Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1882-10-10
SPEECH OF HON. D., B. LUCAS.
LErom the shepherdstown Register.I

IFrom5 the She herdstown Registersf
The people of Shepherdstown were fayor>
ed with a rare treat on Saturday afternoon
last Pursuent to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in these
columns the Hon: ID. B. Lucas was on hand
and delivered his brilliant speech on true
principles of the democracy as formulated
and propounded by that great.apostle of free
government 1t, and religious Liberty in this
country-Thomas Jefferson. The address,
was one ftMr. Lucas ablest efforts, and it
is subject of regret TO many admirers that
more of our people were not present on this
deeply interesting occasion. The fact is that
the art Unpopular oratory has been prostitutedi
to such base purposes and brought down to
such low level, when public speaker is.
announced, the people have little or no incli-
nation to turn out. After one has listened to
the dry musty platitudes and low diatribes of
| personal abuse that are accustomed to greet
the ear on such occasions, il is truly delight
full to listen to mastery discussion of the
leading questions of the day. It looks some-
thing like return Of the good old days when
the stump speaker was a real power in the
| land.
Mr.. Lucas prefaced his remarks by most
eloquent and forcible appeal for harmony in
the democratic ranks He urged his fellow
| democrats to emulate the example of their
l
al differences for the common welfare In this
he hut emphasized what We have before stated
in these columns that there is power enough
| in the democratic party to take possession of
| this Government whenever il resoIutely makes
/ up its mind to do so. But if every man who
is the least dissatisfied because his peculiar
wishes are not qualified, kicks out Of harness,
or sets moodily at homo and let's politics go
to the dogs, anything like organized effort is
out of the question. So far as our observation
goes, Daniel B. Lucas is one of the fewipub-
lie men of our day, who really comprehends
the true spirit of the Jeffersonian philosophy.
He drew picture of the reckless extrava-
canoe of the Government in the expenditure
of the public money. of the multiplication of
salried Offices by which the Administration
seeks to intrench itself in power and the i'm
i perial style of doing things by our public
functionaries at Washington that was simply
appalling. One that must fill every Thoughts
full, patriotic man, every true lover of his
country, with the gravcst Of his apprehensons
for the safety of our free Institutions
Jefferson county is happy in having a son
with the capacity to read Alright the signs of
the times and the boldness to rebuke the
reckless spirit which characterizes the adj
ministration of public affairs at the present
time. One who is Jealous enough to sound
the tocsin of alarm in the ears of the people,
and demand return to the simplicity, econ
omy and patriotism in the conduct of the
Government, that signalized the adninistra>
ton of the founders of the Republic.
This is our only safety. There are un-
mistakable tendencies in our present system
of things, which, if allowed to go on uncor>
rected, ere as inevitable in their results as
tho law of gravitation. It is nothing but a
plain statements of facts to say cha. Mr. Lu.
cas- is, by oil odds, the best and most effoct-
i've Stump speaker in the State. There is no
man in either party that can touch him on
the stump. We can we'll understand our ma
chine politicians dreading such man. II
he could be induced to enter the canvass in
the more closely contested States of the Union
he would render Invaluable services to the
cause of popular government.