The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-19
JEFFERSON BIRTH
DULY CELEBRATED
Dinner of the Brooklyn
Democratic Club.
CLEVELAND'S LETTER
Expressed His Opinion of the Present
Democracy.
RETURN TO FIRST PRINCIPLES
It is Only by Doing This That the
Democratic Party Can Hope FOR
Success in the Coming Presi-
Dental Election Ex-Goy-
Campbell Delivered
an address.
RETURN TO FIRST PRINCIPLES

u
Democratic Club gave dinner Tonight
at the Germania Club to commemorate
the one hundred and fifty-seventh ami
versary of the birth of Thomas jefferson.
st the guests table were Ex-Governor
James E. Campbell. of Ohio; Joseph j.
| Willett, of Alabama, and other promi-
| nent public men. Former President
| Grover Cleveland sent letter regretting
! his inability to be present, and express
| ing his opinions on the present De1noc-
racy. The letter was as follows:
| princeton. N. j., April, 1890.
"To Louis Burchard:
! .Dear sir.-I regret that I am unable
to accept your invitation to attend the
/ dinner to be given by the Brooklyn DEM
| ocratic Club or the 18th instant to COM
| memorate the birth of Thomas Jefferson
| When those vino profess the Democratic
/! faith meet to celebrate the birth of the
! man who first gave that faith distinct
| formation, their pride in the triumEhs
| of the party which he founded should
! not entirely dispiace all thought of the
l present situation and the conditions
! which, in the light OF experience, appear
! to be essential to its success
/ 1--WE should well know the ability of our
adversaries to attach to their fortunes the
I, powerful contingent of selfish interests to
| place confident reliance upon the weakness
/. which, ought to be the penalty of their
misdeeds.
TIME-HoNoRED PRINCIPLES
stBesldes, none of US can close our eyes
| to the fact that the Democratic party IS
! only formidable in its own strength: It's
power to win victories has always been
I found TO depend upon a sturdy and con-
| sistent adherence to its tlme-honoreo
/; principles, which have proved suflcient
| to meet every emergency of our national
! life Whatever successes may nave at
| tended a party of opportunity with sans
| spread for every transient breeze or poPu-
! lar sentiment or excitement, experience
! has abuudantly demonstrated that Demo
| cracy Is so constituted that it is only
| strong when courageous in the right anu
| onlv victorious when its forces are mar
shaiIed under It's old and we!l-orSanized
standards.
"Orrr principles are so simple, and they
| accord so well with the honest American
disposition, which loves freedom and cares
! FOR the public welfare, that they are
easily understood by the Democratic
| masses. AS a result of this there mas
| never been a time when false leadership
of our party and departure from simple
, Democratic faith have not been quickly
discovered and ruthlessly rebuked by
lstless support pronounced detection ana
bitter defeat. These consequences nave
thus far been SO inevitable that lessons
they teadh cannot be disreSarded without
inviting calamity: The healthfuiness OF
our party may we'll be questioned when IL
shrinks from such an examination OF its
position as will enable it to avoid dis
aster by keeping in a course of safety,
under the guidance of the true Democ-
racy.
], SOLEMN Duff.
.spherefdre those who claim to be fol
lowers of Thomas Jefferson will fail tc
discharge a solemn duty If in this time
of doubt and temptation they neglect such
an examination, and if this discloses a
tendency in the party control to subordi-
nate the principles of pure Democracy
| and to distrust their conquering power
| the conditions should not continue with
out a brave and early Democratic pro
test I have addressed these words &c
fellow Democrats in the full knowledge
that / am far removed from any influence
In party management, but love the ole
l. Democratic party, and I have writer
| under the sanction of that freedom OF
speecn' which Thomas Jefferson placed
among the cardinal factors of our Demo
cratic creed. Yours very truly.
"GROVER CLEVELAND.'
Joseph ]. Willett responded to the toas,
"a Century of Democracy"
/ Ex-Governor Campbell followed with an
address on 1.-The Restora ton of Jefferson
1 ian Democracy He said in part.
I 1.-The political party founded by Thomas
/ jefferson cannot survive half Democratic
/ and half Fopulist. There must be either
dissolution or restoration of pure Demo
cracy. 1t is true that many thousands OF
us will again support the nominees of our
PARTY, no matter into what mistakes it
may fall, but it is equally true that many
other thousands will forever abandon the
party if 1t again supplements truth with
error