St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-15
INDEPE NDENTS.
A Powerful Appeal to Voters to De-
feat Mr.. Blaine.

The Independent Republican committee of
Massachusetts have addressed a circuiar to the
voters of that state, giving the reasons why
Blaine is not fit candidate for the Office of pres
ident. The country is brought face to face with
the question, say the committee, whether the
president of the United States shall be an honest
man. The question is not what the Republican
party has done, but what it will do; not what it
was, but what it is; not whether Lincoln, or
Seward, or Sumner were great men, but whether
Blaine, and Robson, and Keifer, and Elkins are
men to whom safely be confded the future
of the country. The address concludes as
follows:
Its the Republican party's] candidate for
president is a man charged with the basest of
public crimes-the abuse of official power for his
own pecuniary advantage-who for eight years
has never dared to demand that full investigation
of the charges which his political associates
would gladly have accorded, ard by which alone
those charges can be met. Upon the evidence
already produced we believe him guilty, and we
know that many Of his prominent supporters
share our belief. Their declarations before his
nomination, their silence or their guarded Ian
guage in public addresses since, are conclusive
evidence of this. lie is convicted by his own
statements of deliberate falsehood on the most
solemn occasions. The men who in the past have
support and are admitted to controlling influ-
ence in the conduct of his campaign, while of the
honest men who are joined with these, the
! leaders are largely either holders of or candi-
dates for public Office who urge their fellow
citizens to follow them more to preserve the
party than because they approve Its chief. 1t
fin" the Republican party has to-day no policy
which it dares to avow end leader whom il can
not defend.
AT this very moment, it forms alliance in
West Virginia with the advocates of dishonest
money; in New Hampshire, Il leading organ repu-
dates civil service REFORM in Washington, polit-
ical assessments are attempted under thin dis
guise. 1t is idle to hope that, with such leader
ship, the abuses of the past can be corrected Or
the party reformed. Under the influences which
now dominate i'll councils, the tendency must be
downward and there is no clearer proof that this
tendency exists than the fact that honest men
are ready to tolerate and excuse offences which a
few years ago would have made the offender in
famous. We see in increasing fidelity to party
great dangers to our government. and it is an
omen of disaster when this fidelity leads men of
character and position to throw their influence in
favor of dishonesty and to mislead their fellow
citizens by misrepresenting the facts and obscur-
ing the issue. The fascination of the name
''Republican'' has made men blind to offences
which otherwise they would condemn. 1t if our
imperative duty therefore, to disregard the ap-
Washington, it is "the interest and duty of wise
people to discourage andl restrain,'' and to con-
slider how best we can stay the progress of cor
ruption in the government of our country.
Leaving to congress the great questions of
policy, which must be questions of legislation,
and reserving the right to vote in congressional
elections for such men represent our opinion on
these questions; intending in the state to vote
in the future as we have in the past, we see in
the presidential contest a simple issue. Our
platform is the single principle that none but
men of proved integrity shonld be supported for
public office, and that the use of official power
for personal ends is a breach of trust which
should disqualify for the public service those
who ore guilty of it. A party nomination which
violates this principle must not only forfeit our
support, but incur our answering opposition.
By the nomination of James G. Blaine the Re-
publican party has thrown down the gauntlet of
corrupt and partisan government The Demo.
cratic party answers the challenge. Its candi-
date is the acknowledged champion of reform
and political honesty. The issue is thus joined
The leaders are representative men, the fore
most of their kind, and we cannot for an instant
hesitate in our choice or doubt what the true in
terests of our country demand. We do not ally
ourselves with the Democratic party, still less
sanction or approve its past, but its present
didate has proved his fidelity to the principles
we avow, and in the coming election he COM
mands and will receive our support.
For these reasons we urge all our fellow cit
liens to unite with us in effort to secure the
election of Gov. Cleveland, and to organize in
their respective neigbborhoods that the vote OF
Massachusetts, may be given in November for
honest government.
George Frederick Williams, chairman.
Moses Williams, secretary.
Darwin E. Ware, William H. Forbes, Samuel
Hoar, Moorefeld Storey, Phineas Pierce, Jabe2
Fox, George V. Laverett, f. +. Raymond I'd
Charles B. Fox, Stephen M. Weld, Samuel M
Quincy, Winslow Warren c. c. jackson, Archi
bald NJ. Howe, A. j. G. Sowdon, executive com
mittee.
No. 166 Washington street. Boston, Aug, o.
1884.