The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-07-28

labor because private interests demanded
1t. They have seen that overflowng treas
ury emPtied by extraxagant expenditures,
and tricks Of Dookkeepin resOrted to hide
its emptiness from the people. They have
sesn an attempt to turn the gratitude Of
great nation into an elPctiOneering fund for
political party, and service to that party
In the conflicts Of peace count for more
than service to the country in conflicts of
war. They have seen every power of Fed
eral administration paSsiOnatcly used to
destroy free elections in the States. They
have seen the influence of our Govern
ment in It's diplomatic and naval service
thrown without rebuke against freedom
and in favor Of deSpOtiSm in a struggling
sister Republic, and seeing all this they
have lost no opportunity in the past four
years to honor your administration by lay
Ing the heavy hand of punishment upon
those who have thus departed from it's
spirit and It's policy.
And now, sir. we put into your hands the
commission Of which we are the bearers. 1t
is the highest honor your party can bestow.
1t Is the Sravest call to duty your fellow
Democrats can make. But we believe we
can assure you that there are no "weak.
weary or Respondent Democrats" in the
ranks Of our party to-day, and that with
the peoples cause we doubt not that YOU
will lead us to victory in which the prin-
ciples Of our party shall gloriousy triumph,
and the welfare Of our country shall be
nightly promoted.
In the same din Secretary Nicholas
Bell, OF the notification committee, read
the Official letter of notification. which
was signed by the whole committee
Cleveland then rose to reply and
again pandemOnium reigned. 1t was
one terrible roar, and to add to the ex-
element the immense standing crowd
OF 10000 people swayed back and forth
and crushed in upon the press enclOs.
ureS. One newspaper man nearest the
crowd was pressed against his table and
tainted with the pain caused by the
pressure on his chest. He was revived
In few minutes and then the police
got to work Oh the crowd. Gradually
1T fell back and the excitement was
subdued.
cleveland began to speak in the midst
OF the noise, and his voice could not he
heard ten feet from the platform. The
people were not aware he had begun,
ana when it gradually dawned upon
them that they were losing the best
part OF the meeting they Quieted down.
and the resonant tones OF the Ex- Pres
ldent were heard in every part of the
house. He was listened to attentively
and interrupted butseldom. Applause
came at the end of his speech. Cleye-
lands speech was as follows:
CLEvELAND's REPLY.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen: The
message you deliver from the national De-
mocracy arOuses within me emotions which
would be well-nigh overwhelming IL did
not recognize hcre assembled the repre-
sentatlVeS If great party, who must share
with me the responsibility your mission in
vltes: l find much relief in the reflection
that have been selected merely to stand
for the principles and purposes to which
my party Is pledged, and for the enforce
lhenI ana supremacy OF which all who have
any right to claim Democratic fellowship
must constantly and persistently labor.
Our party responsibility Is indeed great.
we assume mOmentOuS obligation to our
countrymen when in return for their trust
and confidence we promise them the recti.
hcation of their wrongs and the better real
them under our free and benefcent institu-
tions. But If our responsibility Is great,
our party Is strong. 1t is strOngin in its sym.
patby with the needs of the people, in its
lnsistcnce upon the exercise of Govern.
mental powers strictly within the constitu-
tional permission the people have granted,
ana III It's Willingness to risk its life and
hope upon the peoples 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 your eyes to the plain people of
tne land, we see them burdened as con-
Sumers with tariff system that uniustly
and relent]essly demands from them in the
purchase OF the necessaries and comforts
OF nfe 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 is perpetrated.
sive story that fills his mind with visions
OF advances, while his pocket is robbed by
the stealthy hand of high protection.
Our workingmen are still told the tale,
Oft repeated In spite of its demonstrated
falsity. that the existing protective tariff Is
boon to them and that under its bencfi-
cent operation wages must increase, while
as they listen scenes are enacted in the
very abiding place of high protection that
mock the hopes of toll and attest the ton
der mercy the wOrkingmen receive from
those made selfish and sordid by unjust
Governmental favoritism.
We oppose earnestly and Stubbornly the
theory upon which our opponents seek to
Justify and uphold the existing tariff laws.
We need not base our attack on questions
of constitutional permission or legislative
power. We dcnounce this theory upon
the highest possible grounds, when we con
tend that in the present condition its Opcr.
alton Is unjust and that laws enacted in
accordance with it are ineIuitable and lln.
fair. Ours is not q destructive party.
We are not at cnmity with the rights of
any Of our citizens; all are our country
men. We arc not reck!essly needless of
any American interests. nor will we aban-
don our regard for them, but. invoking
tho love OF fairness and Justice. which be-
longs to true Amcricanism 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
contributions from the earnings and income
OF the mass Of our citizens to swell directly
the accumulation of a favored few. Nor
will we permit pretended solicitude for
American labor, or any other speciouS pre-
text OF benevolent care for others, to blind
the eyes Of the people to the selfish schemes
of those who seek through the aid Of une-
quail tariff laws to gain unearncd and un-
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 ayowed
scheme Of our adversaries, which,, nnder
the euise Of protecting the suffrage, covers,
but does not conceal, the design thereby 10
pCrDetrate the mower of n Darty afraid to