Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1892-07-27
OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED.
Speeches of Acceptance of Cleveland
and Stevenson.

notified Of their nomination for Presi-
dent and vice-president. The official
notification was made at Madison Square
Garden in the presence of 10000 peo-
pie. Mr.. Wilson, chairman of the
notification committee, and Mr.. White,
of the vice-presidential notification
committee, made addresses. Mr.. Cleve-
land, in replying, spoke as follows;
MR.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: The
message you deliver from the National
Democracy arouses within me emotions
which would be well nigh overwhelming,
it | did not recognize here assembled the
representatives OF great party who must
share with me the responsibility your mis-
sion invites. | find much relief in the re-
Election that | have been selected merely
to stand for the principles and purposes to
which my party is pledged, and for the en-
fOrcement and supremacy OF which all who
have any right to claim Democratic
fellowship must constantly and per
slstently labor. Our party responsibility
is indeed great, We assume moment
Gus obligation to our cOuntrymen when, in
return for their trust and confidence, we
promise them a rectiticatiOn of their
wrongs and a better realization of the adj
vantageS 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 It's inSiStence
upon the exercise OF governmental powers
strictly within the constitutional permis-
sion the people have granted, and in its
willingness to risk its life and hope upon
the people's intelligence and patriotism
Never has great party, intent upon the
promotion of right and justice, had better
incentive for effort than is now presented
to us.
Turning our eyes to the plain people Of
the land, we see them burdened, as con-
Sumers, with a tariff system that uniuStly
and relentlessIy demands from them in
the purchase of the neceSSarieS and COM
forts of life, an amount scarcely met by
the wages OF hard and steady toil-while
the eXactionS thus wrung from them build
up and increase the fortunes OF those for
whose benefit this injustice is perpetuated.
We see the farmer listening to a deluSive
story that fills his mind with visions Of adj
vantage, while his pocket is robbed by the
stealthy hand OF high protection. Our
worklngmen are still told the tale, in spite
of its demonstrated falslty, that the exist
ing protective tariff is pOOn to them,
and that under its benefcent opera
lions their wages must increaSe-While as
they listen, scenes are enacted In the very
abiding places of high protection that mock
the hopes OF toll and attest the tender
mercy the Worklngman receives from those
made selfish and SOrdId by unjust govern
mental favoritism, We oppose earnestly
and stubbOrnly the theory upon which our
opponents seek to justify and uphold eX
istIng tariff laws. We need not base our
attack upon questions of constitutional
permission or legislative power. We de-
nounce this theory upon the highest posi-
BILE grounds when we contend that IN Its
present condition, its operation is unjust
and that 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 recklesSIy needless of any American
interests, nor will we abandon our regard
for them: but, invoking the love OF fair
ness and justice which belongs to true
AmericanlSm, and upon which our constr
tuition rests, we insist that no plan of tariff
legislation shall be tolerated which has for
its object and purpose forced cOntribu-
ton from the earnings and income OF the
mass of our citizens, TO swell directly the
accommodations OF q favored few: nor Will
we permit pretended SOlicitude for Am
erican labor, or any other SpeciOllS preteXt
of the benevolent care for others, to blind
the eyes of the people to the selfish schemes
Of those who seek, through the aid of I'M
equal tariff laws, TO gain unearned and I'M
reasonable advantages at the expense of
their fellows.
We have also assumed, in our covenant
with those whose support we invite, the
duty Of opposing to the death another
avoWed scheme of our adverSaries. which,
under the gulSe OF protection suffrage,
covers. but does not conceal. design
thereby to perpetuate the power OF a party
afraid to trust its continuance to the IN
trammeled and intelligent vote of the
American people. We are pledged to re-
SiSt the legislation intended to complete
this scheme because we have not forgotten
the saturnalia of the forced and brutal
control which followed another federal
regulation of state suffrage: because we
know that the managers of party which
did not scruple to rob the people of a
President would not hesitate to use the
machinery created by such legislation to
revive corrupt instrumentalitieS for par
tSan purposes, because an attempt to en-
force such legislation would rekindle AMI
mosities where peace and hopefulness now
prevail; because such an attempt would
replace prosperous activity with diScour-
agement and dread throughout large
section OF our country, and would menace,
everywhere in the land, the rights re-
served to states and to the people. which
underlie the safeguards OF American
liberty.
[ shall not attempt to specify at this time
other objects and aims OF Democratic en-
deavor which add inspiration to our mis-
sion. True to its history and It's creed, our
party will respond to the wants of the peO-
pie within safe lines, and be guided by en-
lightened craftsmanship. To the troubled
and impatient within our membership we
commend continued answering allegi-
ance to the party whose principles, in
all time past, have been found sufficient
for them, and whose aggregate Wis
dom and patriotism, their experience
teaches. can always be trusted. In tone
of partisanship which BELTS the occasion,
let me say to you as equal partners in
the campaign upon which we to-day
enter, that the personal fortunes of those
to whom you have entrusted your banners
are only important as they are related to
the fate of the principles they represent
and to the party which they lead. [ can
not. therefore, torbear reminding you and
all those attached to the Democratic party
or supporting the principles which we pro-
fess, that defeat in the pending campaign,
followed by the contamination of the
schemes our legislative opponents coEtem-
plate, and accompanied by such other Incl
dents of their success as might more firmly
fix their power, would present a most dis
couraging outlook for future Democratic
supremacy and for the accomplishment OF
the objects we have at heart Moreover,
every sincere, Democrat must pc
lIeve that the interests OF his
country are depDlV involved in