Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-01-14
"rRUE DEMOCRACY.s

TRUE DEMOCRACY.
MR.. CLEVELAND DEFINES ITS CREED AND
PATRIOTIC CITIZENSHIP.
At the celebration in Philadelphia of
Jackson's Day-Jan. 8th-by the Young
Mems Democratic Association, Ex-Presi-
dent Cleveland, at the banquet, responded
to the toast
s'The Principles of True Democracy:
They are enduring because they are right,
and invincible because they are just"
He spoke as follows
As rise to respond to the sentiment
which has been assigned to me l cannot
avoid the impression made upon nv mind
by the announcement of the words True
Democracy / believe them to mean a
sober conviction or conclusion touching po-
litieal topics, which, formulated into po-
litcal belief or creed, inspires & patriotic
performance of the duties of citizenship.
am satisfied that the principles of this be-
lief or creed are such as underlie our free
institutions and that they may be urged up
on our fellow. countrymen because in their
PuAipy n6A 'h"O6Atoy VhOy oSOoAA WAoA ebo
attachment of our people for their govern
ment and their country. A creed based up
on such principles is by no means discredit-
ed because illusions and perversions tenn
porarily prevent their popular acceptance
any more than it can be irretrievably ship
wrecked by mistakes made in its name or
by its prostitution to ignoble purposes.
When illusions are dispelled, when miscon-
ceptions are rectified and when those who
guide are consecrated to truth and duty the
ark of the peoples safety will still be dis
cerned in the keeping Of those who hold
fast to the principles of true democracy.
These principles are not uncertain nor
doubtful. The illustrious founder Of our
party has plainly announced them. They
have been reasserted and followed by long
line of great political leaders, and they are
quite familiar. They comprise equal and
exact justice to all men; peace, commerce
and honest friendship with ali nations-en.
tangling alliance with none; the support OF
the State governments in all their rights;
the preservation of the general government
in its whole constitutional vigor; Jealous
care Of the right of election by the people;
absolute acquiescence in the decisions OF
the majority; the supremacy of the civil
over the military authority; economy in the
public expenses; the honest payment of our
debts and sacred preservation of the public
faith; the encouragement of agriculture,
and commerce as its handmade, and free.
dom of the persen.
THE INgfIRATIoN OF JACKSON.
The great President and intrepid demo.
cratic leader whom we especially honor to-
night, who never relaxed his strict adher.
euce to the democratic faith nor faltered il
his defense of the rights of the people a.
gainst all corners, found his inspiration and
guidance in these principles. On entering
upon the presidency he declared his loyalty
to them; in his long and useful incumbency
of that great Office he gloriously illustrated
their value and sufficiency, and his obedi-
ence to the doctrines of true democracy a,
all times during his public career permitted
him on his retirement to find satisfaction in
the declaration: SAT the moment when ]
surrender my last public trust leave this
great people prosperous and happy and in
the full enjoyment of liberty and peace and
honored and respected by every nation OF
the world.
Parties have come and parties have gone.
Even now the leaders of the party which
faces in opposition the democratic host list
en- for the footsteps of that death which de.
stroys parties false to their trust.
Touched by thine.
The extortloner's hard hand FORCES the gold
Wrung from the o'er-wOrn poor.
And old idolatries; from the proud fanes
Each to his grave their priests 60 out till none
Is left to teach their worship"
but there has never been time from JEFF
ferson's day to the present hour when our
party did not exist, active and aggressive
and prepared for heroic conflict. Not all
who have followed the banner have been
able by long train of close reasoning to
demonftrate as an abstraction why demo-
cratic principles are best suited to their
wants and the country's good, but they
have known and felt that as their govern
ment was established for the people, the
principles and the men nearest 60 the peo-
pie and standing for them could be the saft
est trusted. Jackson has been in their eyes
the incarnation of the things which Jeffsr-
son declared. II they did not understand
all that Jefferson wrote they saw and knew
what jackson did. Those who insisted up
on voting for Jackson after his death felt
sure that whether their candidate was alive
or dead they were voting the ticket of true
democracy. The devoted political adhesent
Of Jackson who after his death became in
vclved in dispute as to whether his hero
has gone to Heaven or not was prompted
by democratic instinct when he disposed of
the question by declaring, 81 tell you, sir,
that if Andrew Jackson has made up his
mind to 60 to Heaven you may depend up
on it he's there" The single democratic
voter in more than one town who year after
year deposited his single democratic ballot
by the number of his misgud-
ed opponents thus discharged his political
duty with the utmost pride and satisfaction
in his Jacksonian democracy.
BE sTEADFAsT.
Democratic steadfastness and enthusiasm
and the satisfaction arising from onr party
history and traditions certainly ought not
to be discouraged. But it is hardly safe for
ue, because we profess the true faith and
can boast of distinguished political ancestry,
to rely upon these things as guarantees of
our present usefulness as party organize
lion, or to regard their glorifcation as sure
" making she way easy to the accomplish
ment of cur political mission.
TIE democratic party, by an intelligent
study of present conditions, must be pre-
pared to meet all the wants of the people as
they arise, and to furnish a remedy for ev-
cry threatening evil. We may well be
proud of our party membership, but we can
not escape the duty which such mem bershlp
imposes upon us-to urge constantly upon
our fellow-citizens Of this day and genera
ion the sufficiency of the principles of true
democracy for the protection of their rights
md the promotion of their welfare and hap.
,iness in all their present diverse conditions
Ind surroundings.
There should, of course, be no suggestion
hat departure from the time honored
principles of our party is necessary to tbs
attainment of these objects. On the con
rary, we should constantly cong atulate
ourselves that our party creed is broad
'nough to meet any emergency that can
rise In the life of free nation.
JUSTICE TO ALL.
l. r.