Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-20
MR.. BAYARD'S LETTER.
Causes and Lessons of the Repub-
llcan Defeat.


An Expression of Popular Sentiment That
Iteinvlgorates the Hope of All Lovers
of Civil Liberty and Popular SELF Gov
eminent.
! The following letter, reprinted from
; the Savannah Ilaily Ne'es Of November
, 18th, was read at the recent Democratic
celebration in that city;
WAsHINGToY, d. G., Nov. sth $780,
Charles n PrcNdely,0st, Chairman, DE-,
Savannah, Gd.-DEAR SIR Your telegram
inviting me to join in your festivities aud
jubilation over the result of last Tuesdays
election was forwarded to me from Viii
mington.
II is not possible for me to be with YOU,
but will thank you to express to my fell
, low-Democrats i'll Savannah my sincere
congratulations upon the mmistnkahle ar
rest placed by the American people upon
the Republican leaders in their headlong
and insolent march towards arbitrary
power.
Such an expression Of popular sentiment
reihvigorates the hopc.Of all lovers of civil
liberty and popular self-government, and
proclaims the vitality of the Democratic
principle upon which the best hopes of our
government are founded. earnestly hope
that the representatives of the party which,
a year hence. will be placed in control Of
the House of Representatives, Will eompre-
bend the true significance of the late cleo
tons.
The Republican party and its policies
have been condemned, and power trans
terred to Democratic hands; but ii is placed
there in trust, in the confidence that il will
he exercised temperately, wisely and CON
scicntionsly. If it is not, it will be re-
called
! know of no more wholesome instruc-
tion for political parties in this country
than the constant reminder that they are
always on trial before the country, and at
each election must stand for Judgment at
the bar of an intelligent public opinion.
The Republican party seems 10 have for
gotten this, and to have become besotted
with power and dulled TO insensibility by
its long possession and consequent abuse.
Therefore they believed public conscience
was dead when ii was only sleeping, and
they conceived that they could enrenuh
themselves permanently in power by arbi-
trary statutes, and that popular disfavor
could not eNpe them They have hud Il
sudden and unexpected awakening, and
trust their successor will gather wisdom
and instruction from their downfall.
Let lis hope the Democratic majority of
the next House Of Representatives will moi
forget the conditions upon which popular
confidence can be retained, nor underrate
their great responsibilities
The plain duty of an American repre-
sentative is to base his popularity upon
this begins in that personal dignity and
seli-respect, that may possibly compel him
TO displease his constituents but never to
mslead them. The independent con
science of each representative is a safe
guard of the greatest value to his peoples
4 subservicnt creature can be no true
friend nor trustworthy agent in any rela
ton of life, public or private.
The present overthrow of the Republican,
party is manfestly due 10 the lack of per-
sonal independence in opinion and action
of its leaders, who sinned against light
and led their party--or suffered it to be led
to its downfall.
Not manly or true voice was heard in
the House or in the Senate during the late
session from the Republican side to warn
their party against extreme measures or
to denounce with just indignation the de
structive and un-Amcrican rules Of Reed
or his offensive and brutal methods of adj
ministraton.
There were q few and faint expostula-
tions against some features of the McKin-
ley bill among the Republicans, but they
were smothered and stiied by moral COW
ardice and want of confidence in popular
intelligence. | hope, indeed, that the in
coming era Of Democratic administration,
upon the threshold of which we are now
apparently standing, may be marked by
individual independence of opinion and
action, and that the spirit of party may
never be allowed to COW the spirit OF
American manhood, nor silence the voice
of individual conviction.
Political parties are but agencies for pop
nlar government, and men are the instrIl
mentalities through which parties must
achieve their ends. Therefore, in the last
analysis ofgovernment, whether OF party
! or n nation, the personal character of the
linen chosen will prove to be the safest re-
lance of the people who trust them.
Now is the time, therefore, for the ma
tinnal Democracy to send demagogues to
the rear and call able men Of independent
character-statesmen who love the people
but do not fear or distrllst them-to the
front, With character and conscience in
the lead, our onward march to "a restored
constitutional government of co-equal
states in one mighty union of republics
will be steady and unimpeded. Most truly
am your fellowctizen and friend.
T. +. BAYARD.