Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-09-04
Thurman on Republican MisruIs.


ing in Columbus, Ohio. Judge Allen g.
Thurman; the principal speaker of the
occasion, spoke substantially as follows
When | accepted the invitation to ad-
dress you tonight, it was my purpose to
speak somewhat fully on some great
questions now under consideration BY
the American people. But for the last
few days have been suffering severely;
not anything the matter with my heart
or feelings caused by disappointment or
regret, but from that to which old men
like myself are sometimes subjected-an
attack of rheumatism-and the conse-
quence is am in no condition to make
anything like an elaborate speech. How
ever; if I were in the best possible con
dition should occupy but small por-
ton of your time, for the reason that
there are numerous speakers here, and
some Of them from abroad, and it would,
be but common courtesy, to say nothing
of justice to me, to occupy but little
time. l do not desire to deprive them Of
the privilege of being heard, and there
fore shall be very brief in my remarks.
shall speak civillv, as has always been
my habit in my life to do, and shall not
depart from so good a habit tonight. |
shall speak civilly of our political oppo-
nents as well as ourselves. We are at the
outset Of most important political cam
paign, which will decide whether the
reigns of government shall longer
continue in the hands of the Re
publican party. have never in my life
been so thoroughly convinced of the
truthfulness of what l shall say tonight
as now am. The spirit Of our institu-
tons, the welfare Of country and the
rights Of our citizens Of a great common
wealth, all demand thar the Republican
party shall go. (Applause.J That there
shall be change in the administration
of our national affairs. (Applause.) In
monarchial countries, the spirit, nay, the
very letter of their institutions prescribe
where and when man shall rule in un-
broken perpetuity. The central idea of
Democratic institutions are that power
shall not long rest in the hands Of any
one man or set of men; hence we find in
our constitutions, both State and Federal,
limitations upon the power of the officials
whom we choose. Your President is
chosen for four years, although eligible
to reelection; yet the example set by the
father Of our country, who was re elected
but once, has never been broken down
to this day. There has never been but
one attempt to break it and it was a sig
nal failure. Also your Senators in Con
gress are elected for limited terms, and
likewise your members of the House Of
Representatives. The officers composing
the State government are also elected for
limited terms. The same is true Of YOUR
members Of the Legislature, city and town
ship officials. Hence we see the central
idea of a Democratic form of government
is to prevent long continuance in Office.
What is true of individuals is true of
parties.
No man believes more firmly than 1 do
in great blessings that have been be-
slowed in times long gone by upon the
country by the honored Democratic
party. 1t was the Democratic party
that added such immense territory to
our country; that added 50 much wealth
to our country; that disseminated the
principles far and near throughout the
length and the breadth of the land, but
this all finally came to an end. The
Republican party came into power at the
outbreaking of the civil war, with an
apparent fixed determination to hold it
as long as the sun may shine and streams
shall continue to flow It is bad thing
for parties to remain SO long in power
1t is not necessary they shall have bad
motives; not necessary they shall be un-
patriotic and corrupt in order to be
turned out. You may grant them hon
esty and patriotism, yet long contin-
uance in power brings with it evils. In
the first place, the inevitable tendency is
to create rivals and leaders, who at last,
from long continued success, come to
think the government belongs to them,
and belongs to them in perpetuity, some
thing like divine right; therefore any
detestable means is justi6able to keep
them In power. Look at our own his
tory. Only few years back, in 1876,
when Samuel j. Tilden was elected pres
ident of the United States, he had a
majority Of the electoral votes and
majority Of the popular votes Cover
nor Hendricks was at the same time
vice president. "A voice sAnd will be
elected again. y agree with YOU.
laughter) If any two men were ever
elected in this country, they were "a
voice: why didn't they keep it7r)
Because they were defrauded out Of it
by one of the most atrocious and black
est deeds which blacken our free govern
meDt. lApplause,)
The leaders Of the Republican party
would never have dared 10 inaugurate,
much less dared to carry into effect,
such atrocions crime if 1t had not been
for their long continuance in power. III
1880, four years afterward, the election
for President turned upon Indiana
They managed and carried through one
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