Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-07-19

with. The first thing they do when
they start platform Is to get their back
10 the future and their faces to the past
and then point with pride to the past.
Their national platform, adopted at
Chicago In 1880, consisted in a series OF
pointings with pride to the past, and
this is a specimen oft. Now, there are
two kinds Of past. There Is the past,
which a vain man of bad character gives
to himself. You know the old story
that there are some men who fyou will
appraise them at what they are actually
worth and buy them at that, and then
sell them at what they think they are
worth, you will have made your fortune.
The same thing applies here. 1fIcould
buy the Republican party at its worth
and sell it at the valuation they put
upon it in that platform 1 would have
two barrels instead of one. AS l read
that platform in the cars to-day, 1t oc.
cured to me to apply the rule OF Burns
poem:
30 wsd some power the giftie gle us
To see Ourseles as ithers see us,"
And try to write out my idea of the
past of the republican party. You know
nave some knowledge on the subject.
They say I have. The Commercial
says so. They say 1 have been there
and seen them on the inside. So l
wrote out on piece of paper my idea
of what the first plank Of republican
platform ought to be, provided it was
written by a truthful historian, one
who was not engaged in rouging her
beauty, but was actually engaged in
washing her face.
Resolved, That the Republican party
in fostering and encouraging the most
gigantic corruptiOns known in modern
times, in perverting to base and selfish
uses the agencies of government which
which the people intended for the gen.
eral welfare, in the theft of the presi-
dency and vice-presidency, remaining
not only unpunished, but actually re-
warded with the spoils of office con-
ferred by the beneficiaries of the fraud
on its perpetrators, in the establish
ment and maintainance of the whisky
ring, the conversion of its profits to Re-
publican party uses and the acquittal
from punishment of its promoters, in
the waste of public funds in star route
frauds by high officials of the admins
tration and of the Republican party
machine, the use of the moneys SO sto-
len to corrupt elections, and the escape
of the conspirators from punishment,
in marked contrast with the condign
punishment with which the democratic
party, led by Samuel J. Tilden, visited
the New York City ring thieves, Tweed,
Sweeney, Connolly, and Genet; in the
use of the civil service of the govern
ment, through Jay Hubbellism and 9th
er like agencies, to corrupt the ballot
box; in the destruction ofthe American
navy, whereby the glory won on every
sea for the national flag by the heroes OF
two wars, by Hull and Decatur, and
Bainbridge and Stewart, who conquered
the navy of England, and by Farragut
and Porter and Foote during the rebel
lion, has been converted into shame by
Robson and Chandler; in the oblitera.
tion of our mercantile marine, so that
the high seas are hardly touched by an
American keel, while triffiing streams
known only to the geographer are
secured in search of river and harbol
jobs. In the waving of the bloody shirt
and the cultivation of sectional animos
tiles long after the war had ceased, anC
when the cultivation of fraternal affec
tion and the methods of peace had be
come duty, furnish urgent reasons fol
a change of government and fully ex
plain the reasons why so many of the
ablest and best Republican leaders, in
Guiding the honored names of Seward
Chase, Greedy, Sumner, Adams, Trum
bull, Palmer, Julian, Cassius M. Clay
and Rufus p Spaulding, of our owr
State, have fled from atfiliation with
the Republican party as from the con
tagion of pestilence.
That is the way l read history. The
series ofjobs and frauds have put t.
shame the leaders of the Republican
party, and driven those great names o
greatmen who were the princes and hon
or and glory of the Republican party
during the rebellion and the years tina
followed after the rebellion, out of th'
party. This is true history, and not th'
false statement of self adulation, will
which the Republican platform begins.
Why my friends, let us trace just TO
q moment the difference between tn
two parties illustrated in the way the,
treat felons, There have been fou
great criminal prosecutions, four grea
public political prosecutions in our coun
try since the war. The first was tn
| impeachment of Andrew Johnson
which every man knows was defeate'
by the efforts of small number of re
publican statesmen, headed by VIM. F
Fessenden and Lyman Trumbull, an
which every man now recognizes a
having been mere persecution.
The second was the trial of Babcocl
| NTano,,o1I
rupt tools of the whisky ring, whic
grew up and was fed into power durin
the administration of Ulysses S. Grant
by the direct completely of the feders
government. That prosecution came t
naught. Where is there a man VIII
ever served out term of Imprisonment
by reason of his connection with tina
conspiracy? Babcock was ultimatel
acquitted, Mcdonald, Avery, and Joyc
pardoned by Mr.. Hayes and Presider
Grant. That is the record of that NJ
farious conspiracy against the treasur
of the UnitedStates. The third of thes
great political prosecutions has jus
come to naught. Stephen w. Dorse,
in partnership, secretary of the nation;
republican committee, with the ASST
tant postmaster general, robs the trea
ury of the United States, and after tw
Intellectual trials, on the first of whic
: the jury all but convicted, is at last a,
quilted and relegated to serve the bas
I masters once more at another electio
? in Indiana as he served at the last.
My friends another polite
prosecution remains to be d.
Y scribed, not inaugurated by IL
republican party, and, therefore, n
. unsuccessful. In the city of New Yol
~ l. H. IL