Year: 1876

oil the American people TO make this a pure
government once more. Our duty in this
respect Is plain and imperious. II suffers
no trifling or equivocation. The worn-out
clap-trap Of fair promises in party platforms
will not satisfy IL; neither will mere fine
professions on the part Of candidates not
mere words are needed, but acts not mere
platforms, but men.


We therefore declare and call upon all
good citizens TO Join us, that at the coming
Presidential election we shall support no can
didate who in public position ever counte-
nanced corrupt practices or combinations, or
impeded their exposure and punishment, or
opposed necessary measures OF reform.


We shall support no candidate Who while
possessing official influence and power, has
failed TO use his opportunities in exposing
and correcting abuses coming within the
reach of his observation, but for personal
reasons and party ends has permitted them
to tester on; for such men may be counted
on, not TO uncover and crush corruption, but
for the party's sake merely 10 conceal IT,


We shall support no candidate, however
conspicuous his position or brilliant his
ability, in whom the impulses Of the party
manager have shown themselves predomi
nant over those Of the reformcr for he win
be inclined TO continue that fundamental
abuse-the employment of the government
service as machinery for personal or party
ends.


We shall support no candidate who how
ever favoraby Judged by his nearest friends,
is not publicly known TO possess those quail
ties of mind and character which the stern
task vi genuine reform requires, for the
American people cannot now afford 10 risk
Tie future of the republic in experiments ON
merely supposed virtue or rumored ability,
to be trusted on the strength Of private rec.
concentrations.


In one word. at present no candidate
should be held entitled to the support Of pa
triotic citizens of whom the question may
fairly he asked Z" Is he really the man to
carry through thoroughgoing reform Of the
government Can he with certainty be de
pended upon to possess the moral courage
and sturdy resolution to grapple with abuses
which have acquired the strength OF estab-
lshed custom, and 10 this end firmly to re-
sist the pressure even OF his party friends ?"
Whenever there is room for such question,
and doubt as to the answer the candidate
should be considered unfit for this emergency.


This is no time for so-called availability
springing from distinction gained on fields
OF action foreign to the duties of govern
ment. nor for that far more dangerous sort
of availability which consists in this, that
the candidate be neither so bad as to repel
good citizens, nor good as to discourage
the bad ones.


Passive virtue in the highest place has Of
ten been known to permit the growth of ac-
tive vice below. The man 10 be intrusted
with the Presidency this year must have
deserved not only the confidence of honest
men, but also the fear and hatred of the
thieves. lie who manages TO conciliate the
.1.Nx
men.


Every American citizen who has the fu-
ture Of the republic and the national honor
sincerely at heart, should solemnly resolve
that the country must now have President
"whose name is almost a watchword of re-
form whose capacity and courage for the
work are matters of record rather than OF
promise; who will restore the simplicity, in
dependence and rectitnde of the early adj
ministrations and whose life will be guar
antee of his fidelity and ftness;" man at
the mere sound of whose name even the most
disheartened will take new courage, and all
mankind will say, The Americans are in
deed in earnest 10 restore the ancient purity
of their government"


Fellow-citizens, the undersigned, IN adj
dressing you, are not animated by the am-
bition to form or lead new political party
Most of us have long BEEN and still are
warmly attached to our party associations.
1t would be most gratifying to us to see, by
party action, candidates put forward whose
character and record answer those require
ments which present circumstances render
imperative. We earnestly hope and trust it
win be so. We shall gladly follow such
lead, and make every effort in our power 10
render il successful But while we are
ready to accept any and every good result OF
party action, We affirm that the moral reform
of our public concern is Infinitely superior
in Importance TO the interest of any political
party. Glad topromote that reform through
party action, we shall insist upon it at all
events, should party action fail. Experience
teaches us that the habitual submission OF
good citizens to choice of evils presented
to them by party organizations is one of the
most prolific causes of corruption in our
own politics. The acceptance by the people
of the argument that one party may be bad
and still entitled to the support of good men,
because the other party is still worse, will in
duce each TO consider how bad ii may safely
be. II will strengthen in each the power OF
the most INSCRIPTIONS element, and subject
the will of the people to the subtle tyranny
of organization welded by those who live by
politics.


To break that tyranny by stern refusal
to submit TO such choice of evils, is the
| first beginning in the reform OF our political
| life. Without this all other steps will prove
unavailng.


! We shall sincerely rejoice to see the neces-
sity of independent action avoided. We
earnestly hope that the efforts to this end
being made by the friends Of reform within
party lines will be crowned with success, and
that the Just expectations of the people may
not be doomed to disappointment. Indeed,
we are confident il all those of our fellow
citizens who in their hearts agree with what
we have said will only take the courage
openly to proclaim their convictions and
purpose, such manifestation alone would
produce an effect sufficient to secure a nom
ination and an election inaugurating bet
ter order of things.


We therefore appeal 10 all good citizens
who find their own sentiments expressed in
this address (be they Inside or outside of
party lines) to organize in their respective
districts and communicate with the execu-
tive committee appointed at this meeting, so
that efficient cooperation may become pos
sibe. Let no effort be spared in bringing
the influence of a patriotic public opinion to
bear upon those who in the customary way
are soon 10 nominate the party candidates,
and then, in any event. let us be ready TO do
what the best interests OF the republic
demand.


Our generation has TO open the second
century of our national life, as the fathers
opened the first. Theirs was the work of in-
dependence, ours is the work of reforma-
tiou. The one is as vital now as the other
was then. Now, as then, every true Ameri-
can must have the courage to do his duty,


CARL ScmuRz, Missouri, Chairman.


MARTIN BRINMER, Massachusetts.


l.. +. 5. FosTEn, Connecticut.
PARKE GoDwIN, New York.


IonN W. lIoYr, Wisconsin,


Published by order of the conference.
Signed by TnEoDoRr WooLsry, President.
4 WRITER in the Washington Capital thus
describes the scene when Seward got the
news of Linooln's nomination at Chicago in


.l A Il