The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-07-27
FoRmALLY NOTIFIED.

Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stephenson
were formally notified of their nomination for
President and Vice President of the United
States. last Wednesday evening. at Madison
Square Garden, New York City, in the presence
of 5000 enthusiastic Democrats. Nothing like
il was ever witnessed in this country. The old
method of notifying the candidates in the pres
ence of a favored few, was supplanted by
wholesome innovation that will commend itself
could have been present had they chosen to do
so, and testify personally tn his approval of the
candidates.
Chairman VIM. M. Wilson, of the notification
committee, delivered the address to Mr.. Cleve-
land. His words were full of sound political
logic and timely presentations, ranking it among
the best speeches made since the Chicago con-
vention.
Hon. Stephen v. White, of California. ad-
dressed Mr.. Stephenson in a mastery speech,
to which the gifted statesman from Illinois re-
sponded in a speech that every Democrat should
read.
A grand ovation was rendered the candidates,
the demonstration in honor of Mr.. Cleveland
being simply indescribable. Mrs. Cleveland
was also heartily cheered, as was Baby Ruth. :"
1t demonstrated a union and an earnest deter
mination among the Democrats of the country
that is certain forerunner of victory next No
vember. Mr.. Cleveland's reply was great
speech of great man, and we present it in its
entirety:
"Mr Chairma an and Gentlanoan. The noossa oe
you deliver from the national Democracy
arouses within me emotions which would well
nigh be overwhelming if did not recognize
here assembled the representatives of q great
party whoimust share with me the responsible
ity your mission invites, 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
ment and 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 country
men when. in return for their trust and conf
dence. we promise them rectification of their
wrongs and better realization of the advan-
tages which are due to them under our free and
benificent 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 insistence upon the
exercise of governmental powers strictly within
the constitutional PERMISSION the people have
granted and in its willingness to risk its life
and hope upon the peoples intelligence and
patriotism.
Never has great party. intent upon the pro-
motion of right and justice had better incen-
tive for effort than is now presented to us.
Turning our eyes to the plain people of the
land we see them burdened as consumers with
tarif system that nDjustly and relentlessly
demands from them in the purchase of the nec-
essaries 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 the injustice is perpetrated.
We see the farmer listening to delusive
story that fills his mind with visions of advan-
tage, while his pocket is robbed by the stealthy
hand of high protection.
Our workingmen are still told the tale often
repeated in spite of its demonstrated falsity
that the existing protective tariff is boon to
them, and that under its benificent operations
their wages must Unreasonable as they listen
scenes are enacted in the very abiding place of
high protection that mock the hopes of toll and
attest the tender mercy the workingman re-
unjust governmental favotitism.
We oppose earnestly and stubbornly the
theory upon which our opponents seek to justi-
fy and uphold existing tariff laws.
We need not base our attack upon questions
of constitutional permission or legislative
power. We denounce this theory upon the
highest possible grounds when we contend that
in present conditions its operation is unjust and
that laws enacted in accordance with it are in
equitable 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 recklessly
needless of any American interests. nor will
we abandon our regard for them: but invoking
the love of fairness and justice which belongs
to true Americanism. and upon which our con-
stitution 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 accumulations of
q favored few; nor will we permit pretended
solicitude for American lador or any other
specious pretext of benevolent care for others
to blind the eyes of the people to the selfish
schemes of those who seek through the aid of
unequal tariff laws to gain unearned 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 op-
posing to the death another avowed scheme of
our adversaries which under the guise of pro-
tecting the suffrage, covers. but does not con-
ceal, a design whereby to perpetuate the power
of a. party afraid to trust its continuance to the
untrammeled and intelligent votes of the
American people. We are pledged to resist the
legislation intended to complete the scheme,
because we have not forgotten tthe saturnalia
of theft and brutal control (which followed an
other federal regulation of State suffrage; be-
cause we know that the managers of party
which did not scruple to rob the people of a
president would not hesitate to use the machin-
cry created by such legislation to revive corrupt
instrumentalities for partisan purposes: be-
cause an attempt to enforce such legislation
would rekindle animosities where peace and