The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-09-06
AN APPEAL.

OF merry lOVlng people, desire
to appeal to every voter, regardless
OF race or party, to stand up TO the
principles of good government and
not to swerve therefrom. The in
vasion of popular rights is often done
by the inscriptions by bribery and
fraud, but I appeal to the voter not
to traffic in his franchise for money,
or be actuated by prejudice and
malice. AT best politics is not the
cleanest thing in the world, but
jealous regard for clean methods
should arouse the people from jim
difference. If corruption enters in,
let US inquire into the source. AS
there is cause for every effect, go
there must be a cause for every de-
feet. And if I should be asked what
/ thought was the cause Of so much
dissatisfaction among the people, I
would say that the trouble is not, as
SO many people suppose, with the
parties, but with the people who
compose the parties, and it only lies
in their power to remedy this detect
and the thing for the people to do
is to purity themselves to purify
the people is to purify the parties.
Start all the parties you will, but
unless the people act from pure
principles they will never be in any
better fix tkan they now are. The
man who thinks that party and not
principle is what it takes to make
good government, does not show
any more sense than the man who
thinks the people and politics CAM
not be cleansed without a change
in parties.
If it is in the power of the people
to remedy this defect, (Which it is,)
is it not time they were about it?
And the ballot is the power. In
few weeks we must say by our bal
lots whom we will have to manage
the affairs of this state.
The laws Of :. a country cannot be
superior to the minds of their maxi
ers. 1t we would have pure and
just laws, we must elect pure and
just men. There is less danger in
trusting the tried than the untried.
And this is the most essential point.
If we do not elect good men we, and
not our neighbors, are to be blamed
Cor the consequences, and this is
the sole object of this appeal, to beg
and insist that you, rs an American,
when you go to the polls to cast
your vote, to consider the welfare of
your country in advance OF your
own selfish motives. Remember the
ballot is the most sacred right of the
American citizen, and nothing
should be permitted to come in con-
tact with it that would destroy it's
freedom.
Not to vote is reprehensible, for
not to vote is to consent TOR the
enemy of your principles and party
to 60 into power. Therefore let aot
disappointment or prejudice or
spite. come in between you doing
that which good conscience and
your country demand.
Once again ! appeal to you, to
arouse yourselves, ye men, who love
liberty and justice, and let no ms
sidious foe creep in and rob you of
your birthright of freedom. II there
is any American blood in your veins,
let it show itself by denouncing
every political fallacy of vicious
legislation or political impractical
bility that tends to subvert our tree
institutions. The change of party
names does not change the princi>
Piles OF right and wrong; if it did we
would say let the change come. A
rose by any other name would smell
as sweet. A skunk would emit the
same odor if you should name it
"Attar of Roses" The public wei.
iare can be conserved by strict
adherence to correct principles in
any party.
Who is it that will dare not turn
from wrong when he sees that he
has been led into wrong? Who ia
the greater coward the man who re.
turns to the right when he sees that
he il wrong, or the man who is too
big coward to ackn owledge that
he is wrong?
II you will take my word for it,
it is the people that need to be
changed and MT rho nartiac phv.