Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-28
CLEVELAND GALORE
The Ex-Presidents Address Before the
New York Young Mems Demo
cratic Club.

evening. Nearly 5000 OF the leaders OF the
Democratic party were present. The
/ enthusiasm evoked by the presence
of Mr.. Cleveland was intense.
He submitted to the handshaking of the
many guests for an hour before taking hts
seat at the table The march into the
banquet hall abont 8 o'clock was led by
President Arnold alone. He was Iolio TgiS1
and Mayor Grant in the order named,
back escorted by member OF the club,
| under whose auspices the banquet
was given. Letters of regret were read
from Hon. Don Dickinson. ex-Secretary
Bayard and others. Mr.. Cleveland was
| heartily cheered when he arose 70 SPEAK
MANY incidents OF my snors 5esiaencs
in this good city has served TO Ill my cup
of gratitude and to arouse my apprecla-
ton of the kindness and consideration OF
those with whom | have my home The
| hospitality for which the citizens OF New
York have long been distinguished mas
outdone itself in my welcome. Inc mem
| bers Of my profession nave upon my re-
turn to its activities received me with ira
ternal greetings and personal friendships,
| and have not permitted me to feel Ike
stranger in a strange city. And yet can
| truly say that none of these things Will
be more wildly or gratefully remembered
than the opportunity afforded me Dg sni7
occasion to greet the political fr1enGs l
see about me. While I believe that no one
is more susceptible than I of every person.
| al likeness, and while / am sure no one
values more his personal feelings, l will
! certainly cause no surprise when say that
these things are not more cherished than
my obligations and loyalty to the true
Democratic faith and my obligations to
the cardinal principles OF its party organl-
cation. have been honored by my party
far beyond my deserts. Indeed. no man
can deserve its highest honors. After SIX
wears of public service l return to you, my
party friends.
Six years have stood as your represen-
tative in the state and nation, and now |
| take my place in the ranks more convinced
than ever that the cause OF true democracy
| is the cause of the people, their safeguard
and their hope I come to you with no
excuses nor apology and with no confess
ions of disloyalty. 1t is not given to man
| to meet all the various and confllctlng
views of party duty and policy which pre-
walls in an organization where individual
opinion is SO freely tolerated
Because these views are various
| and conflicting some of them must be
wrong, and yet when they are honestly
held and advocated they should not
| provoke to bitterness nor condemnation,
but when they are dispassionately used as
a mere cover and pretext for personal re-
sentiment and disappointment they should
be met by the exposure and contempt
which they deserve. And with sincere de-
| sign and intent, one charged with party
representation has kept the party faith
that one must answer his party obligation.
No man can lay down the trust which he
has held in behalf OF generous and con-
filling people and feel that at all times he
has met in the best possible way the re-
| Il
lict in duty if ne has consistently
ment to the peoples service.
haye deliberately placed in close connec-
ton loyalty to Democratic purposes and
devotion to the interests of the people, fox
in my view they belong together and
should mean the same thing. But on this
day Of partisan feeling and attachments it
is we'll for us to pause and recall the truth
that the only justific ton for the existence
of any party is the claim that in principle
and performance its objects and purposes
are the promotion of the public good and
the advancement of the welfare and pros
perity of our entire country. There never
was party platformlor declaration.of prin
and make them the foundations
of party creed and any body of men who
should openly proclaim that they were as
ISOLATED together for tina express purpose
of gaining supremacy in the government
with the sole intent of distributing offices
and the spoils of victory among their as
sociates would be treated with ridicule and
scorn Thus are we brought face to face
with the proposition that parties should
no more than individuals be untruthful
and dishonest.
OF course in the supremacy of party
there are advantages to its members, and
this is not amiss. But when high party
aims and professions are lost sight OF or
abandoned and the benefit of office-holding
and personal help are all that
remain to inspire party actlv-
ity, not only is the confidence
OF those relied on for patriotic support for
feited, but the elements Of cohesion and of
effective and lasting political strength are
gone. The honest differences OF opinion
that must always exist on questions OF
principle and on public policy should fur
of parties and point out their field of use
fulness. The study and discussion of
these questions cannot fail 20 result in
more valuable citizenship and more intel
ligent and better equipped partisans.
When we seek for the cause Of the perpe-
tuity of the Democratic party and its sur
vival through every crisis and emergency
and in the face of all opposition
we find it in the fact that its corner stone
is laid in the rights of the people, and SYM
patty with all things which tend to the
advancement of their welfare and happi-
ness. Though heresy may sometimes have
crept in its organization, and though party
conduct may at times have been influenced
by the stiffness which is the habitual
devise of its opponents, there has always
remained deeply imbedded in its nature
and character that spirit OF Americanism
and that love of popular right which has
made it indestructible in disaster and de-
feat and has constituted it boon to the
country in its triumgh and supremacy.
| The great founder Of our party. as he con-
secrated himself by solemn oath TO the
faithful performance of the duties Of the
presidential Office and pledged him
self for the preservation, pro-
lection and defense Of the cGnstitu-
ton, after presenting to his Assem- bled
fellow countrymen the causes OF congratu.
lation, found in the condition of our
country and the character OF our people,
impressivey added: with all these bless
inGs what more Is necessary to make us
happy and prosperous Still one
thing more, fellow citizens: A wise and
frugal government which snali restrain
men from injuriDg one another, shall
leave them otherwise free to regulate their
own pursuits OF industry and shall not
take from the mouth OK LABOR the Dread II
has earned, This is the sum or govern
ment and this is necessary TO close the sum
OF our felicities
In the lexion Of democracy these words
are not obsolete, and they still furnish the
inspiration of our efforts AID interpreta-
ton of eur political faith. Happily the
party creed which we profess Is not with
in such narrow lines that ooedience does
not permit Us to move abreast with the
advanced thought Of the country and to
meet and test every question and apply a
principle TO every situation