Year: 1874

tives of the tax-payers to whom has
been entrusted the high and solemn
duty OF recommending measures of
protection against the corruption
and rapacity that rule the organ
lied band OF wicked and unscrupu-
lous adventurers who, under the
guise of government and in the
name CT party, have persistently
despoiled you OF your property and
outraged your most sacred rights,
deem it becoming and proper to
lay before you in this form certain
considerations in connection with
their action and deliberations, which
they suppose worthy Of your earnest
and thoughtful attention.


It would be unnecessary and
painful to recite your wrongs; the
sense of these is not the least poig-
nant of the suferings you have been
called to endure during these FIVE
years of unparalleled outrage upon
a refined and Christian people. We
would have our words speak of
courage, of hope, of patience, Of
faith, of work and of duty. He
who has rightfully pondered the
dealings of an all-wise and benef-
cent Providence with the affairs of
men, cannot fail to have discovered
an unvarying and inevitable social
law, that all great wrongs tend to
their own correction, and work out
in the end sure compensation for
the ills they inhict. Thus the ebb
and flow of human ideas, obeying
the ivinely implanted principle Of
perpetual gravitation towards the
right, always return from the wild
est deviation, and recoil most vio-
lently and with accelerated velocity
from the greatest errors. This
truth has impressed itself upon the
thoughts of the world with the force
of an axiom upon which may be
based the soundest propositions of
the statesman. It has been aptly
styled "the fanaticism of justice,
which the stars, in their courses,
sustain, and against which no at
tribute of the Almighty takes part"
It is vain to suppose that the en-
lightened American people are ez-
empt from the application Of this
universal social law. We feel justi-
fed in stating our conviction, that,
breaking through all the :'barriers
of prejudice, political strife and the
resentments of internecine war, the
refux of the great tide of opinion
and sympathy is already moving
with overwhelming force, bearing
with it the promise of a restored
nationality, based upon the broad
and enduring principles of liberty,
| justice and truth. We would not
be understood as encouraging the
thought that what has been swept
away in the past can ever be re-
stored. This great country has
taken a new departure; has en-
grated upon her system Of govern
ment new principles, and deals with
new elements. The returning sense
of justice will find its task in the
adjustment of these new factors Of
power into harmonious accord with
the true principles of frepublicanism,
and in providing ample protection
for the rights and liberties of the
people. It will probably deal not
with organic laws, but with faith
less, corrupt and oppressive admin
istrations.


While we present these cheerful
anticipations, which We feel justi-
fed in doing by many and great
changes in sentiment and opinion,
manifested among even the most
extreme Of the great political lead
ers and high officials of the country,
and still more in recent popular
movements, it is intended to invite
to earnest and hopeful effort and
action, rather than to lull into a
false security. No help can ever
reach a people who suffer them
selves to fall into apathy Or despair.
The energies Of men seeking relief
from wrong and oppression must
be yitalized, organized and united.
Every accessible position Of power
must be seized, held and utilized,
and the fight carefully, vigilantly
and faithfully fought from place to
place, until the citadel be won and
the right restored. The convention
looks to your action as the most
prominent and essential element Of
the success to be achieved. In
order to procure restoration Of an
honest administration of affairs, the
reins Of government must pass into
the hands OF honest men. Hither
| to, political issues have controlled
all elections, and the great interests


of the State have been subordinatec


to the schemes CT corrupt and evi
men, whose insatiate avarice anc