The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-29

functions oficio, and the new rules
were in operation. Your friend Quay,
Cooperand Magee had given you away,
and the victory of the people seemed
complete. 1t was triumph forliberty,
obtained by peaceful means, almost
equal to that of Magma Ctartd Liber-
tatibus extorted by the Barons, sword
in hand, from King John.
All that there is the Republican
form of government, as distinguished
from monarchy, is that the one is
the expression of the will of the people,
and the other of an autocrat. When
the people are denied expression, or
their voice suppressed, by whatever
means, the difference between republi-
canism and Imperialism exists only in
name. The form may be preserved
when the substance has departed. And
when it became necessary for your
friends to come into a State Conven-
ton, in obedience to loud popular
call, and in the apprehension of terrific
popular storm, and ask that body to
take u new political reckoning, and
train the Republican ship for the burst
ing of the threatened tornado, and, in
order to avert the wreck of the staunch
old craft, to extort from the delegates
new departure for the party, by the
declaration, "that the eascertained popu-
lar will shall be faithfully carried out
in State and National Conventions and
by those holding office by favor of the
party" the inevitable conclusions
must be drawn that these essential
qualities, not only of the Republican
party, but of a republican form Of Gov
ernment, had been abandoned or
materially departed from in the con-
duct and management of those in con.
troll of the organization. That was a
brave declaration, and worthy of being
literally enforced, and when it was fol-
lowed by resolution providing new
mode of electing delegates, so as to
give all Republican voters II fair op-
portunity to be represented, it looked
as if great triumph had been achieved
in favor of popular rights.
But within two weeks after that
Convention expired, a vacancy on the
ticket made it necessary for the party
to make another nomination, thus af-
fording an excellent opportunity to test
the efficacy of the new rules, and to
give an earnest of the sincerity of those
who had promised this great change
and improvement in the conduct OF
the party. Having been member of
the Convention, and intending more
than mere words and empty promises
by the adoption of the platform, L ex-
pressed my belief that a new Conven-
ton should be called, and every one
seems to assent to it; but suddenly,
from some my sterious if not mythical
source, came call upon the delegates
to the old and departed Convention to
resemble, and refused to attend the
wake and sit up with the corpse of that
defunct body. l wrote to Chairman
Cooper refusing to obey, and giving
my reasons with some emphasis for my
disobedience. Ifthere was necessity
for the promises contained in the plat
form, there was still greater necessity
for the performance of the contract be-
tween the delegates and the other Re.
publicans Of the State, and 1 resolved
to fulfill my part of it.
But the Peace Conference and the
Convention of the 10th of May did not
go too far in their declarations OF
principles and the adoption of remedies
for existing evils, and in the necessary
admissions which such action implies,
to met the case. The facts exist and
the remedies were imperatively de
manded, and no men know it better
than you, and your friends in that
Conference; and all intelligent Re
publicans knew it as well before as
since the authoritative admission by
the Peace Conference and the State
Convention. This action is only con
firmation of the loudly proclaimed
averments of the grievances, and eX.
cludes any conclusion to the contrary
by you or your friends. But the rem
edy is not in empty words or hollow
promises; there must be performanc,
or the party will languish and die
About all things, people resent an ac
which is based upon the assumption
that they are too stupid to detect 1
cheat.
A SUGGESTION TO LEADERS.
Of the four hundred and fifty thous
and Republican voters of Pennsylva
at least four hundred and forty thous
thousand Of us believe in the principle
contained in our platform, and the tel
thousand others profess to believe il
them; and we intend to have thos
principles practiced, or hold all thos
responsible who set them at defiance
Heretofore, the charges of abuse hav
been but whispered, apd those VIII
suffered were too timid to speak, ant
others waiting for recognition wer
constrained to silence by self-interest
but the facts are now open to broa
daylight, proved by the most incon
testabIe evidence, and admitted by tn
party in its official and organized Gu
rNI,o ,o,,nI,, ~ tha hand