People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1894-10-12
DEMOCRACY'S SLUMP
A DEMOCRAT WRITES 4
RINGING LETTER.
HON.JOHN TEHPLEGRAVES'
Opinion Of the Result and His
Explanation of the Cause
Thereof.

& Hon. John Temple Graves has given
the public the following letter on the
result of the recent elections:
Editor Constitution. The financial
differences in the ranks will not ac-
count for this bold and magnificent
protest of 40, 0OO Georgiaus These
differences, doubtless, had some inAu-
ence on the campaign but not much.
The platform enunciated by the state
convention was especially framed TO
accommodate these conflicting opinions
The compromise was received without
protest. and there is small reason TO
think that it would have played SO dis
astrous part in the general election.
You know it did not You know that
the talk of the streets, the delibera-
tons of the sanctum and the contes-
sions vrung from reluctant politicians
all agree that Wednesdays thunder
tone was rebuke to ring rule and Jul
dicial politics, and the people Will
thank YOU to tell the truth about their
motives and their fearless actions. But
whether you do or 90 not draw this
patent conclusion, there are thousands
who will, and tho glorious lesson Of
this October election will not be lost
upon the future.
Let them present another ring to the
suffrages OF Georgia! Let them pro-
ject stained judiciary into politics
again And the stern rebuke OF last
Wednesday will be changed to swift
and complete annihilation.
have right to congratulate the
people upon the result which the politi-
clans deplore. l spoke for them when
no one else cared to do so. l bore the
bruut of bitter and virulent abuse in
the single-handed championship of
their rights, and now, that they have
done their loyal work, it gives me
pleasure once more to assure "the
thousands for whom l spoke" that /
shall not ask for myself at any time
the ballots which | have invoked for
pure politics and better state. My
one ambition is to serve Georgia with
out fear and without other reward
than that which comes in the approval
of nv own conscience and the endorse
ment of honest men l believe in the
people.
I give it to you as the result OF all
reading and observation that, in the
history OF governments, no right ap-
peal has ever been rightly made to the
conscience and patriotism Of a free peo-
pie that did not receive "a abundant
.reeent splendid answer, viii &c an in
SEPARATION for the future 1T viii exhibit
the power OF protest. 1t willEllUstrate
the magnetism OF courage. 1t VIII dis
pei the illusions Of party slavery. 1t
will llberate the courage OF free men,
who viii heneeforth know that party
"hosses' have no power to ostraclse
convictions. / would Ike To see them
dare TO read 40, 600 democrats out OF the
party.
and henceforth this high example
will hold our politics IN check. Moth
ing like It has been seen in Georgia
since the war. 1t makes an epoch in
our political life THAI. young men who
are fOrecasting a future would do well
to mark. 1t places the state N the
high and advancing rank of the up
lifting and progressive sentiment Of
this time. The age of demagogues is
passing. God speed it. Politics VIII
always be practical science with tae
politician, but it will continue to be,
as it has always been, d sentiment
with the people. The age Of eoura-
geous craftsmanship, inspired by the
grand example Of the white house, IS
coming toits own again.
For the rest there are just as many
democrats III Georgia rs there have
ever been. If the lesson of Wednesday
is needed the party will be in all re-
spects better and stronger than it has
ever been. HraYer and freor it GER
tainlv viii be- But purified nv rebuzc
and chastened by apprehension, il VIII
take on better methods and 90 on in
its glorious, ana, as yet, unaecom-
plished work. Its history and it, mis-
sion are inseparably linked with he