The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-26
THE EVENING MEETING.

THE EVENING MEETING.
Hon. r. w. Thompson's Interesting Address
Co the Republican Editors.
The members of the association were addressed
by Hon. Richard w. Thompson. in the United
States court room From thesfirst word "the
grand old man. received the closest and most
keenly appreciatiye attention, and at the close
of his speech he was given vote of thanks
everyone rising. He said his way of life had for
long time kept him from any direct and active
participation in political affairs and he did not
therefore, propose to enter into any thorough
dissection of political TOPICS and that all he could
do before an audience like that would be to ex-
press sentiments and opinions. which he early
entertained, and which have been the result of
along life of experience.
1.-THE frosts of nearly four score winters" he
he said, 'have whitened my brow, have some
what chilled the current of my blood, and 1 trust
have also chastened my feelings. I am, there
FORE prepared to concede to all others credit for
the same sincerity and honesty of conviction
which claim from them toward myself. I do
not believe the world half so bad as it is sup
posed by chronic grumblers to be. Mankind all
over the world are becoming better. I attribute
in a very large degree the improvement we are
witnessing in the world to free press and COM
mon schools, the two great educators of this
country, without which our country could not
last, and upon the destruction of which
the same forces which brought about
their death would next be called
on to dig the grave in which to bury out of sight
forever the popular government'which we cher
ish so highly sincerely believe that the hon
esty, honor and welfare of this country-its sal
vation-depends upon the success of the Repub-
lican party, and the maintenance of Republican
principles. I am at loss to know what there
is in the Democratic party. what it claims even
for itself, that commends it to the consideration
of men who earnest in behalf OF
the interests of the country. It has now
been in power for nearly twelve months.
During that entire twelve months it
has been engaged simply in scramble for Office,
the distribution of patronage and spoils. There
is not in its action single promise of the sue.
cess of any great measure of public policy. It
is truly impotent in the administration of the
government. In this it has but realized what
has been the fixed conviction of my life-that it
is incompetent from the very nature of things to
carry on the government"
The speaker then proceeded to show that this
inefficlency dated back to the organization of
the Democratic party, which did not have be-
ginning until Jackson's second term, when Van
Buren, was nominated for the Vice presidency
Jefferson Madison and Monroe as well as Jack
son, during his first term were Republicans.
nation of Van Buren, was Democratic.
said sal n you 'i would find that tA' platfor m
to be about in these words: Resolved, that we
do not deem it expedient at this time to deliver
an address to the people of the United States,
but we leave it to each member of this conven-
ton. when he returns home, to explain to the
people what mean" These are not exactly
the words, but they contain the idea This was
the way the thing began, and they have been
No
now, what they may choose to put into series
of resolutions as, for instance. the civil-service
law. each man explains it to suit his own
peculiar interest In the very nature of
in 1882 other than that. Everything was going
on smoothly, and the policy which had been
established at the foundation of the government
had been continued to the time of jackson, and
under Jackson too II have very great regard
for the memory of Jackson. My politics were
being formed at that time. He prepared his in
auguration address at the Hermitage and when
he came to Washington with it, it
was suggested by the friends of Van
Buren, that there ought to be an
amendment, and he conceded to them the
authority to put in little paragraph in favor of
reform. He meant honestly, but they meant
only such reforms as were necessary to get the
honest men out and put the rascals in. was
there and witnessed the Inauguration of Jack
son. l moved among the crowd and saw that it
was only scramble for Office. During the ad-
mnistration of John Quincy Adams there were
no removals for opinions sake. | heard Mr..
Adams myself tell how, when he had addressed
a letter to Mr.. Southland Secretary of the Navy,
to give to friend of his place. the Secretary
replied to the President of the United States
that there was no vacancy in the Navy Depart
ment. and that ended it.
when the administration of General jackson
closed, then commenced the same system which
exists to-day and you will remember that from
that period up to this the Democratic party as
it called itself, has never had possession Of the
government without running the government
down. 1t ran down in 1885, it ran down under
VanBuren, under Pierce under Buchanan, and
still further down under James K. Polk-the
public debt increasing and the means of paying
it decreasing. It results altogether from the
party having no fixed principles and from the
custom of depending upon mere questions of ex-
pediency."
Colonel Thompson characterized as fragrant
violation of the Constitution Mr.. Cleveand's re-
moval of competent and honest officials without
reason and withholding from the Senate the in
formation due them as representatives of the peo-
pie. He denounced as q mockery to call that
democracy which put so kingly power in the
hands of one man. 1t is the President and the
Senate who have the power to appoint
and it, therefore, requires the concurrence of
the Senate with the President to remove
"As for Mr.. Cleveland himself while am not
disposed to say anything harsh about him. do
not think he is in any body's way, so far as the
next presidential contest is concerned What
we sung in 1840-Van, Van, is a usedup man
applies TO Mr.. Cleveland" Gen. John Coburn,
removed without cause or explanation from the
justiceship of Montana. to make room for C. r.
Pollard, of Delphi. was in the audience and, as
the Colonels eye alighted upon him. he made
keen application of civil service as administered
by Reformer Cleveland.
He also strongly and with great clearness
showed how the action of the last Democratic
Legislature, in the State apportionment, had
practically DISTINGUISHED thousands upon thou
sands of citizens. He believed that this out
rageous abuse of power, this fragrant violation
of the right of Suffrage and representation would
meet with its punishment at the ballot-box; that
it was the duty of the press to put this outrage
clearly before them AMI he had little doubt that
the people would right their wrongs
Turning aside from politics, he pleasantly re-
marked that he was the oldest living editor in
the State; that in 1885 and 1886 he published a
newspaper simply for the purpose Of demonstrate