Year: 1879

The great mass of cur people desir
|, good government and economical


administration. They are not de


eeived by the sophistry of the dis


honest or the elamoring denuncia


tions of the disappointed. They


mean that this reform shall 90 on


that our State government shall


continue pure, and that the rotten.


ness of municipal administration


which now disgraces some of our


cities shall stop once for all. In


this good work / am willing and


anxious to join at any post of duty.


be it high or low. We cannot bet


ter serve our State, our country. or


our fellow-men.


The resolutions adopted by the


convention, declaring the position


OF the Democratic Republican party


upon the leading questions OF the


day, and pledging it anew to this


great work of retrenehment and


reform, have my cordial approval.
The government is established and
should be administered for the pro-


lection and benefit of all the inhab-5


ltantS of the State, without regard


to political parties, religious creeds


or place of birth. I'm endeaVOring
to impress these views upon the


Legislature In my last annual mes


sage / used the following language.


/ cannot more clearly give nv


meaning than by quoting it:


"Under the Constitution the State


aims to secure fair and equal repre-


sentation for the people, pure elec-


tions, an honest canvass of and a


peaceful submission to their results,
to the end that the majority may
control the government equal and |
exact justice to all men, that neither |
the poverty of the poor nor the |
wealth Of the rich may help or him
der the maintenance of their rights;
rigid economy in the public eXpen-
ses, and the lightest possible exer-
else of the taxing power, that labor
may bear no needless burdens; an
honest currency, assuring stability
to finance and steadiness to wages:
perfect integrity and fidelity in
office; a prosecution and punish
ment of derelict officials as prompt
and energetic as that of common
criminals; the protection of every
man in his right to pursue his law
ful calling in his own way and to
enjoy its fruits; and finally, the
sacred preservation of the public
faith under all circumstances. 1t
forbids all local and special legisla-
tion for private profit; all wasteful
and prOt1igate expenditure of public
the folly of creating debts,
as we'll as the crime of repudiating
them when created; conceding to
the Federal government all the
powers delegated TO it and shrink
ing from no sacrifice to maintain
them, it yet sternly insists upon 6
these inherent rights reserved to
each free and independent State" /


These principles lie at the foun-
1ation of our system of govern t
ment. They are cardinal doctrines c
Of the Democratic party as [ early G
earned and have always tried to '
OlloW them. In public and private G
ife it has been my constant effort
n the past, as it will be in the j
to uphold and enforce them d
)y all legitimate means. While d
maintains them with firmness and
idelity, it will command the sup n
)Ort of all good citizens. If it falls r
,eloW this high standard to engage t
n mere scramble for the spoils of t
'ffice and drippings of an unclean c.
administration, il will lose and de-
eYere TO lose the confidence of the n
'eople. 1t should constantly be a
Orne in mind that the approaching O
lection concerns State affairs eX- Il
lusiVely, and is of great and unus- q
al Importance. 1t is the first IL
lection in our history for the choice "
f all the elective State officers and v
9th branches of the State Legisla- W
lre. Its results will, therefore, n
ouch very closely the home inter- al
SITS of our people, every one of W
7hOm, high or low, rich or poor, d1
as direct interest in the just and al
management of the hi
tate government. We must be- W
7are of the fallacy that government to
urdens rest only on the rich. They az
re most grievOus to the poor and tn
lboring classes. The cost of care w
.ss or corrupt public officers falls in la
ne end upon those who work from &C
ay to day to pay the rent and buy su
ne food. The dollar added to tax tn
ton comes at last out of them. NJ
he dollar saved to the State is ca
ollar added to their little store. te
he continuance of the reform pol a
y is thus the only important ques- OF
on to be answered at the polls. al
he chief aim of the people of New &C
ork is to secure an efficient gov st
'nment which shall burden as uE
ghtly as possible their quickening an
ade and commerce. To this issue bU
II people will address themselves, he
I'D, I believe, viii deal with it ii
isely. Very respectfully yours, ca


J.. ROBINSON. CIV