The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-28
Ex-President Cleveland Tells
Some Sterling Truth.
DUTY OF PARTY TO THE COUNTRY.
1t Has No More Right to be Dishonest Than
Individuals Have-0n Gagging the
Press-Future Triumphs.

ing. Nearly. nVe hundred leaders OF Jne
Democratic party were present. The
cheers were long and loud when the ex-
President entered the hall. He submitted
to the handshaking of many guests for an
hour before taking his seat at the table.
Cleveland was dressed in sombre black.
There was more Of the glow of health in
his face than at the time he retired from
the presidency He appeared to be in
the best of spirits.
All factions of the Democratic party were
represented at the banquet; Tammany
County Democracy; officers Of the Reform
club and of the various other Democratic
clubs of this city and Brooklyn.
The march into the banquet hall was led
| by President Arnold alone. He was fol
lowed by ex-President Cleveland, Governor
Hill and Mayor Grant, in the order named,
each escorted by member of the club under
whose auspices the banquet was given.
At the main table was the guest OF the
evening on the right of the club president,
Arnold. Others in places of honor were
Governor Hill, Mayor Grant, eX-Minister to
England Phelps, w. L. Scott, G. F. Black.
ex-Secretary Fairchild, Ex-Governor
Hoadley, of Ohio, and P. A. Collins. About
seven long tables were laid at right angles
| to the guests table where were gathered
several hundred other banqueters. Before
| the guests took their seats, Cleveland was
| rendered an impromptu ovation. When
the dinner had been fairly started, the or
chestra began the rendition of selections of
music which continued at intervals during
| the banquet.
When the presiding officer introduced
Mr. Cleveland there was a furore of ap-
plause which threatened to overtOp all
bounds. When quiet was finally restroyed,
Mr. Cleveland began his speech. He said:
MANY incidents of my short residence in
this good city have served to fill my cup
of gratitude and to arouse my appreciation
of the kindness and consideration of those
with whom / have my home. The hospital
| ity for which the citizens of New York
have long been distinguished. has outdone
| itself in my welcome; and yet l can truly
say that none of these things will be more
wildly or gratefully remembered than the
opportunity afforded me by this occasion
| TO greet the political friends l see about
me. While l believe no one is more sus-
ceptible than | of every personal kindness,
| and while am sure no one values more his
personal friendships, it certainly should
cause no surprise when | say these things
are not more cherished than my attachment
and loyalty to true Democratic faith and my
obligation to the cardinal principles of
| its party organizations. have been honored
| by the party far beyond my deserts. In
deed no man can deserve its highest honors.
After six years of public service l return
TO you, my party frieUds Six years have
| stood as your representative in the state
and nation, and now take my place again
in the ranks, more convinced than ever
that the cause of true Democracy is
the cause of the people; their safeguard
and their hope.
II come to you with no excuses or apollo
gies and with no confession OF disloyalty.
| 1t is not given to man to meet all the Vari-
GUS and conflicting views of party duty and
policy which prevail in an organization
wher individual opinion is so freely toler-
Gated as in the Democratic party; and vet
when they are honestly held and advo-
Gated, they should provoke no bitterness or
condemnation; but when they are dishon-
estly proclaimed as mere cover and pre-
text for personal resentment and
disappointment, they should be met
! by that eXpoSue and contempt
which they deserve. No man can lay
down the trust which he has held in behalf
of a generous and confding people and feel
that at all times he has met in the best pos
sible way the requirements of his trust but
he is not direlict in duty if he has con
scientiously devoted his efforts and his
judgment to the people sincere.
~ have deliberately placed in close con-
nection loyalty to Democratic principles
and devotion to the interests of the people
for in my view they belong together and
should mean the same thing. But in this
day of partisan feeling and attachment, tits
well for US to pause and recall the truth
that the only justification for the existence
of any party is the claim that in principle
and performance its object and purposes
are promotion of the public good and ad-
vancement of the welfare and prosperity of
the entire country. There never was party
platform or declaration of principles
which did not profess these things and
make them the foundation OF party creed,
and any body of men who should openly
proclaim that they were associated to-
gether for the express purpose of gaining
supremacy in the government with the
spoils of victory among their associates.
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 dishon-
est. 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 and
abandoned, and the benefit of office holding
and personal self are all that remain to in
spire party activity, not only is the conf
dence of those relied on for patriotic sup
port forfeited, but the elements of cohesion
and of effective and lasting political
strength are gone. Honest differences of
opinion that must always exist upon ques-
tons of principle and public policy should
furnish abundant occasion for the exist !
ence of parties, and point out their field
of usefulness.
when we seek for the cause Of the per-
petuity OF the Democratic party and its |
survival through every crisis and emer-
gency and in the face of all opposition, we |
find in the fact that its corner stone is laid |
II. Il L Al.
and sympathy with all things which tend |
to the advancement of their welfare and |
happiness. Though heresy may have some
times crept in its organization, and though
party conduct may at times have been in
fiuenced by that stiffness which is the
habitual device of its opponents, there has
always re NAMED deeply imbedded in its
nature and character that spirit of true
and that love of popular
rights, which has made it indestructible in
disaster and defeat, and has constituted it
a boon to its country in its time of triumph
and supremacy.
Happily, the party creed which we peo-
TESS is not within such narrow lines that
obedience does not permit US to move
abreast with the advanced thought of
country and to meet and test every ques-
ton and apply principle to every situation.
True Democracy, staunch in its adhesion
to its..fundamental doctrine. is at the same
time in a proper sense progressive. True
Democracy honestly advocates national
to the end that all our fellow
may aid in the achievement of
that grand destiny which awaits US as a
nation and it condemns that pretext of
IibeIality and harmony which, when par
tisan advantage if to be gained, gives way
for inf1ammatory appeals to sectional
hatred and passion. It does not favor the