Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-25
REPUBLICAN MEETING.
Address of Joseph Steffens Before the
trour.b Ward Reu;ibIicau Club.

Steifens, who spoke for upwards OF an hour
His remarks were pointed, well received
and frequently interrupted with applause.
A synopsis of it this morning would be i'm
possible hence few epigrammatic selec-
tons of some of the most striking portions
are given:
American politics is a free realm. Local
politics is its open field. National freedom
is the liberty to do right. National tyranny
is doing wrong.
The right of suffrage carries with it the
inaGenable right of participancy IN political
controversy and contests.
Undoubtedly it. a duty and to his in
terest for every man to take an active inter
est in politics, and while thus engaged to
bear constantly in mind that he works on
the bedrock of governmental rights, and
that every fellow workman is a political
sovereign, and under the situation his
equal.
The Sinking ones are generally busy
people, too busy for politics, religion or
anything else of a public character.
Political primary work, the very basis of
our national existence and society, is brand
| ed and condemned by men who have the
most at stake The man who seeks to dig
at the foundation and helps lay, correctly
and safely, the cornerstone of local, and
hence national political edilices, is said to
be dabbling in the dirty pool Of politics"
| \ shame is it that any true citizen should
call the political pool filthy The Ameri-
can pool of politics was made for the heal
ing Of the nation, and honored should be
the sovereign who, from a sense of duty,
most troubleth the waters.
Party organization is necessity. A
living, useful party must be made up of a
united energetic, faithful, charitable and
patriotic individuality.
1.-THE politically rheumatic, and the sorely
disappointed or discarded candidate, and
the idealistic political worker,
when they leave their organization, would
together, or independently, go off to the
political sulphur spring, heal and recuper-
ate, or die, no earnest doer of his duty
would be discouraged OF misled.
| You prove to me that the Republican
party is becoming bad, corrupt or danger
Gus, YOU then prove conclusively that every
good patriotic Republican should stay with
it and get in the ranks for work and politi-
cal business.
There is practical truth, theoretical truth,
and even the shadow of truth :" and as a
| Republican has voiced that mo party can
live on its history it should be and seems
like the truth, but if an old time Democrat
had said it, to great many people there
would be no question about it. So we
Judge it to be a Democratic practical truth
hence It's novelty.
Just now, there seems TO be wonderful
surplus of people and politicians who want
to forget history, but blessed is the man or
party that has a history that does not need
to be forgotten.
There are no political grave-diggers who
can help Democracy round up the dirt
more neatly over the grave of a Repubi-
can friend than the politically INDECENT and
so-called independent Republicans of this
| locality.
1t is about time we all fell into line and
worked out our political salvation under
our own vine and fig tree. Rather than
follow faction into the desert after their
Jack O Lantern of truth, | would turn a
lifelong missionary, take my Republican
political testament and go straight to that
| India of politics, the Democratic party.
Republicans should dispense with the
sympathetic procession of Democratic
office-seekers who have interments in
private and furnish their own heirs and
administrators
In that party which cherishes this Gov
eminent Of the people, for the people, the
! farm owner, the mechanic the business
man, the corporation owner, and that other
mOnopOlSt, the man who OWNS and con-
trolls an intelligent, charitable soul, should
| pool their issues and adjust their differences
amicably and equitably.
If our old Ship of State ever goes to pieces
on the breakers, it will be by the neglect
and Indifference of her pilot and guardian,
the individual citizen.
The walls of the modern religious and
political Jerichos are to be scaled by indi-
vidual, persistent and consistent climbing.
| Racket and IumpuS don't make things
tumble like they used to- When apathy
and Indifference TO political and vital inter
| estS give way to individual effort, and per
sonal devotion to the foundation work of
them all ; when a fair portion of every Cit
zen's time is given TO matter Of public con-
Germ: when we voluntarily come back to
the bedrock of true patriotism, where war
has now twice brought us-then will the
political watchman answer back from the
| point OF outlook: The morning cometh -
For nearly forty Years past the Demo-
cratic party has followed q venturesome,
traflicling, dictatorial line of policy. Being
necessarily devoid OF a positive, protecting,
strengthening and advancing policy it is
not worthy to control the government of
great people. The strength Of the Demo
cratic party is in its faithfulness to party,
It's party discipline, and the Indifference of
the Republican clement ofthe country.
The war is ended, and that great COM
bnGtion. slavery and secession, has been
arbitrated without any more iobbcry 1t
is claimed that party lines were dissolved;
! nevertheless the consequences of the two
great lines of political action have to this
| moment continued and reached their nat
ural rcsults-triumph and defeat.
\ few evenings ago, at q Republican
meeting AT a hall in this city, there were
seated two Republicans with Democratic
light of this State sandwiched between
them. The speaker of the evening had
just finished pointing out the beauties of
a chrome of that late Democratic Kill
kenny-cat contest at Stockton, and was
reaching for another picture, when by way
of a diversion, one OF the Republicans said
to this Democrat Well, you did nice
piece of political business at Chicago. You
shelved that old veteran of Democratic
good sense. as you call him, Allen G. Thur
man. OF Ohio, and picked up Grover Cleve-
land
Quick as thought the Democrat replied
Good sense? Why, Sirs, Cleveland don t
need any sense. He has got the luck"
True, it was said in moment, and in a
Jest but we affirm that it is the Democratic
situation in nutshell in this nation to-day
They don't require that Cleveland have any
political sense, if he viii only bring them
luck They would cut the American tariff
horizontally, perpendicularly or diagonally
if il would only bring them political luck
Young man. do not choosea occupation
because it seems easy or genteel, for that is
isclf-impoSed poverty. Do not join a party
or church for its lOavcs and fishes, for
that is Self-sOught starvation. But know
myself Examine thy motives and thy
principles. If need be, pull thyself down
to build myself up.
Verify, the Republican party has many
victories Vel 10 achieve, among which are !:
To soiidify the whole country, South and
North, East and West, on the basis of
general good faith, industry and equal
rights and protection to all citizens and all
interests, to equalize and sustain the tariff
rs long as it is practicable and generally
| beneficial - recruit discipline and keep
in ready trim the nucleus of an army; to
build and equip iirst-ciass navy; to re-
build old and erect new Notifications to
encourage shipping in extending our COM
mercc To The ends of the earth; to improve
harbnrs, straightcu and clean out rivers
build public buildings, honestly aud eco
nomicaily; to help labor stir the lie of the
country, as does the bounding blood that of
young giant; to teach loyalty, integrity
fraternity to Jew and Gentle rich and
poor: 10 practice national charity at home
and goodwill abroad TO impart confidence
to the struggling OF the world by being
strong, faithful, loyal to liberty ut home.
"