The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-09-19

If that rule had continued four years longer,
the fortunes of the territory would have been
still more completely handed over to the ten
der mercies OF Dorsey, Elllins and their con-
federates, and the work of reform would have
been postponed to day far in the distance, or
made absolutely impossible. But good begin
ming has been made under this administration.
OF the 100000 acres already stolen probably
one-half can be reclaimed as the result of dis
closures brought to light, and measures already
instituted through democratic officials, and
nothing could more completely demonstrate
the necessity of continuing the present admin
istratiOn In power than the facts l have pre-
sented.
Gentlemen, take no pleasure in depicting
the recreancy of great historic party in the
day OF Its decline. / was present at its birth,
and saw it grow up TO the full stature of man
hood; and was with IL and of ii in the grand
part II played in suppressing the slaye-hold-
ers' rebellion and establishing liberty through
ont the land by irrepealable law. In the be-
ginning il espoused the rights of the states, as
well as the union OF the states 1t resolved to
rescue our national territories from the pollut-
! ing tread of slavery, ana il demanded the free
dom OF the public lands for actual settlers in
limited homesteads. 1t made the declaration
of independence the basis Of its policy, and in
the best sense of the word it was the party of
the people. In its first successful battle Abra-
ham Lincoln was its great captain, who fell I'M
der the hand of his assassin before his party
had sinned away its moral heritage. Its found
ers and fathers were Seward. Chase and Sumner,
who were the real heroes of its principles and
they walked out of it when it yielded to a de-
moralized leadership and turned away from the
rectitude OF Its youth. Those great men never
returned to its fold, and thenceforward till the
meeting OF its late national convention at Chi
cagO it has steadily drifted, step by step and
year by year, from its early moorings and lost
the inspiration and heroism that made its be-
ginning so glorious. That convention was
largely controlled by gamblers in public Office,
monopolists who had grown rich by the legal
lied robberies of our tariff system, and the
agents of great railway corporations. 1t was
called to order by great manufacturer whose
interests are largely involved in protective du-
ties, and its temporary chairman was an attor-
ney for great Pacific railway. One Of the
presidential candidates was a millionaire who
has grown rich by the tariff on lumber, and an
other was the attorney and representative OF
the Nanderbilts and their system of railways.
Perhaps the most active and conspicuous, if not
the most influential leader in the convention
was Stephen B. Elkins, who was formidably re-
enforced by such moral auxiliaries as Malone
OF Virginia, Flanagan of Texas and Chalmers
of Mississippi
If anything was wanting 10 show the COM
plete apostacy OF the party and its absolute sur
render to the domination of special interests
and personal greed, twas supplied by its decla-
ration in favor of cursing the land with free
whisky as means of perpetuating high taxes
on the necessaries of life. This is its epitaph,
fifty written by itself; and the honest men in
its ranks who still vainly hope to redeem it
from dishonOr will be obliged to take their
places in another organization and under lead
ers more worthy to be followed.