The Indianapolis journal., 1884-08-20

Constitution for quarter of century. 1t will be
wise in this matterto let we'll enough alone. The
country has prospered and grown great under the
present Constitution, and it needs no tinkeEng with
at the present time especially in the interest OF any
party seeking to invade the rights OF private property
and personal liberty. now secured by the Constitu-
ton. And any amendments that may become neces-
sary IN the future should benade in the creaps SIM
Itself. ITSELF ''s' '--'.'''l'' p'y'''-S- s -
No wiser, safer resolution than this was ever
offered by o. committee nor adopted by a conven-
ton as a guide to public thought and action.
Every idea it contains is derived from long, inf
telligent obsarvation and mature Judgment In
view of thesden1and of the, Republican party for
prohibitOry amendment to the Constitution,
the next resolution aduptad by the Democratic
State convention likewise presents a just long
tried and wellapproTed system of government,
protecting the rights Of property, the liberty Of
perso1rS, social order. and the stability of free
institutions. will read it to your
It is provided by the Constitution Of this State that
the liberty of the people should be protected and that
their private property should not be taken without
Just compensation and we opposed to any change
in the Constitution tending to weaken these safn-
guards or 70 any legislation which asserts the power
to take or destroy the private property Of portion
of the people of this State without compensation
which injusty unterferes with their personal liberty
clothing they shall wear, believing the government
should be in that way best calculated to
confer the greatest good the greatest number,
without sacrificing the rights of persons property
and leaving the innocent ereeds habits customs and
business OF the people unfetbefed by sumptuary laws,
class legislation, or extortonate monopohes. While
standing faithfully by the rights of property and per
senal liberty guaranteed to the people by the Constr
tuition, distinctly declare thas in favor of
sebrety and temperance and an proper means for the
promotion of these virtues; but we beheyea wellFeg
ulated license SYSTEM and reasonable and Just laws on
the subject, faithfully enforced would be better than
extreme measures which, being of personal
liberty, and in conflict with public sentiment, would
be effectively executed thus bringing the law
into disrepufe andtendug TO make sneaks and hypo
cribs Of people; therefore opposed to any
constitutional amendment relating to the manutaee
ture and sale of Intoxicating and malt liquors.
There are no eSasions or concealed purposes
here; no attempt to cheat; no hidden, Interior
schemes, unexpressed through POLITICAL coward
ice The philosophy Of a government based on
the virtue and intelligence Of the people. and
trusting to- their capacity to control themselves,
as well as their government, is here so boldly
and clearly stated that he that runs may read
and understand Within the two resolutions
have read IN your hearing are contained those
nigh principles which protect property from un
lawful seizure and eonfscation, the liberty Of the
citizen from deSpotic invasion, and public and
private morality from degradation by system
OF espionage, suspicion and coercion. They con-
tain the great doctrines of human progress and
elevation; the doctrines of virtUous, selfreliant
intelligent exertion the part of the people
themselves, in their homes. m their daily lives,
in their schools, in their churches, TO grow and
improve, and march forward IN knowledge,
SODfleIy SOclal pQf1bys ana every 0tlltt SfdCe
which adorns Christian civilization They con
tain the only creed of faith in the people on
which the greatness and glory of any race or
nation was ever achieved. Turn to the history
of your own State. Who darHs assert that she
has been laggard in the race for honorable re-
nown and advanced posftiona
DEFEasE OF INDIANA DEMOCRACY.
The Democratic party Of Indiana has been so
much maligned. so long traduced and slandered
by tongues dipped in gall and in the poisonous
venom of senseess and unrsasoning hatred, that
am tempted, irresistibly tempted, to face our
enemies and to challenge them to Judgment
Who made Indiana what she is4 Who laid her
foundatonsY Who made her the pride and the,
wonder Of CommonweaIthsY This day, consider
ing age and area Indiana rs the most remarka-
Bile State in wealth, Development and social eles
varion IN the An1erican Union Thirty three.
years ago the Democratic party took her from
the mud and mire of virtual bankruptcy, and
placed her feet on a, rock, The constitutional
convention which gave to Indiana her present
progressive and glorious Constitution was a
Democratic body, composed of the. ablest repre-
sentative men of the party IN the State. The
Constitution then framed in the deep wisdom Of
strong councils went into official force and opera
tion on the lst of November 1851 / doubt if,
in all history, any other organic instrument of
governments has ever been productive of such
amazing results The.framers of that ConstitH-
tion having full faith in the original idea of the
fathers that the virtue and intelligence of the
people could be TRUSTED In even weightier mat
ters than their personal habits declared:
That all power is inherent in the people, and thatal
free and of right ought to be founded
their authority and instituted for safety
and welkheipg-
Il this declaration is not true, if all power is
not inherent in the people to regulate their own
i,-.,a klr.,. -
living without INJURY to others, as we'll as the
great afaiEs of the public, then the whole fabric
of free government as it appeared in a. vision,
and afterward in reality to Jefferson, is a. fraud
a deluslon, a snare, and falls to the ground. But
the, theory Of the leaders Of the Democratic
party in Indiana. in 1S5051 has not proven false
In practice. They put no. prohibitoEy clause, ia
the Constitution in reference to the customs and
habits of welf-meaning. upright, Industrious peo-
pie They did not deem such a clause necessary,
and their Judgment was correct Industry, inr
dustrY from the fading stars In the morning
until the evening stars appear to crown the
night, hasishown to theworld the marvellous ma
teriaI development which follows, the voluntary
action Of people fit to move in the great column
Of the Nineteenth century. Where in all the
wide earth, is the soil to be found
producing, acre for acre, as much corn, wheat
and other prime necessities of life as in
Indianaf In the proud, great rolilcall Of thirty
eight States, Indiana has the low; modest plaeein
being the twenty yseventh There are twentyssix
of her sisters larger in material measurement
than she Isl and but. eleven smaller And yet
she sweeps up to the very front and takes her
place in line on every point Of progress with the
oldest States of the American Union
poEsegsinG twice her acreage If 7
am reminded that I have dwelb upon
this theme before in my place In the Sem
ate, answer that WIFI dwell upon it again and
again, as long as I may be commissioned to
speak until it shall be- known of all men that
this State, with a Democratic Constitution, has
no peer amongst the bright galaxy of which she
is member IN substantial and honorable aehiaV-
ment Indiana with her limited area, hut with
her powerful self-reliaHt people, has taken the
clear open lead, and is the first State in the I'M
ion on matters most essential to the general well
fare. The Democratic. party created the COM
mon school system Of the State. The glory Of
that system which is now world wide and sppk-
en- on every civilized shore belongs to the lead
ers Of the Democratic party in Indiana whose
record was made, end smlI exiets, in the conven-
ton from which the, Constitution emerged