The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-08-28
To My Constituents:

To My Constituents:
In compliance with oft repeated and anx-
ious inquiries, hasten to give an account of
my stewardship, of the political interests
with which was charged. They were four:
1. Hostility to all monopolies in commerce,
Industries and lands
2. The preservation of the National legal
tender currency of the people, constitution
ally issued by Congress.
3. The needs of all men and women who
labor In the production of wealth, to be pro-
tected against the encroachments of those
who absorb and consume without producing.
4. The necessity for reform and correction
of abuses in government, SO that its pressure
on the people would be made as light as possi-
BILE; its administration effective, to guard the
rights of American citizens at home and
abroad; to make public servants, individual
or corporate, subservient to the use and will
or the people only, SO as to restore the pros
perity of the country, with equal rights, equal
burdens, equal powers, and equal privileges
of all people.
BY the Democratic masses of Massachusetts,
70 whom alone i owe grateful duty for high
IN tSe reform OF
Democratic organization whatever. They
were to be presented to the National Demo-
adoption as the axioms of Democratic rule,
as practiced by our fathers. -
had intended If these great principles of
government, by the people and for the people
only, had been cordially received, and earnest
~ and honestly adopted by that convention
10 have permitted my name to be presented
TO the convention for the suffrages of the
people as Chief Executive TO administer and
carry forward the necessary measures; in
which case l should have been bound by its
action to support both its platform and nomf
nees.
That should be placed in that high posi-
ton knew was the Viii OF the 10000 voters
| Of that Commonwealth, who had expressed
| lly that no man from that State could have
| been delegate to that convention If he had
dared to breathe aloud that he was opposed
either to the principles represented or to my
| personal candidature.
In thus doing the win of those who sent me,
1 sought none OF the honOrs of the convention,
save to serve as a member Of its COMMITTEES
| on what should have been its platform of
principles, and not of expedients.
Owing to an accident without fault of any
had been some hours in session, and then
found by solemn vote twice over, that it was
| equally divided upon the question whether in
and Economical carrying on of the goverIi-
| ment, the Democratic party would pledge it.
self to tax the people in such manner only as
would best promote American enterprise and
American industry, and foster and cherish
American labor. This division was shown by
repeated votes of eighteen States to eighteen
States in the choice as chairman, one who
should represent the affirmative or negative
OF that vital proposition. The committee fail
ing to elect q chairman, remained under its
| temporary chairman during the remainder of
its deliberations with the understanding that
after tari plank should 70 be agreed Upon
/ Messrs. Converse, of Ohio, Morrison, of IL
linois. should be elected permanent chairman
| and present platform to the convention, the
tariff plank of which should most nearly ae-
cord with his views.
To find myself holding the controlling vote
L "A
| cratic National Convention was not a new or
untried position. had held that position
| twenty-four years before in the Charleston
| Convention of 1860; and there was obliged
by my convictions to differ from both sides, 1
| then presented a second minority report of
ono. which was adopted by the convention.
At Chicago a subcommittee of eight was
chosen, and directed to prepare tariff plank
and submit it to the committee. In that sub
| committee presented a series of resolutions,
which may be thus SUMMARIZED:
any form of taxation than absolutely neces-
sary for the expenses of the Government
2. That such revenue should be raised by
g. That ali material used in arts and manu-
features, and the necessaries of life not pro-
Gced IN ms e9is's1g m sn9uo 10 cor come IN Tree; but
| Bile point
l. That the internal revenue tax upon
being war tax, should be sacredly devoted
| to relieving the people from the remaining
burdens of the war, to-wit: the care and COM
| of the Republic, ana paying such pensions as
Congress should from time to time allow such
soldiers and paid into a fund for that .ptir-
| pose a like fund having been provided for
our sailors.
s. That the laws imposing duties for reve-
nue. should be SO adjusted SO as best to pro-
| mote American enterprise and American in
| dustry, to cherish and foster American labor,
| and not create monopolieS.
| On submitting these resolutions to the sub
l committee, the first four articles were agreed
to without a division: but the fifth, declaring
best d,y m roofe U1 I1a mercan industr and eber
ish and foster American labor, failed of adop.
tion by vote of four to four. From that
hour any candidature Of mine In that conven.
!, ton became to me impossib e. The defeat of
| any possible nominee of the party upon a
even if not desirabs' The influences IN @ Which
caused the change OF three votes out OF seven
| clearly foreshsdowei the nominee. =.
It will he observed that mine was substan-
tally the ohie tariff plank, which, when
offered ny Mr.. Converse in general committee,
was also voted down,. although 1t had been
adopted by many State conventions
afterwards offered series of resolutions
T | in favor of industries and laboring men and
women of the country. That as under exist
3 ing laws all controversies between labor and
| capital can only be settled by brute force,
and that as capital is strong and labor weak
therefore Government should establish tri
S bunals in which these great controversies:
| may be settled. That it should be provided by
law that laboring men may combine and or
t ganize for their own protection, as capital MAJ
| be incorporated and combined for its protec
tion ;and that all laws that hinder the laborinf
:. :. man in this right are oppressive and ought II
I be changed. That all the great woes of ou
country have come because of imported labor
| That America ought never to be a lazar hous'
| for the reception of the pauper labor of othe
t | countries, sent here through Governments
j. aid, or brought here under contract by cap
| itnl, for the purpose of debasing American
3 wOrkingmen and women. by competing VIII
z them through imported or convict labor
: of the profits of its own production. Tha
the future of the country unites with tn
9 laborng men in demanding liberal supper
. by the United States of common school educs
J. ton in the States, that all citizens shall b
sufficiently instructed in their duties as free
60 men and electors.
IS All of which, one after another, were vote
70 down.
also presented resolution declaring tina
:. the legal-tendcr currency, under the decfsio
VI of the Supreme Court, was now the constitr
tfonal currency, and should not be interfere
I with; and that business interests should nc
- ! be disturbed by financial discussion.
l. That also was voted down in the committet
and resoton that the
l also offered resolution that all monopt
,, lies, as they tend to make two classes, th
sa aaq Of he see
3 l also offered resolution that the agen
t. of the Government, whether state OF Natlons ls
- servants of the people, and should be req
e, lated by the power that created them Th'
20 Another resolution that it was the duty
10 Congress to provide by law that railroad
I'd should not make discriminating rates SO as
ar enhance the price of the necessarles OF ~ N
between the producer and consumer. Til
suffered the same fate.
as Again, a resolution declaring the publ
o. lands to be the heritage OF the people, al
that they ought to be held in small QUANTITY
for that purpose only, and another resolutiG
er that public lands were held in trust by u
,d Government for those who became citizens
- the United States, and ought not TO be pc
70, mitted to be monopolized in large areas
lg corporations and the aristocracy of Euror
h Both voted down.
ne Again, a resolution that the United Stat
ut will not permit a ship canal to be built aero
,d | the Isthnus of Panama without its conseI
~ except that it viii exercise the right to ia
'r- possession of it whenever the necessity OF
Is, | country demands. This, too, was voted dow
/ also offered a resolution that the vario
es Offices of the Government belong 70 the peoI
tb thereof, and that frequent changes of Fedel
officials were necessary to counteract
| srro,yinr aristacratic tendencies 10 Life Off!