Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-08-31

of those which obtained in the con-
vention of 1856; the only community
/ between them is that of place and
party name.
The Philadelphia convention OF
1856 WAS made up OF men who had
convictions Of political right and duty
and the courage of them. And they
came together for conference and
comparison of views, to the end that
by wise and tolerant concert OF politi.
cal effort the welfare of the people
might be promoted and the great
cause of human liberty advanced.
The Philadelphia convention of 1900
has for its sole work to ratify and reg
lister a political rescript set forth by
one man, having for its purpose to
perpetuate in power an administration
which has wholly disregarded the in
terests of the masses.
The Pittsburg convention of 1856
was held on the birthday of Washing
ton, and the Philadelphia convention
Of that year was called for the 18th of
June, the anniversary OF the battle of
Bunker Hill, the significance of which
dates will suggest itself to you. Your
convention will endorse and eulogize
with fulsome praise policy which has
turned its back upon the last counsel
of Washington to his people, and
which is an organized sneer at the
principles for which he fought, and
will commend an administration
which, for its supple lackeying and
trucking subserviency to Great
Britain has not its match in history !;
and this is, too, by President whose
principal political stock in trade for a
generation past has been our economic
wrongs suffered at the hands of this
hereditary industrial enemy of ours.
The convention held in Philadel-
phia in 1856 addressed its declaration
Of doctrine to those who were ain ia.
vor of - restoring the action
of the Federal government to the
principles of Washington and Jeffer-
son." and it accordingly Resolved,
That the maintenance of the princi-
pies promulgated in the Declaration
of Independence and embodied in the
Federal constitution is essential to the
preservation of our Republican insti-
tutions." And again it Resolved,
That with our Republican fathers we
hold it to be a self-evident truth that
all men are endowed with the inalien-
able rights to life, liberty, and the
pursuit OF happiness, and that the
primary object and ulterior design of
our Federal government were to &C..
cure these rights to all persons within
its exclusive jurisdiction"
The Philadelphia convention of this
year will be made up OF men in whose
view "the principles Of Washington
and Jefferson" are avowedly antiquat.
ed and far ont Of date-useful only in
the orations OF the Fourth of July or
the warmed-over porch platitudes of a
political campaign; and it will in
terms countenance policy which de-
nies to 10000, 900 "persons within our
exclusive jurisdiction" the "inalien-
able rights" which in its earlier days
the Republican party thus guaranteed,
a policy which avows its purpose OF
governing subject peoples without
their consent, outside of constitution
al principles and safeguards. at the
caprice of irresponsible appointees or a
venal majority in Congress and in
fragrant and derisive violation OF the
"principles OF Washington and Jeffer-
son." and those promulgated in the
Declaration of Independence and en-
bodied in the Federal constitution"
1t will vociferously uphold and ap.
plaud the doings of an administration
which, doubling in its own track with
in space OF sixty days, has broken
faith with an innocent and con-
fiding people who, by the hazards o
war, had passed under its jurisdiction
Ian act rightly characterized by it.
self as the breach of "a plain duty
at the command OF the conscienceles;
and mercenary appetite for plundel
possessed by those by whom that ad
ministration was itself created, and
which thus is constrained to remem
ber its creator.
1t will endorse policy which thus
lawlessly put in motion has already
begun to bear the fruits of lawlessnes'
in the peculations being perpetratet
by our officials upon those whom il
appears we rescued from one set o.
brigands only to turn loose another
upon them, and it will denounce thu
individual thieves, in apparent forget
fulness that the thievery is but the
symptom and necessary sequence o
an irresponsible despotism. For
government of peoples outside OF con
stitutional sanctions is, upon any ra
tional Republican theory, but despo
tism; and it is so not the less because
it is promised to be administered
"benevolently" and for the good o
the governed; the fact that they Ar
governed without their consent put
the policy at war with the Republican
doctrine of 1856. And 80, being ire