The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-08
began reading the first letter.

| COilIPSASu w otop stdullR w t1C COu-
tinuance Of the applause. 1t was at
this point that the man in the gallery
| proposed three cheers\ for Cleveland,
and the crowd renewed its enthusiasm
for the head of the national ticket.
MIR. Clevelands letter was then read
as follows
| Mr.. CLEvELAND's LETTER
GRAY GABLES, BuzzARp's BAY, MAss.,l
Hon. 7tmas r. Gnra, GrGnd soche,a.
DEAR SIR: l acknowledge with
thanks the courtesy of an invitation 10
attend the celebration of the one hun
dred and sixteenth anniversary of
American independence, by the Tam
many Society, on the 4th day of July
| next.
1t will be impossible for me to take
part in the interesting exercises you
contemplate but l hope the celebra-
ton will be abundantly pleasant and
| profitable to those who are fortunately
able to participate.
believe that Independence Day
should be celebrated with zeal and en-
thusiasm by the old and young in every
part OF our land and in every condition
of American life. No man, woman or
child within the limits of American
citizenship should forget or outgrow
the sentiments related to the observ-
ance of the Fourth day Of July.
Because there are influences and
tendencies abroad which tend to the
neglect of this anniversary the valuable
and patriotic efforts of the Tammany
Society to rescue it from independence
ought to be universally applauded.
| notice that my invitation contains
the declaration that the coming cele.
bration by the society ''is designed to
be of exceptional significance and ex-
tended effect / have no fear that
the design will miscarry, for am salts
fed that the Tammany Society will
not lose the opportunity the occasion
affords to teach that the Declaration
Of Independence was a movement on
the part ofpeople determined to govern
themselves that the patriotism it in
spires enjoins unselhsh care for our
countrys welfare; that political en-
deavor is only safe and useful when
undertaken in the peoples interest,
and that political organization is only
effective and successful when approved
and trusted by an intelligent popular
judgment. Yours very truly
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Following this Senator Hills letter
was read as follows
UNITED STATES SENATE.
WASHINGTON, d c. july I, 1902.
Thomas II. Gilroy and Others,
Committee of Zammany Hall.
Engagements made prior to the re.
celpt of your letter prevent my accep-
tance of the Committees courteous
invitation to be with the rammany
Society on the coming Fourth Of
July.
This years celebration of the an.
nlversary of the country's independ.
ence, preceding as it dose an import.
ant political contest involving the su-
premacy Of the essential principles of
our free government, may appropriate
ly be made the occasion of the re-
newal of our faith in those cherished
principles which have been for so
many years faithfully championed BY
the intrepid Democracy of Tammany
Hall.
In my judgement the hope of the
people lies in the success of the Demo.
cratic party. Better than any other
political organization it protects their
rights and represent their best in
terests. 1t has always been the de-
fender OF constitutional liberty and of
the reserved rights of the State. 1t
opposes centralization; it boldly main.
talns the doctrine that Federal tax
alton should be for public rather than
private purpose; it advocates honest
money-the gold and silver currency
OF our Constitution; favors home rule
for States and municipalities; it in
sists upon honest and economical ex-
penditure Of public money; it opposes
force bills and Federal interference in
domestic affairs of States: it antago.
nizes monopolies; it rejects unjust
sumptuary legislation; it is friend of
labor and it hates hypocrisy sham and
fraud.
These tenets Of our faith, thus
epitomized constitute a patriotic
platform, upon which every lover of
his country may safely stand, and to
which he may proudly declare his
allegiance on this Nationals birthday.
In the State of New York the
Democratic party intrusted last winter
for the first time in many years with
control of the Legislature in both its
br anches, nobly redeemed its promises
to the people.
Our course at the present time is
plain.