The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1904-08-11

tarl6m and imperialism.
Esopus, n. Y, Aug. 10-The speech
of acceptance of Alton Brooks Parker
In reply to the committee which noti-
| fled him of his nomination for the
presidency by the Democratic party Is
as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen OF the Com
| mittee:
l have resigned the Office of chief Judge
| of the court OF appeals of this state In Or
| der that l may accept the responsibility
that the great convention you represent
| has put upon me without possible prcju-
| dice to the court to which had the hon
| or to belong or to the eminent members
| OF the judiciary of this state, of whom /
| may now say as private citizen l am
| justly proud.
At the very threshold of this response
and before dealing with other subjects
| i must, in Justice to myself and to re-
| lieve my sense of gratitude, express my
| profound appreciation OF the confidence
| r0posed In me by the convention. After
| nominating me and subsequently receiv-
| ing communication declaring that l re-
| gurded the gold standard as firmly and
| irrevocably established, a matter concern
| ing which l felt 1t incumbent upon me to
| make known my attitude so that here
after no man could justly say that his
| support had been secured through indi-
| rection or mistake, the convention reiter-
ated its determination that l should be
| the standard bearer Of the party in the
| present contest. This mark OF trust and
confidence l shall ever esteem as the high
| est honor that could be conferred upon
mean honor that, whatever may be the
fate of the campaign, the future can In
| no degree lessen or impair.
| The admirable platform upon which
l a. Co.. tee
| confidence and support clearly states the
| principles which We're so well condensed
| in the first inaugural address of Presi-
| dent Jefferson and points out with force
| and directness the course to be pursued
| through their proper application in order
| to insure needed reforms in both the legis-
| latlve and administrative departments of
the government. While unhesitating in
| its promise to correct abuses and to right
| wrongs wherever they appear or however
| caused; to Investigate the several admin
| istrative departments of the government,
| the conduct of whose officials has Gre
| ated scandals, and to punish those who
| have been guilty of a breach OF their
| trust: to oppose the granting Of special
| privileges by which the few may profit at
| the expense of the many; to practice
| economy in the expenditure of the mon
| eys of the people and to that end to re-
| turn once more to the methods OF the
disbursing the public funds the care and
| caution a prudent individual observes
| with respect 10 his own, still the spirit Of
| the platform assures conservative instead
| Of rash action, the protection of the inno-
| cent as vel, as the punishment of the
| guilty; the encouragement of industry,
| economy and thrift: the protection Of
property and a guarantee Of the enforce
ment for the benefit OF all of mans In
| alienable rights, among which, as said in
| the Declaration of Independence, are life,
| liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
| Liberty, as understood in this country,
| means not only the right of freedom from
actual servitude, imprisonment or re-
straint. but the right of oRe to use his
| faculties in all lawful ways, to live and
| work where he will and to pursue any
lawful trade or business These essen
tial rights of life, liberty and property
| are not only guaranteed to the citizen
| by the constitution of each of the sew
| eral states, but the states are by the
| fourteenth amendment to the constitu-
ton of the United States forbidden to
! deprive any person of any one OF them
| without due process of law.
Occasionally by reason OF unnecessary
or impatient agitation for reforms or be-
cause the limitations placed epon the de-
| partments of government by the consti-
| tuition are disregarded by officials desir-
| ing TO accomplish that which to them
seems good. whether the power exists in
| them or not, It becomes desirable to call
| attention to the fact that the people, in
whom all power resides. have seen At
| through the medium of the constitution
| to limit the governmental powers con-
ferred and to say to departments created
| by 1t. Thus far shalt thou 60 and no
farther" To secure the ends sought the
| people have by the constitution separat-
| ed and distributed among the three de-
partments of government-the executive.
| legislative and judicial-certain powers,
and 1t is the duty of those administering
each department so to act us to preserve
rather than to destroy the potency of
the coordinate branches OF the govern
| ment and thus secure the exercise of all
the powers conferred by the people.
Thomas Jefferson. In letter to William
c. Jarvis touching the perpetuty of our
institutions. written many years after he
had retired to private life, said, IF the
three powers of cur government maintain
| their mutual independence of each other
1t may last long, but not so II either can
assume the authority OF the other" II
must be confessed that In the course OF
our history executives have employed
powers not belonging to them Statutes
| have been passed that were expressly for
bidden by the constitution, and statutes
| have been set aside as unconstitutional
when 1t was difficult to point out the pro-
visions said to be offended against IN
their enactment All this has been done
| with a good purpose. no doubt, but In
| disregard nevertheless OF the fact that
ours is government OF laws. not OF men,
| deriving its 'Just powers from the consent
| of the governed" II we would have our
government continue during the ages to
| come for the benefit of those who shall
| succeed us We must ever be on our guard
| against the danger OF usurpation OF that
| authority which resides in the whole peo-
| lie, whether the usurpation be by OFF,
Ilals representing one of the three great
| departments OF government or by a body
OF men acting without q commission from
| the people
Impatience OF the restraints OF law as
well as OF its delays Is becoming more
and more manifest from day to day.
Within the past few years many instances
| have been brought to our attention where
In different parts OF our beloved country
| supposed criminals have been seized and
| punished by mob. notwithstanding the
| fact that the constitution OF each state
/ guarantees to every person within ita
| jurisdiction that his life. his liberty or
his property shall not be taken from him
| without due process of law.
| In a struggle between employers and
| employees dynamite Is said to have been
/ used by the latter. resulting In the loss OF
| life and the destruction OF property. The
| perpetrators OF this offense against the
| laws OF God and man and all others en-
| gagged In the conspiracy with them should,
| after due trial and conviction have had
meted out to them the most rigorous pun
ishment known to the law. This crime