The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-10


connection with the Office of President of the United
States feel the decaey and the great responsibility
OF the duty l have undertaken The people now de-
mand change in the management Of federal AFFAIRS,
and if this convention will give them half an oppor-
tunity they will execute that purpose in the election
of the President in the coming fall Ibeieve the nom
inee of this convention will become the chosen
President of the United States. He Will
be the first fnaugurated Democratic President Tor
burdened with all the duties that usually belong
to that high Office, and, m addition, such duties
fer of public affairs from the representatives of
party to the representatives of another, after long
control by the latter May I ask your attention
while briefly refer to some of the labors and
responsibilities that will require courage talent and
strength the part of the next President OF the
United States The Constitution imposes upon the
President the duties of making such recommended
tods Congress of such measures as ne shall ueefn
important and necessary How delicate and important
that duty becomes The President is clothed with
this authority by the Constitution. The Constitution
imposing it upon him, Congress viii heed bis recon-
mendatlons with great care When CONGRESS eon,
vened last December, the revenues were annually ac
cumulating in of the demands of an eeonoml-
cal government at the rate of over $50,oO0,OO0
year, and that too, under revenue system tnSg nad
been adjusted within one year by the Republican
party. When the accumulated gold Oyeriows the
vaults of the Treasury, and tempts extrayagant.
wasteful and sometimes corrupt legislation who can
question that revenue reform is the hrst duty OF
successful party, and if the Democratic House had
been supported by a President IN harmony with 1t
in recommending ellconsidered system of revenue
reform eliminating vices that nestle IN the existing
laws, and reducing very largely the amount OF the
revenue does any man doubt that there would
have been great relief from the burden OF excessive
taxation and that would have had system of rev
enue resting upon justice and fair play!
Foremost among the duties and obligations which
this great convention should adonish its nominee to
represent is that the laws be executed and that the
public expenditures be greatly reduced Shah
the vast standing army of 40 regiments con-
tinue under Democratic rule2 At the close OF the
toexecute the civil service. The official register, as
matter of course, was somewhat increased and 1t
should not excite our especial wonder; but when an
army of 60, GOO in the course of twenty years
advances to 100 0O0 1T bids the Democracy pause.
The supernumeraries must be dismissed unnecessary
empoyments discontinued; and in this connection may
not say that the people whom you represent Will
stand like stone wall beside the next President IN his
endeavor to promote economy and general reformst
Eight years ago our party declared at 81 Louis 9nat
reform is necessary IN the civil service, and It
demanded a change of system, change OF
administration, and change of party, that we might
have change of measures and men, The experience
of every year has since confirmed that declaration and
strengthened the demand. 1t is but two weeks ago
that Secretary standing upon witness stand IN the
presence of Senate committee, to bear testimony to
a reproach of of the bureaus in his own depart
ment-it was in the department of medicine and sur
gerysad that the false vouchers he supposed did not
exceed 5000. In former times, when the sensi,
oites of the people became offended by official cor
ruption, they themselves undertook the work of re-
form dare say many of You bear it IN memory that
an entire administration went down, and for
the timebeng the party went down with it, because
of the defalcation embezzlement of $62 600 That
occurred attracting attention during that admnistra
tom yet fearful the punishment by the people
that the party went from power Tor the time being
Who expects that party long IN power, with all the
emoluments of public position received and enjoyed
by its followers and retainers, reform ITSELF The
recent to which have referred is very instruct
i've that testimony the Secretary said that year
ago he had received letter informing him of the mis-
conduct of of the employees and that but very re-
Gently he had been told of two others engaged in
farious transactions; but he said to the
committee that 50 earnest was the pressure
reappoinment the head of the bureau that he could
not believe it possible that his bureau the
dition in which he found it atast The oenses against
the public service numerous; many of them
fragrant They must be pursued to their hiding
places they must be brought forth and exposed and
punished and the agents that the President shall en-
ploy-I mean the new President that you to nom
mate herethe agents that he shall employ must have
one to shield and nothing to conceal Let fidelity
and justice and fair play, far the people of the
follow
hope never again to see the cruel and
remorseless prescription for political opin-
ions which has disgfaced recent administra
tons. But as the civil service is, l know there
of tried fidelity IN it. know that there
men of ability In the present service and Iwoud not
ask that they should be driven from office. but such
ought to be continued In the language of writer
when we come to define the rights of the outs and
those that in let it be understood that but
the fttest shall survive. Now, Mr. President hope
the administration will hold itself instructed by
the sentiment Of 1876 in opposition to Capitalization
TO that dangerous spirit of encroachment which tends
to consolidate in one and thus create whatever the
form of government, real despotism. / have
but other sentiment to refer to before shall call
your attention to the claims which propose to sug-
gest for the will nominate. and with respect TO
that sentiment one is responsible bat myself VIII
nations never devise rational umpire of diff
ferences than foree2 Must blood and treasure always
flow before international controversies be settled
Controversies will arise-they inevitable But the
civilization of this age demands that they be referred
to disinterested states for settlement by friendly arb
kpaf f,,fa 4aoAc
young republic from the menace Of Eu-
ropean arms It will be beautiful
spec tacle if this republic, strong and also so
shall lead the nations IN movement for per
anent peace and the relief of the people everywhere
from the maintenance of standing armies and ships of
war The best act of General Grants administration
the settlement by arbitration of the controversies
touching the Alabama That settlement stands in
bright glorious contrast in all history to the that
the capital that might have Offices to which they
were never elected. Mr. President and gentlemen,
citizen of the State of Indiana, the Hon Joseph E.
Mcdonald. Loud and 1ong-continued applause
thank you all for this reception which you have given
to his Born IN adjoining State, Indiana be-
came his home when but a boy. He learned a trade
and made himself independent and very respectable
and after that he pursued his studies with such op
portunity as he had, and finally prepared himself for
the great profession of the law and from the time
that he took his stand in the of his county
in the Supreme Court Of the United States he has
been the peer of the best of that profession in
the West First selected by the district in which
he lived to prosecute the pleas of che State afterwards
chosen by the State to represent her the Attorney
general next not next to that, but before that he
went from his own district in which he raised
from boyhood to the Congress of the United States
and afterwards the eople of the whole State sent
him as a Senator to Washington. Faithfully dill.
gently, ably, for six he represented Indiana in
the Senate, and he welcomed by the abest of the
Senators their peer. Mr. Mcdonald has been
student of the learning that has made
the Democracy Of the United States what it is to-day
He is familiar with the writings of the fathers and his
him from their pages He IS Of clear percention az
strong Judgment, of earnest convictions. Fair
minded and just, will have occasion to go to
the White House-when he shall be President if you
shall honor him with your nomnation-no man will
have occasion to find fault with the candid and frank
manner of his reception. Gentlemen of the conven-
ton do not speak for Mr.. DcDonad alone / do not