The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-06

MR. CLEvELASD's maiden speech
was made last week in response 70
the address of the committee that
formally notified him of his nomina-
ton. II is noticeable only, because
it shows that the Democratic candi-
date.is possessed of the art of talk
ing without saying anything. The
Coicago Inter Ocean comments as
follows on one Of its declarations
Mr. Cleveland tells US he ''is a
Democrat because he believes that
this truth, i. e., that none should
ask power but those who mean to
use il faithfully and well, lies at
the foundation of true Democracy.
We venture to say that Mr.. Cleve-
land believes nothing of the kind.
He certainly knows enough to know
that no line of division between Re-
publicanism and Democracy can be
drawn on any such line as that
Democrats are all those who ask for
power because they mean to use it
faithfully and well, while Republi-
cans are those who ask for power
because they intend TO use it faith
lessly and i'll. When Mr.. Cleveland
attempts to construct such a defini
ton for Democracy, as distinguished
from Republicanism, he must have
enough Of the faculty of thinking to
know that his definition is false. He
might as well have defined Demo-
Gratis as being those who practice
the golden rule or are given to secret
PRAYER or are versed in Aristotle's
philosophy. 1t cannot be that
Cleveland il SO dull of understand
ing as to suppose all fair-sounding
phrases may be seized upon as def
nitions of Democratic principles.
Cleveland, in fact, knows that he is
Democrat because in the contest
of the slavery question he opposed
liberty for the black man. This is
the fundamental fact on which every
Democrats democracy is based. AS
direct outgrowth of this he oppos-
ed the subjugation OF the slavehold-
er's rebellion, fought against the en-
listment of an army, the issue of a
National currency, the success OF
/ National loans, the emancipation
and enfranchisement Of the colored
race, the investing of the Federal
Government with the attributes of a
Nation, the Inauguration and con
tinuance of a protective tariff, the
; legislative efforts for achieving the
highest possible freedom and digni
ty for labor at the North as well as
at the South. Only by opposing
each specific onward step of Nation
al progress for twenty-four year,
past in the interest of conservatism
and inertia could Cleveland have
been a Democrat. 1t is idle to say
J that he thinks these Democratic doc
, trines which he has been striving
for have insured the prosperity o
the American people, for none o
them have been allowed to exist, ex
cept as thistles are allowed TO exist
TO be extirpated while green. Tha
the owner of slaves should freel,
carry them into the territories wa
, the Democratic doctrine for whicl
' Cleveland cast his first vote. 1t ha
been extirpated as a doctrine.
His second vote was vote tina
, the secession of State should no
, be prevented by force. That wa
|. Democratic doctrine in 1860. 1t ha
been extirpated. No platform nov
contains it. But had Cleveland con
, tended for the power to coerce
State he would now have been a Re
|, publican.
In 1864 Cleveland voted the wa
for the Union a failure. The doctrin
he voted for wss then Democracy
but it has ceased to exist. In 1856