The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-15

cfatlc principles without concealment or equivocation, and to inaugurate contest for their supremacy which shall not be abandoned, in Kentucky at least, so long as there is a single man left to carry the old banner. If we are not here for these purposes we ought not to be here at all
 | In the estimation of many of my former associates, the mere fact that you have assembled for the sole pur- pose of declaring your continued ad- herence to the old democratic faith, un- influenced by the hope or expectation of official power or patronage, will consti- ute ground for serious complaint against you during the campaign. In the opinions of such men, success at the polls whether rightfully or wrong l fully secured, and the prospect of otfi- cial honors and emoluments are the only proper incentives to political &C., tion, and they are wholly unable to ap- preciate the force of an honest convic- tion or to understand why a citizen should attach greater importance to the maintenance of a correct principle than to the preservation of an autocratic party organization. Abuse and vitu- peration are the only tributes that class of politicians Is capable of paying to your democracy and your patriotism. | The democratic party has always been united and strong when it was faithful to Its true principles and cour- ageous enough to contend for them, and always divided and weak when it aban- doned them or attempted to compro- mise with Its enemies During the civil war It's organization was completely hCnE iV t1otc the conflict was over, It's scattered members came spontaneously together in this city and reassured its fidelity to the constitution, It's devotion to the principles of free, honest and just gov ernment by the people and Its determin- atlon to use Its power for the protection of all the personal. political and prop erty rights of the citizen against unau- thorized encroachments of state or fed eral boyer; and this prompt and cour- ageous action made the party invinci- ble in Kentucky for thirty years. It would be invincible still If the delu- slve promise of temporary success or undemocratic issues had not demoral- ized It's creed.
 We who are assembled here to-day may be wrong, but, If so, the democrat ic party was never right, and we have been mistaken all our lives. The Chi cago convention may have been right in purchasing the support of protection fists by refusing to declare for a tariff for revenue only and in attacking the supreme court and the administration of President Cleveland for enforcing the laws of the United States, but, If so, the character of our government Is alto gether different from the old democrat ic party, and you and I must unlearn the lessons taught us by the founders l of our faith.
 For my own part. prefer 70 stand by the record and teachings of the old dem- ocracy during the hundred years of its conservative and patriotic service to the republic, rather than to venture upon unknown ground, in strange com Ipany. with no landmarks to guide me: and, therefore, rejoice that this great convention has been assembled, and that an appeal Is to be made to our po- lltical associates to return from their wanderings after false doctrines and join us in the repudiation of fiatism, protectlonism, socialism and every other undemocratic and un-American theory or project which may now or hereafter menace the peace and pros
 perity of our comomn country.
 Gentlemen, I shall forbear to say anything on this occasion concerning the recent democratic administration of national affairs except to assure its friends and It's enemies alike that, from the president down to the humblest of flcial who co-operated with him in the exercise of executive authority, every member of that administration Is con- tent to submit all its acts to the severest scrutiny and to wait patiently for the verdict of impartial history. When the passion and prejudice, the personal an- imosities and the personal grievances of these disordered times have passed away and the public mind is prepared to consider administrative measures and domestic and foreign policies on
 their real merits, the last administra- tion of Grover Cleveland will need no champion to vindicate its wisdom and patriotism before a just and generous