Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-09-11
NUMBER 3.

country nave again ana again, III UI1c1al
reports to Congress, declared that we
are without navy, and that our sea-
coast defenses are not worthy Of the
name. We have no guns for our ships,
none for our coast Notifications y What
party held the reins Of political
power while the navy was rotting
down and the coast Notifications
were passing into dilapidation9
Senator Harrison did not charge that
the Democratic party suffered this CON
dition of things to come about, Or that
it was responsible for it. He could not
do that. What he charges is that late
session Of Congress, after the navy had
practically ceased to exist, and the coast
defenses had become worthless. Demo
cratic Congressman defeated a bill pro
viding for a small addition to the navy.
I understand opposition was made be-
cause Of the want Of confidence in the
department as organized for the best
construction Of new vessels and com
pletion of old or unfinished ones upon
the best plans, and not upon the ground
that navy was required for public Sc
curity. Nothing in its history could
Justify the charge that the Democracy
opposed to the maintaining Of a strong
and efficient naval armament. 1t looks
with shame and humiliation upon our
present miserable navy, and regards with
anxiety our unprotected seaboard. A
nation, itself just and pesceably dis
posed, can better preserve its peace and
honor, and can better secure its citizens,
wherever they may be on the face of the
earth, from wrong and insult when its
flag is a symbol Of power adequate to the
vindication Of any right or the redress Of
any wrong.
May ask you now to consider the
question whether there ought not to be
change in the control and management
of public affairs7 What other remedy
for the correction of possible abuses have
the citizens of a free republic2 There
are many valuable reforms that cannot
be accomplished by party that has been
long in power. As an illustration, con
slider our army of officeholders, now
about 10, 600 Reform in the civil ser
vice requires its reduction, perhaps 80, 600.
1t seems to be constantly increasing.
Who can check the evil, and discharge
all who hold positions and receive pay
without useful employment Not the
party that created the positions and ap-
pointed its favorites to fill them That
Is impossible. 1t is nineteen years
since the close of the war-nearly five
presidential terms During all that
period the executive and administrative
service Of the country has been under
the control and management of one
party. Should it SO continue We know
enough to justify the suspicion isof
ways that are dark" but I do not
choose to consider the exposures that
have been made. I prefer rather to
appeal to your Judgment that change
is necessary, because in the management
Of business SO large, SO varied, and so
complicated mismanagement and corrup-
tion were possible and probable The
books should be opened l believe that
manding a change, and without it we
need not hope for administrative reform.
But I would not initiate the Republi-
can party in its prescription of all but
party adherents. repeat what for
merly said, 'sthat hope never to see the
cruel and remorseless prescription for
political opinions which has disgraced
the administration for the past eight
years. Bad as the civil service now is,
as all know, it has some men Of tried
integrity and proved ability. Such men,
and such men only, should be retained in
oIfice, but no man should be retained on
any consideration who has prostituted
his Office to the purpose Of partisan in
timidation or compulsion, or who has
furnished money TO corrupt elections.
I May ask your attention to one other
subject? Much is said about the prob
1 able foreign policy Of the presidential
candidates, and for Mr.. Blaine it III
claimed that he will be more American
and dashing. His South American inter
ference was neither OF course, we
know what vote this claim is intended
to reach. l think ii will fail. The vote
\ is too intelligent. The platforms do
not differ materially. The Republican
declares: " We believe that everywhere
the protection to citizen Of American
birth must be secured to citizens Of
American adoption The Democratic
platform is: 'sThe Democratic party in
sists that it is the duty Of this govern
ment to protect with equal fidelity and
vigilance the rights of its citizens. native
and naturalized, at home and abroad.
1t is an imperative duty Of this govern
ment to efficiently protect all the rights
Of persons and property of every
4 American citizen in foreign lands, and
demand and enforce full reparation for
any invasion thereof
Let the merit of this claim be decided
4 upon the comparison and contrast Of two
cases, one under Democratic admins
{ tration and the other under Mr.. Blaine
as secretary Of state. In 1S49, Martin
Koszta was engaged in the Hungarian
revolt against Austria Upon the sup
preston Of the revolt he became Tefu-
gee and sought an asylum and home in
the United States. He declared his IN
tention to become a citizen Of this c0un-
try. In 1854, without having completed
his naturalization, he returned to Europe.
At Smyrna he was seized by the ennis
saries Of Austria and carried on board al
Austrian vessel of war. His release was
demanded BY the American officials
and refused. At once Captain In
graham, of our navy, prepared
his sloop Of war, the St. Louis, for ac-
ton, and would have destroyed the Aus
trian vessel had not terms been agreed
4 to whereby Koszta was placed in thei
charge Of the French government
abide the decisions of the questi
The correspondence which followed. says
one Of our historians, was one Of the
ablest on record, and extended before its
termination to almost every question hf-
! fecting naturalization and citizenship
1t was conducted on the part Of Austria
by the minister at Washington, Baron
Hulseman, and on the part Of the United
4 States by MIR. Marcy, a man Of great
\ power and thoroughly American. Ths
same writer says Mr.. Marcy was com
pletelg triumphant in his argument and
Koszta was remanded to the United
States. You win observe That Martin
Koszta was not an American citizens