Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-09-10
Address of Independent Repub.
liCanS.

licans.
The following address was adopted
unanimously by the National Conference
OF Independents and Republicans held at
New York, July ped.
There were six hundred and fifty dele
gates present, representing sixteen States
of the Union.
TO our FSl,o,o Citizens of The United States.
The prominent issue of the Presidential
election of this year is moral rather than
political. 1t concerns the national honor
and character, and honesty of adminlstra-
ton rather than general politics of gov
eminent, upon which the platforms Of the
two parties do not essentially differ. No
position taken by one platform is serious
ly traversed by the other. Both evidently
contemplate general agreement of pub
lie opinion upon subjects which have
been long In controversy, and indicate an
unwillingness to declare upon other and
cardinal questions views which in the
present condition of opinion might seri-
ously disturb the parties within them
selves. Parties, indeed. now cohere main
| ly by habit and tradition, and since the
RItdl ISSUES WHICH HdNc ulNlucu lucIn
have been largely settled, the most vital
political activity has been the endeavor
of good citizens in both parties to adjnst
them TO living issues, and TO make them
effective agencies of political progress and
reform.
The indispensable necessity of this
course has been long apparent, for in a
time of profound peace at home and
abroad the most threatening national pearl
is an insidious political corruption, mer-
cenary and demoraliZing spirit and ten
dency, the result of what is well described
by Senator Hoar. of Massachusetts, as
1.-THE shameless doctrine that the true way
by which power should he gained is to
bride the people with the offices created
for their service, and the true end for
which il should be used when gained rs
the promotion of selfish ambition and the
qualification of personal revenge" But
this doctrine naturally has produced re-.
suits which are still more alarming. The
corrupt spirit and tendency have so rapid
ly developed that they seek political
pewer not only to crafty ambition and
revenge. but to promote private gain.
They deride appeals TO the pnblic con
science, defend the soiled regulations
of public men by the bold assertion that
all public men are equally guilty, declare
that success in obtaining eminent position
disposes of every imputation and suspic.
ion of wrong-doing, and despising all
practical measures to reform the system
of official patronage which fosters dishon-
! est politics, make great party nominally
responsible for prolonged and monstrous
fraud, and proclaim that il is the duty of
every citizen who for great and beneficial
ends has SUPPORTED party to regard the
success of the party at an election, with.
out regard to the character of those whom
it selects as its executive agents, to be a
supreme national necessity. A tendency
more fatal to the public welfare cannot
be conceived, and when by public indif'
ference or misunderstanding this corrupt
spirit is able to demand that the country
shall approve of II by according to l,
the highest honor in its gift, every patri
otto citizen must perceive that no duty
could be more pressing. vital, and i'm
perative than that Of battling and defect
ing the demand.
If the Republican Convention had pre-
sented candidate whose character and
career were the pledge of a resolute con
test with the tendencies that we have de
J scribed, If they had foretold stern deal
J ing with political corruption and vigor
Gus correction of the vast abuses which
the long and undsturbed tenure of power
: by any party is sure to breed; If the sue
cess OF the candidate had promised infiex
ible honesty of administration ,purlficatlOr
J of the government, and elevation of the
party standard-every Republican vote
would have gladly supported the nomina
ton. But these are precisely the antici
pations which the nomination forbids
| Y. IT. I,Ia yb.Nt 10 m m 1nanar
T shown by his own words and his ack
3 nowledged acts. which are of officia
I record, to be unworthy of respect ant
: confidence; who has traded upon hi
] official trust for his pecuniary gain;
representative of men, methods, and con
r duct which the public conscience con
r dennis. and which illustrat
: the very evils that honest men would re-
I form. Such nomination does No
= promise in the Executive chair iufiexibl
J. official integrity. calm and wise judge
y ment, a sole regard for the public welfare
D and an unshrinking determination to pre-
mote reform IN the civil service, ant
!. ceaseessly to pursue and punish publ
o robbers of every kind and degree. lndt
d pendent voters have generally supporte
d Republican nominations as more surel
promising reform than those Of the Demo
r cratic party. Indepen dents, however
e cannot support nomination which is th
e elimination of the tendency that the
= would correct. Republicans cannot hor
l. that under such leadership as we hav
Z mentioned the abuses of the past can b
e corrected or the party reformed. We al
II very proud of the great record and Sc
l. vices of the Republican party, but M
with our consent or connivance shall Tn,
n record be disgraced.
J. Every party must be constantly renewe
W by the intelligent independence of its ow
,, members. or 1t will sink from an agenc
u to secure good government into a r.
l. morseless despotism. The Republica
party sprang from moral sentiment.
'e was the party Of political morality and
4 personal liberty. 1t appealed directly
l. the conscience of the citizen. But, lik
n all parties, it was a political agency, M
| ~ ~ xyo.ab,pa1 h,i N hp 90 rpfullu lal