The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-04-24
THE 1ROQUOfs CLUB.
Letter from samuel J. Til.,cn

The 1roIuois Club of Chicago, composed of
gentlemen prominent In the Democratic party,
Palmer House. i'll that city. The local attend
ance was very large. in addition to which there
was gathering Of DISTINGUISHED Democrats
from all pats OF the country. Among the
speakers were. ex-senator James Il.
Roolittle, Of Wisconsin: senator decrgo
ri,,as L. rendleton' Of Ohio; Col ~ B.eckin-
Morton, Of Nebraska; and Judge David Turpie
and Hon. Bayliss w. Hanna, OF Indiana Let
ters OF regret were read from Gov. Tildcn. Scna-
tors Bayard. Vance. and Hampton, David A.
Wells, Abram $. Hewitt. S. S. Cox, Gov. Click,
of Kansas, Speaker Carlisle, Gen. Mcclellan, ex-
Senator Thurman, and many other Democrats Of
TENT OF GOV. TIIDENs LETTER.
GENTLEMEN: have had the honor to receive
your invitation to the third annual banquet OF
the Iroquois Club to resp nd to the sentiment,
The Federal Con Institution"
have also received private letters asking a
written response 10 the sentiment, in case l am
prevented from attending.
have been for fomc time and am still exccp-
tionally engrossed with business which / have
no power to defer or abandon: must, there
fore. communicate W tn you In writing, and my
answer must be brief.
On the formation Of the Federal Constitution,
Gouverneur Morris, who had been a conspicuous
thought Of the Constitution replied: That de-
pends upon how 1t is construed"
The Democratic party originated In resist
ancc by the more advanced patriots OF the revO-
luton to the efforts which were made to change
the character of our Government by false con-
structions of the Constitution, imprcssing on
the new system monarclical bias. Mr. Jcffer-
sons election in 1900 cued our free institu-
tions from the perils which surrounded them,
and secured sixty years Of administration main-
ly in harmony with their design and true char
acter.
When an attempt was made to break up the
Union and to dismembcr the territorial intcg-
to make manly choice between these calami-
ties and the dangerous influences of civil War
uron the character Ct the Government. They
Union first, and to repair the damage which our
political system might sustain when the more
imminent dangers had been provided against.
The first work was successfully accomplished; !;
but twenty wears have since ELAPSED, and the
work OF restoring the Government to its original
character IL not yet accomplished. Our wise
ancestors had warned that, II we fell into civil
discords. our free system was liable to perish in
the struggle by an nsensible change of its char
| acter. Not only have the best traditions OF the
patriots who won Independence and established
freedom lost their authority, but our cherished
political system is slowly losing its hold upon life
under the fungus growth OF false constructions
anu corrupt practices. Government r, itself mas
long ago as 1876 l expressed the opinion that the
, opposition must embrace at the beginning of the
canvass two thirds Of the voters to maintain .
peats itself. In most countries the Government.
m intains itself by force OF fraud Even in the
comparatveiy popular system Of England. the
of Parliament. and frequently decided the elec-
tions by court fayOrs, jobs. and money taken
from the public treasury. This Is q hard saying.
but recent publications of the papers of her
deceased statesmen leave no doubt upon the
| subject.
In our own country the Government, instead
of standing as an impartial arbiter amid the
conflicts Of maturing opinion and contending
interests, Las itself descended into the arena,
equipped with all the weapons OF partisanship.
Its myrads Of e-holders: its alliances with
or against vast pecuniary interests; its unlim-
tied command of money levied from It's dee
pendents and contractors have sufficed to de-
termine Q majority in every case but one. In
that case, it collected military forces around the
Capitol, and hy this and other menaces intim-
idatcd the Congressional representatives Of Q
majority of the people to rclinquish the fruits
of their victory and to surrender the Govern
ment to the control OF minority.
long as the Government Ii directed by party
which il under the dominion OF false doctrines
and animated by enormous pecuniary interests
in the perpetuatiOn OF existing abuses.
The first effectual steps in the reform Of our
Government must be fundamental change In
the Iolicy Of its administration. The work of
reform will be difficult enough with the whole
power OF the Government exerted in accom-
plishing 1t.
have such faith in the benignant providence
which has presided over the destiny Of our
country In every great trial hitherto, that do
not despair Of our ultimate deliyorance. Though
can no longer aspire to be one Of the leaders in
this great work. bid those upon whom this Au-
gust mission may fall, godspecd.
New York, April II, 1884 8. J. TILDEN