The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-15
CHEERS FOR CARLISLE.
Assumes the GaveI and Makes a Big
OratOrical Play.

Assumes the GaVel and Makes u big
OratOrical Play.
Permanent Organization was speedily eff
fected, with John G.. Carlisle as permanent
chairman. The convention arose as one
man to wave hats and cheer as he as
sumed the presidency. For some seconds
the tumult prohibited him from speaking
and he stood bowling his recognition of the
reception. When quiet had been restored
Mr. Carlisle spoke as follows:
II congratulate the National Democrats
of Kentucky on the magnificent response
they have made to the call for this con-
Vention, and l congratulate the friends of
sound money tariff reform and good gov
eminent in every part Of the country on
this suspicious opening of campaign
which, l am sure will be memorable in the
annals of our party. The proceedings or
this great assemblage of intelligent and
patriotic Democrats, who have refused to
abandon their lifelong convictions and
transfer their allegiance to a new political
combination formed without their consent
and composed largely of their old oppo-
nents, will be watched with intense interest
by conservative and aw-abiding citizens in
every State in the Union, and will inspire
our friends everywhere with new zeal and
courage for the conflict in which we have
enlisted This is no ordinary political con-
vention; it is not composed of SubSerVient
partisans, carefully selected and drilled by
local managers to go first on one side and
then on the other in obedience to a nod or
wink from some Self-conStituted leader,
who has bargained away their votes in
advance You do not acknowledge the dl-
vine right of king, caucus or any other
potentate to bind your conscience in polit-
cal matters or dictate how you shall exer-
else the highest prerogative of citizenship,
the right of suffrage. You are not here,
gentlemen, to wrangle about the distribu-
ton of offices or to bubble about the
phraseology of a platform, laboriously con-
structed to conceal your real opinions and
cheat the people out of their votes. You
are not here to trade your principles for
office. TO solicit the Endorsement C.
quiescence of political opponents, by ignor-
ing or disappearing the real issue pre-
scented by the existing condition of the
country. and by the dangerous character
of the policies which threaten its peace and
prosperity in the future. You are not here
TO impeach the personal integrity or
patriotism of any part of your fellow-citi-
Zens or to assail their motives however
widely they may differ from you on public
questions; but, If | understand your pur-
pose, you are here to simply make a plain
and honest declaration of democratic prin-
ciples. without concealment or equivocation,
and to inaugurate a contest for their SUI
premacy 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.
I'm the estimation of many of your
former associates the mere fact that you
have assembled for the sole purpose of de-
claring your continued adherence to the old
Democratic faith, uninfuenced by the hope
or expectation of official power or patron
tge. will constitute ground for serious
complaint against you during the cam
paign In the opinions Of such men success
at the polls, whether rightfully or wrong
fully secured. and the prospects of official
honors and emoluments are the
action. and they are wholly 9' 'i un
able to appreciate the force of an honest
conviction 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 or
ganization. Abuse and vituperation are the
rw,l1r iii ~ 81 Of Iii
capable of paying to your Democracy and
your patriotism.
CAUSE OF DISRUPTION.
''The Democratic party has always been
united and strong when 1t was faithful to
its true principles and courageous enough
TO contend for them, and always divided
and weak when it abandoned them or at
tempted to compromise with it's enemies
During the civil war its organization was
completely broken up in this State, and yet.
when the conflict was over. its scattered
members came spontaneously together in
this city and reasserted their fidelity TO the
Constitution, their devotion to the princi-
pies of free, honest and just government
by the people, and their determination to
use their power for the protection of all
the personal, political and property rights
of the citizen against unauthorized en-
croachments of state or federal power and
this prompt and courageous action made
the party invincible in Kentucky for thirty
years 1t would be invincible still II the
delusiVe promise of temporary success on
undemocratic issues had not demoralized
its organization and revolutionized its
creed What a contrast between the united
Democracy OF 1876 under the leadership of
Samuel ]. Tiden with its clear and I'M
oquiyocal declaration for sound money q
tariff for revenue only honesty and econ
omy in public expenditures. and thorough
reforms In the methods of public admins
tration, and the so-called Democracy of
1896, under the leadership Of three different
political organizations, with three separate
platforms, demanding the free and unlim-
tied coinage OF deprecated silver the I'M
limited issue Of legal-tender payer by the