2 Its victims are the honest
citizens of all political parties. To de-
stroy and stigmatize that corrupting
precedent by inflicting q fatal blow
upon the Republican party, whose rec
ognized and rewar ded leaders were
guilty of it, is the supreme duty of the
American people. Neglected now, in
the nature of the case, it is lost forever.
Not now to make that crime odious
is to invite its repetition. The pol
luting infamy unpunished and sane
toned must go on, demoralizing all
political parties and putting their lead
ership at the mercy of brigands and
infesting their healthful contentious
with disease and death. The character
and the future of this republic are all
at stake in the next presidential elec'
ton.
Resolved, That the Democratic party
of New York add to their condemns
ton of the electoral conspiracy of 1876
an emphatic declaration OF their con-
tinued confidence in the character
ability and fitness of that distinguished
citizen of New York who was then
olocto6 fo tho hiohoct officc in tho neo.