Birmingham state herald., 1896-05-31

The material thing now is that we shall restore our lines, forget the past, let it bury it's own dead, or remember it as a warning and do the thing that Is right and just and fair for the future. Ger tainly all will agree that the men of our own race and blood should stand together for good government and clean methods, and not call in our old enemies to ~arbi- trate our differences. fe
 If we cannot get good government from the hands of the men who drove the spoliators from place and power in Alabama in 1874, then indeed, is the future dark and gloomy.
 If we are to yield to passion and listen to discord; if we are to live on the re- sentiments that have been aroused, and turn a deaf ear to that higher teaching that bids brethren be of one mind, then shall we hereafter have occasion to re- member that divide and conquer has been the motto of every enemy.
 Let us put aside discord and dissen- sion. Let us turn 8 deaf ear to the voice of passion. Let us hearken to that other voice, coming from heaven, and declar- ing peace on earth and good will to men, and let us stand together as one man to administer our government fairly and justly and for the equal benefit and opportunity and advantage of all the people.
 Democracy.
 The democratic party has its founda- ton in the constitution of the United States. It was born the day that instru- ment was adopted. The rights of the states, resistance to federal encroach- ment local self-government, equal taxa ton and the defense of the body of the people against any and all schemes to tax them for other than governmental purposes, or to deprive them of fair re- turn for their toll, has marked its battle taao q incapable leadership, unfulflled promises and bloody war because it was founded upon principles that are eternal. It has witnessed the death of, every opposing party except its present competitor. It will live as long as free government ex- ists, and should it die it will come forth again from its grave, like Lazarus, when freedoms voice Is heard, and, shaking the winding sheets from its body, will again lead the people to victory. -,
 Here in Alabama 1t is the party com posed of the noblest men of the two old parties that came to the front in 1874 and drove from bower and place the men who were spoliating our state.
 We can never-and ought never-forget the record that was made here by our op- ponents; how the credit of the state de- clined as they fastened their hands upon the treasury; how the Liabilities of the state were increased about $20,000, 000- quite one-seventh of the assessed value of all the property, real and personal, in the state how ignorant and incapable ne- groes Sat on the bench-Were assessors, collectors, clerks and sheriffs. and were found largely occupying seats In the leg islature and how, during that reign of terror legislation was sold, justice denied and a saturnalia of crime disgraced our state. -.@
 From 1874 to this date our party has been in continuous control of the state government, and I challenge any fair man to declare that we have not had clean, honest and capable administration of affairs. There has been no corruption in the legislative, executive or judicial departments; no extravaganza, no be- trayal of the trust reposed in our party by the people. We have not wasted the peoples money. We have reduced taxa ton, increased largely our appropriations for public education, and legislated solely for the good of the people.
 I challenge our adversaries to show where a single act or appropriation by the legislature was unfairly obtained or was oppressive to our people, or wasted their money; and challenge them to show a single state of the union where there exists a better or more economical government. g.totf.t v.. 5t-5.-,g-
 Our opponents do not propose a single retrenchment; they do not assail a sin gle ~aDpropriation: they do not advocate