The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-12-13
A FREE AND PURE BALLOT.
EX-PRESIDENT CLEYELAND'S
SPEECH LAST NIGHT.
He Points Out the Dangers to Our
Form OF Government by the Cor
ruptiOn and Intimidation of the
NO!eTs-SelfishHess The Cause.

He Points Out the Dangers to Our
Form OF Government by the Cor
ruptiOn and Intimidation of the
!ers-SeIfshness the Cause.
BosroN, Mass December 12-At the
banquet gwen tonight by the Merchants
Association, OF Boston, cX-PreSident Gro
yer Cleveland, the most prominent OF the
speakers, among other Things said:
Political selfshncss chcapcns in the
minds OF the people their apprehension
ii the character and functions of the GOV
crnmcnt; 1t dlstOrts every conception of
the duty OF good citizenship aud creates
IN atmosphere in which inlquitOuS pur-
poses and designs lose their OdiouS iea-
lures. 1t begins when perverted Judg-
ncnt is won TO the theory that political
tCuOn may be used solely tor private
gam and advantage, and when a tender
onsc1ence IS quoted by the ingenious ar
SunCht that Such gam and advantage
ue identical with the public welfare.
his stage having been reached and sell
interest beng now luliy aroused, agcn-
slcs are used and practices permitted i'll
lie accomplishment OF its purposes,
which seen Ill the pure light OF dIslnter-
:sted patrlOtlSm, aIe viewed with fear
md hatred. The independent thought
md free political preference OF those
whom fate has made dependent upon
laly toll for hard earned bread, are
,trtnglcd and destroyed by intimidation
,nd the fear Ol loss vi employment. Vile
lusavOry forms rise to the surface of our
,gItated political waters, and gleetully
anticipate III the anxiety OF selfish inter-
| .upLed and ueDLuCnCd suffrage.
- rms tram OF thought leads us to con-
,Idcr the lmlnlnent danger winch threat
ms us from the intimidation and Corrup-
ION OF our voters.
1T is too late to temporize with these
wills or to speak OF them Othcwlse than
III the plaIncSt terms. We are spared the
labor OF proving their existence. tor all
tdmlt 1t. That they are terribly ON the
Increase all must cOmcede.
"Manlcstly II the motives of all our cit
zenS were unsclhsn and patriotic, and if
-hey sought III political action only their
share ui the advantage aCCruing from the
ldvanCc OF our country at all points to-
wards her grand destiny, there would be
10 place or occasion tor the pcrverSIOn of
Dur suffrage. Thus the inauguration of
| lne intimidation and corruption of our
voters may be justly charged to selfish
Schcmers seeking success through political
action. But these evils have been neg
.cCtcd by honest men dlsgusted will all
political endeavor; they have been toll
Grated by respectable men who, in weak
ness OF patriotic sentiment, have re-
5arded them as only phases of shrcwd
| political management, and they have
ocen actually encouraged by the hOnOrs
which have been bestowed upon those
who boast OF their use OF such agencies
m aid OF party supremacy.
MANY OF us, therefore, may take to our
selves a share OF blame, when we find
confronting us these pcrllS which threaten
the existence of our tree institutions, the
| preservation of our national honor and
the pcrpctuity OF our country. The con-
dltlon annexed to the founding of our
government upon the suffrage OF the peo-
| pie, was that the suffrage should be free
and pure. We consented to abide by the
honest prcponderance of political opinion,
but we did not consent that free vote,
expressing the intelligent and thoughtful
sentiment OF the voter, should he bal
anccd by vote of intimidation and fear,
VI ny dl ulCICdll. corrupt NOle ulSSfdCC-
fully bought and ,reacherously sold.
Let us loo, with a degree of pity and
charity upon those who yield to fear and
intimidation i'll the exercise of their right
of suffrage. Though they ought not thus
to yield we cannot forget that as
against their free ballot, they see in the
scale, their continued employment. the
comforts of their homes and the mainten-
anCc OF their families We need not stihe
our scorn and contempt for the wretch
who baSely sells his vote, and who for a
bride betrayS his trust of citizenship.
And vet the thought will intrude itself,
that he but follows in a low and vulgar
fashion, the example of those who pro-
cccd upon the theory that political ac-
ton may be turned to private gain.
But whether we pity or whether we
hate, our betrayal is none the less COM
plcte; nor will either pity or hate restore
our birthright. But we know that when
political sehshn. SIS is DESTROYED our
dangers will disappear; and though the
way to its stronghold may be long and
weary, we will follow it-hghting as we
90. There will be no surrender, nor will
there he dcsertionS from our ranks.
Sclhshness and corruption have not yet
achieved a lasting triumph and their bold
defiance will but hasten the day of their
dcstructiun."