Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-07-27

your administration by laying the heavy
hand of punishment upon those who have
thus departed from its spirit aud its poll
cies. And now, sir, we pat into your hands
the commission of which we are bearers
II is the highest honor your party can be-
stow. 1t is The grayest call to duty your
fellow. Democrats can make. But we De-
lieve we can assure you that there are no
"weak, weary or respondent Democrats III
the ranks of our party to-day, and that Win
the peoples cause as our cause we douot
not you will lead us to victory in when
the principles of our party shall glorlousiy
triumph. and the welfare of our country
shall be nightly promoted.
Mr.. Cleveland made the following re-
Spouse to the committee and to the address
DR.. Chairman and Gentlemen: The mes
sage you deliver from the National Democ-
racy arouses within me emotions which
would be well. nigh overwhelming if did
not recognize here assembled the representa-
tives of a great party, who must share with
me the responsibility your mission invites.
find much relief in the reflection that l
have been selected merely to stand for the
principles and purposes to which my party
is pledged. and for the enforcement and SUI
premacy of which all who have any right
to claim Democratic fellowship must con-
stantly 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 rectiica-
ton 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 strong in its sympathy
with the needs of the people, in its insist
ence upon the exercise of governmental
powers strictly within the constitutional
permission the people have granted, aud in
its willingness to risk its life and hope upon
the peoples intelligence and patriotism.
Never has a great party inteut 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 consum-
ers with tariff system that unjustly and
relentlessly demands from them in the pur-
chase of the necessaries and comforts of life
an amount scarcely met by the wages of
hard and steady toll, while the exactions
thus wrung from them them build up and
increase the fortunes of those for whose
benefit this injustice is perpetrated.
We see the farmer listening to delusive
story that fills his mind with visions of adj
vantage 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 benef-
cent operation their 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
tender mercy the workingman receives 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 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 i. 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 recklessly needless Of any American in
terests, nor will we abandon our regard for
them, but invoking the love for fairness and
Justice which belongs to true Americanism
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 earn
ings and income of the mass of our citizens
to swell directly the accumulations of q
favored few nor will we permit a pretend
ed solicitude for American labor 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 thro'
the aid of unequal tariff laws to gain I'M
earned and unreasonable 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
guise OF protecting the suffrage covers, but
does not conceal, a design thereby to per-
petuatc the power of party afraid to trust
its continuance to the untrammeled and in
telligent votes of the American people. We
are pledged to resist the legislation intended
to complete this scheme because we have
not forgotten the saturnalia of theft and
brutal control which followed another fed
eral regulation of State suffrage because
we know that the managers of party which
did not scrupe to rob the people of Pres