The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-11

DOWNFALL OF PRINCIPLE.
The grief which the action Of the Chi
,cago Convention has been TO us can only
be understood by those who have the
principles Of Democracy permeatins their
moral and intellectual being.
As the exponent. the defender, the ag-
grossive champion of the equal rights of
all men. the Democratic party has been
10 Us the beloved organization 10 which
we devoted every political energy. and
from which we drew every hope for the
deliverance of our people from every OPP
preston Of government which had come
down with the course Of time, or which
had more recently been fastened upon
them I'm the interest Of selfish greed by
the Republican party.
The protector of the Constitution. whose
strict construction it had always insisted
upon: the obodicnt servant of the law.
whose dignity and power it strove to
sustain: the advocate of free trade, modi-
fed only by the necessities Of the Gov
eminent. and to promote which it was
the staunch friend Of money. good and
sound the world over; the hberator of
the credit OF state banks-the Democratic
party standing for all this and for local
sclf-government. was the embodiment of
the principles which possessed our conf
dence and excited our enthusiasm.
Fighting for our party and in its lines.
We stroyc in the recent primaries 10 urge
all who loved Democracy TO stand by
It and not without a struggle TO allow it
10 be captured by the wild men who have
Just completed their desperate programme
at Chicago. We urged this fight for right
"even though there may be express or
implied obligation TO vote for the nominee
of this Chicago Convention We stated
however, that it was a great mistake TO
suppose that in the event Of the nomina-
ton OF a frco-silver candidate the posi-.
ton of this paper would be changed on
the free-silyer question, and we declared
that 1t was Impossible for The Times TO
preach any other doctrine than the doc
trine of sound money-the soundest kind
OF money"
We also stated before the primary, that
barring some action by the Stanton Con-
Vention or the Chicago Convention which
Will violate the fundamental ideas of Demo
cratic principle and practice as they have
been accepted for generations and would
Justify a fair man in refusing TO abide
by the action of either OF the conventions,
u Democrat must submit his Will 10 the
decision of the majority of his party"
our worst fears have not only been
realized. but new and horrible doctrines
have been added in the Chicago platform.
which cannot possibly bind - Democrat
who is unwilling 10 abandon the funda-
mental principles of his party.
The assault upon the Supreme Court is
one OF the deadliost attacks upon our
institutions which has ever been made.
and is rivallcd only by the infamous re-
construction acts passed by the Republi-
cans In 1867.
In view Of this condition. It is impos-
siblc for The Times 20 advocate the cleo
tho name Of Democrats, are not
only pledged TO destroy our fnan-
cial systemic bring disaster and
ruin upon our people. In the hope
that general wreck may benefit
a few. but who avow purpose 10 over
turn the courts-the palladium of an
orderly government
We'do not mean TO advise any one about
ais vote. A. TO those who voted in
the primary. each one must judge the ex-
tent of his own obligation, In view Of the
extraordinary developments al Chicago.
We shall continue to declare Demo
cratic principles. and 10 illustrate them
10 the best Of our ability. Irrespective OF
the Chicago manifesto OF Tllman. Altgeld
d Company.