Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-09-09
Wise Words of Ex-senator Thurman.

At a ratification meeting at Columbus,
Ohio, Ex-senator Thurman, Virginian by
birth and one of the ablest and purest men
of this country, made brief speech from
which we extract the following
SIT is a bad thing for parties to remain
so long in power. 1t is not necessary that
they shall have bad motives; not necessary
that they shall be unpatriotic and corrupt
in order to be turned out. You may grant
them honesty and patriotism, yet long
continuance in power brings with it evils.
In the first place, the inevitable tendency is
to create rings and leaders who, at last,
from long continued success, come to think
the Government belongs to them, and be-
longs to them in perpetulty, something like
a divine right; therefore, any detestable
means is justifable to keep them in power.
Look at our own history. Only few years
back (1S76) when Samuel J. Tilden was
elected President of the United States he
had majority Of the electoral votes and
mojority of the popular votes. Governor
Hendricks was at the same time elected
Vice-President; Voice, "And will be
elected again." agree with you. Laugh
ter. IF any two men were ever elected in
this country they were. IA voice, "Why
didn't they keep it?"] Because they were
defrauded out Of it by one of the most afro
cious and blacklist deeds which blackens our
free form of government. ApplauseJ
The leaders of the Republican party would
never have dared inaugurate, much less
dared carry into effect, such an atrocous
crime if it had not been for their long con-
tinuance in power. In 1880, four years
afterward, the election of President turned
upon Indiana. They inaugurated and car
ried through one of the most stupendous
and corrupt schemes that ever disgraced
the annals of any country. The vote OF
that State was given against Hancock, who
would have received it if the election had
been fair and honest, and would have been
elected President of the United States.
The chief agent was afterwards given
grand dinner in New York. Now, my
friends, such thing would never have TAX
en- place had it not been for their long con-
tinuance in power. They came to the con-
clusion they would win, no matter il they
violated the Constitution and trampled un
der foot the liberties and rights of the peo-
pie. Shall we sustain them in power? 1t
il only a question of time until the people
of this country will teach them a different
lesson from that Applause ]; that there are
other interests in our country besides these
Republican rings and leaders; that there
are others interested besides the star route
plunderers, and whlskey rings, and Credit
Mobiliers Applause and laughter. Now
think you are going to demonstrate that
to them this year. I think there are tens
of thousands of right minded and indepen-
dent Republicans who will clasp hands
with us to teach these men this govern
ment does not belong to the Republican
party, but to the people of the United
States. Applause. The continuance OF
a party in power, my friends, makes it des-
potic. was very much struck the other
day at the railroad crossing at Fostoria
with the remark of an old Irishman, who
was switch-tender. Said he: "Judge, how
much better off are we if one party is to
continue in power forty years than II we
lived under a monarchy? Applause l
would as soon live under Queen Victoria as
live in q country where party holds power
fifty years. Applause No person can
deny that at least half the people OF the
United States are Democrats, yet what
Democrat in a crowd, ever so well educated,
ever SO upright and moral in conversation
and all the walks of life, has the least pos
sible chance of getting Federal office.
There are millions who thus far are COM
pletely disfranchised, who are as complete
" ostracised as any person who is subjected
to foreign power, instead Of being free
born citizens of the United States. The
people are protesting against this kind OF
thing. They do not intend it to go on for
ever. In Mr.. Blaine's letter of acceptance
the only civil-service reform measure he
urges is an increase in length of time for
Republican ofice-holders. Laughter.
They have held the offices of the National
Government twenty three years, yet they
are not satisfied, and their candidate for the
presidency advocates one civll-service re-
form measure, and that lengthens the terms
of office.
am not personally acquainted with
Cleveland, yet know great many reliable
men who are acquainted with him, and
they are men in whose word 1 can place
entire confidence, and by them l am tod
that Grover Cleveland is a Democrat edged
in the wool,'' and that we can and will!
elect him President of the United States.
l have been acquainted with Mr.. Hendricks
more than thirty years. He is man of
distinguished ability, one whose public SER
vices and public acts are as pure as those
of any other man in this country"