Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-22

into effect: nobody believes that the pso-
pie have lest faith n 0rover Cleveland.
whose coufpe has been absolutely con-
sistent upon every public question since
he entered public life. Then Il means.
and can only mean. that some one has
blundsred; and to and who We have not
far Il. seek.
When the party was entrusted with
power BY the election OF Grover Cleve-
iand--that tower OF strength. to true
occasion true-who has always stood four
square TO every wind that blew. and
an overwhelming majority in the popular
branch Of the national legislature, and o
majority IN the Senate, the country ex-
pected, and had right TO expect. that
the principles that Il had always pro-
fessed and the pledges that II had made
would be rigidly adhered TO and reli-
RiousIys .redeerie.. But Congress had
hardly assembled In extraordinary session,
Mt the call OF their great chieftain, TO
meet the greatest exIgency which has
confronted a party in modern times. and
to redeem the first unconditional pledge In
their platform. than was given the world
the most pitiful exhibition Of petty spite
and childish wrangling that ever dis
graced the law-makng bodies OF q great
people.
In This way tHlngH Wtut w. udyS
heightened into weeks and weeks into
months. whilst the country languished
and trade and business Of every sort.
sIckened and persisted in the throes OF I'm
certainty, and grave senator's talked Popu-
ism. and distinguished statesmen pro-
posed to make the country rich by de-
basing its money. And when at last the
thing was done, there had been such
dallying and delay in its doing and such
revolutionary views and monstrous doc
trines expressed by men in high place.
that whatever good effect was expected to
follow Il was neutralized and destroyed.
Following upon the heels of this came
the regular session of Congress, which,
from its very beginning, showed lack
of harmony, q fractional spirit. and
policy Of self-seeking which rivalled the
worst days of the old French republic.
And. to put the fault Just where II
belongs, 1--WE say 1t In humiliation and
shame. but II Is the truth. and our very
salvation hang, upon knowing and
realizing II, and, as far as may be. In
remedying it,. our representatives from
the South and West lost sight Of one OF
the bsacon-lights which has always guided
the Democratic ship on her broad course
to safe harbor, and pursued with the
fervor Of madmen the ignis fatuus OF soft
money through the fogs and shoals OF
populistIc phantasy.
Then can IL be wondered at that the
people were distrustful of party. a
majority Of whose representatives. were
in favor OF such wild and dangerous mea-
sures? Is it surprising that they should
decline TO trust with more power men
who had so far gone astray from the
ancient landmarks Of their party? The
most ardent RepublIcan In the land can
not persuade himself to believe that It
was an endorsement of the policy OF his
party, when that policy had in a fair
contest been ANONYMOUSLY condemned but
yesterday.
The people trusted the Democratic par
ty because they believed in the great
principles professed by II from the foun-
dalton OF the republic. and trusted It with
Grover Cleveland at is head. whom they
recognized as the trUest. greatest. and
bravest exponent Of those principles Of