Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-08-18
An Interesting Address to the New York
Democracy.


An Interesting Address to the New York
Democracy.
The Democratic members of the New
York Legislature, through their joint
Caucus Committee, have issued the fol-
lowing address to the Democratic citi-
zens of the State of New York and to
the citizens of the State without distinc-
ton of party:
Discords and quarrels in the Republican
ma iOrity have separated us from our homes
and business for nearly two hundred DAYS
The chief cause of this uncaled-fOr detention
was quarrel with the President of the United
States ON one side and the Vice-President and
the two Senators from this State on the other
The source of this discord was the question OF
otilciai patr mage or the spoiis Of Office; The
to resign in the midst of his tel IN from place
where he was serving with general acceptance
abroad uncalied for by his friends or by the
public, in which he has no experience. This
change against which the merchants of New
York protested in large numbers, was made
IN total disrega of every announced prin-
ciple of CivIEservice Reform, and was not
nor the interest OF the public service. The
purpose Of the act seemed to be to reward
those who had been personally succe ssful in
securing the Presidential nomination, and to
punish those who had resisted the leading
member and members of the National Repub.
term of Executive service for previous
President. ---.-s--
The unseemly quarrel at Chicago. in the
summer of 1880. was transferred to Washing
ton after the Presidential election at the close
of the same year. The same strife has been
through the whole of the present session of
the Legislature. 1t commenced with great
vehemence at the Senate rial election in .anu-
airy. when a thtd-class candidate was nomi-
mated and elected over a tirst-claSs competi-
tor for the first office in the gift Of the Legis-
II n
: gift of the people of the State The Office then
filled after great strife was vacated by vol
held for less than one-fourth of the first year
of the Iull six years Constitutional term of
service +
TIE who inspired this resignation was
the senior senator of the State. who had been
three tines elected to the United states Sem
ate by one party of the state, whose longer
service now refused, and simply owing to
the fact of the nomination to the senate of one
chief offender who had opposed his ambition
and wishes at Chicago and elsewhere. The use
less resignation of these two men has cost the
state not only large amount Of money.
but, what is more valuable. its honor, dignity
and self-respect. Two factions, known by
the vulgar, but expressive, names of = stall
Senate and Assembly of the Republic
party and State through the whole ses-
many times asked and demanded an appeal to
the people, but. by force of numbers, in def
ance OF public opinion and in denial of the OPP
the fact of leaving the State without its Con-
stltutional representative in the higher branch
of Congress. the Republican majority refused
to leave the choice of the succession to the
people of the State. These demands by the
Democratic minority, that an appeal be made
ration that. the possible choice of democratic
Senators in Congress would be a public calam-
ity TO the State, and this after Just eiecting
THOMAS G. Platt as the successor OF Francis
Herman. and after following this succession
with the choice of man named warner Mil
Ter, member of the present and previous
House of Representatives., where he was only
sonaI beneficiary of one of the worst monopo-
lies in the country, and where he supported
with threat that other public interests
should suffer il his special interests IN wood
pulp and the manufacture of paper we've not
Most distinguf she'd and capable men of the
dominant party not in public place, apart
Wheeler Curtis Rogers and others. who have
served the State with ability, have had to give
place to the two men elected TO Congress, and
their nomination was made excuse for
passing law to fill the vacancies made by
their election and for no other eason. These
special elections thus provoked will be I'M
timely, as they are unnecessary and eXpen-
sive. The whole Senatorial que 'tion at AL
bany resolved itself into three most dscredit-
81. L mstrust of the people of the State on
the part OF the Republican majority in the
2. The quarrel over the spoils of Office in two
or three Republican factions. with practical
contempt for every principle belonging to
what is known and recognized as Civil-service
Reform.
). Abuse of power from it's long use and
misuse, until two of the least capable pc sons
have been drawn from the popular branch of
Congress to fill the highest places of the State
in the Congress of the United states.
Another and most disgraceful transaction
belonging to this Republican Legislature is
iished upon the evidence Of ' membe Of the
dominant party. leading Republican Sena-
tor of one faction is charged by member of
the Assembly OF the same party and the same
district of the other faction. with offering and
paying him $1,000 for Senatorial vote, and
cial Com mittee. and is now in the hands {, the
State Controller. Beyond this fact is the cir
culation of large sums of money by prominent
and. as many believe. the intended control of
the result of the election. The State of New
" wronged and dsgraced both by the Repub-
Hcan senators action in Washington and by
of the a
trate of the Government, for daring to put in
practice the principles of Executive right or
authority in the choice of public office. near
lost his life.
This sad and terrible crime came not alone
through the personal madness of single man,
and is the fruit of greed for public office, and
Of false and dangerous political education.
pubic Office is the property Of the people. and
that places of official trust can only be right
fully distributed to men of noble purposes. of
pure lives, of wise experience, and of unquali-
fled fitness for the work to be performed.
The Democratic party of the State desire to
inculcate and enforce the doctrine with which
the Democratic party came into existence, as
when Jefferson declared that the only quallf-
cations for office rested upon the wise. safe
and patriotic platform of personal capablity.
personal honesty and personal fidelity to the
Constitution.
AS members of the Democratic party serving
in the Legislature, where in one branch there
were but seven Democratic Senators of thirty
two members. and in the Assembly but forty
seven of the one hundred and twenty-eight
members. we also feel called upon to protest
against special, personal and partisan legisa-
ton against the public interests The ma ority
in the Assembly, by the combined vote. with
the exception Of single member, refused
10 even permit the reference for d sc rs
sion alone of three bills carefully prepared
and sent to the judiciary Committee. and pro-
viding for absolute reforms in primary meet
ings Of cities towns and villages of the State