Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-21
was fully minute before the enthusi-
asm exhausted itself.
NIB. cLEyELAND's SPEECH.

Ab tne conclusion OF CHAIRMAN VIII
cams address, the secretary read the
formal notification letter to Mr.. Cleve-
land, after which The latter faced Chair
man Wilson and said:
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN The
message you deliver from the national
Democracy arouses within nae emotions
which would be we'll nigh overwhelming
II did not recognize here the assembled
representatives OF the great party who
must share with me the responsibility
your mission invites. I find much re-
lief in the reflection that l have been
selected merely to stand for the princi-
pies and purposes to which my party is
pledged, and for the enforcement and
supremacy of which all who have any
right to claim Democratic fellowship
must constantly and persietently labor.
Our party responsibilities are indeed
great. We assume a momentOuH obliga-
tion to our countrymen when in return
for their trust and confidence we promise
them the rectification of their wrongs
and better realization of the advantages
which are due to them under our free
and benefcent institutions. But if our
responsibility is great, our party is
strong. 1t is strong in its sympathy
with the needs of the people; in its in
sistence upon the exercise of the govern
mental powers strictly within the con-
stitutional permission the people have
granted, and its willingness to risk its
lie and hope upon the peoples intelli-
gence and patriotism. Never has q
great party, intent upon the promotion
OF right and justice, had a better in
centive for effort, than now presented
to US.
Turning our eyes to the plain people
of the land, we see them burdened as
consumers, with tariff system that
unjustly and relentlessly demands from
and comforts of life, an amount scarcely
met by. the wages of hard and steady
toll, while the exactions thus wrung
from them build up and increase the
fortunes OF those for whose benefit this
injustice ia perpetuated. We see the
farmer listening to delusive story that
fills his mind with visions of advantage,
while his pocket isyrobbed by the
stealthy hand of high protection. Our
workingmen are still told the tale oft
repeated, in spite of its demonstrated
fasity. that the existing protective tariff
is boon to them, and that under its
benefcent operation their wages must
increase. While they listen, scenes are
enacted in every abiding place of high
protection that mock the hopes of toll
and attest the tender mercy the work
iigman receives from those made selfish
and sordid by unjust governmental
favoritism.
We oppose earnestly and stu bbornly
the theory upon which our opponents
seek to Justify and uphold the existing
tariff laws. We need not base our at
tack upon questions of constitutional
Permission or legislative power. We
56nsuBDD the theory AHpcn~3the- highest
possible grounds, when we contend that
in represent conditions its operation
is unjust, and that the laws enacted in
accordance with it are inequitable and
unfair.
Ours is not destructive party. We
are not at enmity with the rights of any
of our citizens. All are our countrymen.
We are not reckleasly needless of any
American interests. nor will we abandon
our regard for them; but invoking the
love of fairness and justice which be-
longs to true Americans, and upon
which our constitution rests, we insist
that no plan of tariff legislation shall be
tolerated, which has for its object and
purpose forced contribution from the
earnings and income of the mass of our
citizens, to swell directly the accumula-
tions of the favored few; nor will we
permit the pretended solicitude for
American labor, or any other specious
pretext of benevolent care for others, to
bind the eyes of the people to the selfish
schemes of those who seek through the
aid OF unequal tariff laws to gain un-
earned and unreasonable advantages at
the expense OF their fellows.
We have also assumed in our cove
nant with those whose support we in
vite, the duties Of opposing to the death
another avowed scheme of our adversa-
ries, which, under the guise of protect
ing the suffrage, covers, but does not
conceal, the design thereby to perpetu-
ate the power of a party afraid to trust
its continuanc to the untrammeled and
intelligent votes of the American peo-
Pile. We are pledged to resist legisla-
ton intended to complete this scheme,
because we have not forgot
ten the saturnalia of theft and
brutal control which followed an
other federal regulation on state
suffrage because we know the man
ayers Of the party which did not scruple
to rob the people of president, would
not hesitate to use the machinery
created by such legislation to revive
corrupt instrumentalities for partisan
purposes; because the attempt to en-
force such legislation would rekindle
animosities and replace prosperous
activity with encouragement and
dread throughout large section of the
country, and would menace the rights
reserved to the states and people which
underlie the safeguards of American
liberty.
True to it's history and creed, the
Democratic party will respond to the
wants of the people within safe lines
and guided by enlightened statesman
ship. To the troubled and impatient
within our membership we commend
answering allegiance to the party.
Defeat in the pending campaign, fol-
lowed by the consummation of the iegis-
lative schemes our opponents contem-
plate, accompanied by such other Incl
dents of their success as might more
firmly fix their power, would present a
most discouraging outlook for future
Democratic supremacy and for the ac-
complishment of the objects we have at
heart. Every slncere Democrat must
believe the interests of his country are
deeply involved in the victory of our
party. Success can only be achieved by
systematic, intelligent effort on the part
of all. Let us tell the people plainly