The Democratic advocate., 1897-09-25

lou owe W OnO pOiAtiSdi oAluAeioiA' III Nui
beloved Commonwealth, plain duty.
The obligations [ have accepted rob of
any taint of presumption the call | make on
you to do it.
If every Democrat will perform his plain
duty the hour of deliverance Is at hand.
We are the creatures of a condition, the
begetting of which is largely our own fault.
We have fallen by the wayside, because
we have not stood together.
We have sacrificed, for the time, our
true position as Marylanders, because we
have grown Indifferent to its importance.
Accustomed, for generation, to the
sunshine of political liberty, as secured by
due regard to constitutional limitations, we
have come to assume that the sun will
shine, of course, and that our highest duty
is to rebuke the spots on it.
cannot permit myself to doubt that it
is owing to this hypercriticism which, aim
ing at the shadow, has belittled the sub
stance, that we are what we are-a
minority party in a majority State-a band
vi pCuSAoh0is; pOSSAhS "0 !" ie''oi "A"O ~
longs to us as right.
Maryland is essentially Democratic.
All its instincts, all its purposes, all its
hopes. tend toward Democratic rule.
Those who are old enough to recall a
different regime, have no need of reminder
that Maryland magnanimity can onl y pros
per under Democratic supremacy.
As with men, so with parties, some are
born to rule, and they rule benignantly,
because they rule naturally.
The essence of Democracy is the aegis
of liberation.
assume that we all realize these truths;
but it is possible that we may undervalue
them.
To avoid such possible calamity, make
this appeal.
cannot permit myself to believe that
any Maryland Democrat would deliberately
choose the sacrifice of his convictions on
the altar of expediency, resentment, or
spite.
Apprehension that Indifference, the
hybrid offspring of any two of these, may
work an evil, equally bitter and calling, is
my justification for this warning.
We7nust work, if we would prosper.
We must toll, if we would triumph.
We must guard the portals, if we would
repulse the foe.
1t would be uncandid to deny that the
cause of Democracy has met some set
serious, though undeseryed, in
this Democratic stronghold.
We have lost where we should have
won.
We have trailed where we should have
triumphed.
We have quarreled where we should
have quartered in mutual fellowship.
I assume that there is not a Democrat
in Maryland who thinks for himself, and
feels for the common brotherhood, who
does not experience modification at the
spectacle of a sovereign State misruled,
necessarily, because ruled by minority con-
ditions.
There is unquestioned unity in Demo
cratic ranks, on all essentials. Shall there
be further division, because of non essen
tials?
| anticipate only one answer "a patri-
otic "NO
| repeat. fellow Democrats, we are today
what we are because we have magnified
conflicting non essentials, and minimized
the essential spirit that guards our liberties.
This is Il blunder we must not duplicate.
Democrats never march prouder, =
never work worthier, er,-never feel freer,
than when they are bending their energie:
to the fullest fruition of political probity
coupled with individual sacrifice.
Human foresight cannot always deter
mine lust what it is best to do.
Mind is Gods special gift to man. it,
possession involves the right to think.
have my opinion as to the best way to
reach the goal we aim at. You have :
right to yours We may not entirely
agree as to routes, but, while the Mecca
is the same, the choosing of paths should
not divide our purpose.
We are all Democrats. Each of us un-
derstands and appreciates the fact that,
however much we may differ as to the
means. we have common end.
One of two courses is open, hot both
Assist, advise, encourage the enemy, either
by active aid, or passive acquiescence, -ol
ssbe to your friends very little kind. :
The basis of our faith is fixed princi
pie.
In this we differ from our foe as Heaven
differs from earth
The ends we aim at make our cause
"Our country $, our God 5, and truth s.
We see the beacon, and it becomes oul
guide.
United. we stand. Divided, we fall.
Our possible fall means the fall of what Is
above and beyond personal ambition.
We may differ about details and yet agree
that our political hope is in the party that,
from the beginning has always forged ahead
and never faltered has always struggled
for, and never denied, the people rights.
Through perversity or blindness, infatu-
alton or indifference, we have yielded once,
and even twice to the voice of the syren.
We have been tempted to accept the
Grecian gifts of our enemies.
We have opened the Trojan gates.
We have reaped the fruits Of the incur
sion
Pillage, and pillagers s;-pelf and pill
ferers;-booty won, and booty quarreled
over. because not won,-is the record made
by those who, long deprived, would nc
longer be denied.
Booty and spoils Such the watch
word Spoils and booty Such the
shibboleth of those who have prated from
birth and knelt at maturity, at the shrine
of the idol SReform =
In abatement of such evil, such false
pretenses; such puny performance, we
need know no man, or his ambition no
set of men, or possible sinister schemes.