St. Landry democrat., 1885-05-16

Near the close of a long, hot day last
year a sweltering crowd OF Democratic
delegates sat in national convention
in Chicago. They had listened with
some degree of patience to recital OF
the manly deeds and heroic careers of
such men as Thomas Francis Bayard,
Allen G.. Thurman; John G.. Carlisle,
Samuel j. Randall, and other leaders OF
the party. They had received, with
few evidences of enthusiasm, all that
the orators of the convention had to-
present in favor of the men who had
led the Democratic hosts upon hundreds
of battle-felds men, who ror half
century, more or less, had borne the
heat and burden of the day and spent
their lives in the service of the Dem0c-
gacy.
On front bench in the convention
sat Senator Eustis and all the Louisiana
political dudes. When Senator Wade
Hampton and Gen. Hooker appealed to
their sstraighout" Democratic friends
TO vote for Thomas Francis Bayard, the
Louisiana delegation sat silent as stat
aes.
was mentioned, and a whirlwind of APP
plause broke from the assembled thou
sands. Heading the howlers was Sena-
tor Eustis and Major Burke.
But whan the applause subsidized SEN
ator Grady of New York, marched qui-
etly and solemnly to the chairman's
desk and requested the privilege Of ad-
dressing the multitude. He spoke
calmly and earnestly. He reviewed the
political career of Grover Cleveland in
a passionate manner, plainly demon
stating that while Mr.. Cleveland was
of Democratic antecedentS and pro-
cIivities, he was not strictly speaking
party man, and If nominated and elect
ed would unquesti0uably ignore politics
in the distribution of patronage. Sena-
tor Grady called attention to the fact
that as Governor of New York, Mr.
Cleveland had distributed the offices
among friends and foes alike, and that
ia the matter OF appointments party
service has found no consideration with
him.
A storm of Kisses greeted this speech
Hootod, yelled at and howled down,
Senator Grady gave way, and Gen.
Bragg reached the stand in time to|
reply. eve love him for the enemies
he has made" shrieked Bragg, as he
he shook his finger in the face OF Grady
Whereat the LouisianaDa delegation
stood on the benches and yelled.
The issue was then and there distinct
~ made. There was no deception, no
misrepresentation whatever. The
Democratic party thoroughly under
stood that Grover Cleveland represent
ed the spirit of non partisanship which
the public seemed to demand They
accepted him, with his peculiar ideas
of business administration, and he
roically sacrificed the Offices to what
they conceived to be Democratic ma
fional principles. What right has the
Democratic party to complain it Mr..
Cleveland took it at its word ? He GER
tainly understood that his nomination
and election meant new era of politi-
cal retorm-that the victor need not
necessarily monopolize the spoils. Upon
this principle he was certainly nOmina-
ted, and Gen Eustis threw his hat the
highest when General Bragg said so.
Who is the more consistent-Presi-
dent Cleveland or his enemies In the
Chicago Convention the Louisiana del
egation helped to love him for the en-
emies he had made when it was known
thoroughly that those enemies were the
spoilsmen. Either the Louisiana dele
cation played the hypocrite when it
hoWled Senator Grady down at Chicago
Or else it is doing something worse now.