Page images
PDF
EPUB

these duties by one yet to be tried. This our quota of members of the House of ceremony, simple and unostentatious as Representatives. It is to be hoped that becomes the spirit of your institution, is this work will be speedily undertaken. yet of vast importance to you and to the people of this great commonwealth.

The interests now transferred to new hands are yours, and the duties newly assumed should be performed for your benefit and for your good, hence, you have the right to demand and enforce, by the means placed in your hands, which you well know how to use. And if the public servant should always know that he is jealously watched by the people, he surely would be none the less faithful to his trusts.

To make an apportionment of the popu lation of a state into 34 districts, having due regard to geographical situation, and contiguity of territory, requires but little time, and no great amount of ingenuity, if attempted with fair and honest intention. It is submitted, that the appointment of subordinates in the several state Departments, and their tenure of office or employment should be based upon fitness and efficiency, and that this principle should be embedded in Legislative enactment to the end that the State may conform to the reasonable public demand on that subject. Municipal Government.

This vigilance on the part of the citizen, and an active interest and participation in practical concerns, are the safeguards of The formation and administration of its rights. But sluggish interference with the Government of cities are subjects of practical privileges, invite the machina- public interest and of great importions of those who wait to betray the tance to many of the inhabitants of the people s interests. Thus when the conduct state. The formation of such Governof public affairs receives your attention, do not omit to perform your duties as citizens, but protect your own best interests. While this is true, and while those whom you put in place should be heid to strict account, their opportunities for usefulness should not be impaired, nor their efforts for good thwarted by unfounded and querulous complaint and cavil.

will await us.

ments is proper matter for most careful legislation. They should be so organized as to be simple in their details and to cast upon the people affected thereby, the full responsibility of their administration. The different Departments should be in such accord as in their operations to lead toward the same results.

Divided councils, and divided responLet us together, but in our different sibilities of the people, on the part of muplaces, take part in the regulation and nicipal officers, it is believed, gives rise to demonstration of the Government of our much that is objectionable in the governstate, and thus become, not only the ment of cities. If to remedy this evil, the keepers of our own interests, but contrib-chief executive should be made answerutors to the progress and prosperity which able to the people for the proper conduct of the city's affairs, it is quite clear, that I enter upon the discharge of the duties his power in selecting those who manage of the office to which my fellow citizens the different departments should be greatly have called me, with a profound sense of enlarged. The protection of the people gratitude to the kind Providence which I in their primaries will, it is hoped, be sebelieve will aid an honest design, and the forbearance of the just people, which I trust will recognize a patriotic endeavor. EXTRACTS FROM GOVERNOR CLEVE

LAND'S MESSAGE JAN. 7, 1883.
Apportionments.

cured by the early passage of the law for that purpose, which will rid the present system from the evils which surround it, tending to defraud the people of rights closely connected with their privileges as citizens.

Special Legislation.

The last Legislature neglected its plain. duty in failing to re-apportion the State It is confidently expected that those into Congressional districts according to who represent the people in the present the United States census of 1880 and Legislature address themselves to the pursuant of the allottment of Congress to enactment of such laws as are for the

His Wide Popularity.

benefit of all the citizens of the State, to the exclusion of special legislation and interference with affairs which should be managed by the localities to which they pertain. It is not only the right of the people to administer their local government, but it should be made their duty to do so. Any departure from this doctrine is an The Independent Republican Convenabandonment of the principles upon which tion which met at New York on July 22d, our institutions are founded, and a con- in its address to the people of the country cession to the infirmity and partial failure recognizes the importance of the issue, and of the theory of a representative form of the value of the Democratic nominee. government. If the aid of the Legislature. is invoked to further projects which should be subject to local control and management, suspicion should at once be aroused, and interference should be promptly and sternly refused.

The admiration and support of Governor Cleveland reaches far beyond the limits of his party, and the indciations are that his success in the present campaign will be as triumphant as when he was chosen Governor of New York.

If local rule is in any instance bad, weak or inefficient, those who suffer from mal-administration have the remedy within their own control. If through their neglect or inattention it falls into unworthy hands, or if bad methods and practices gain a place in its administration, it is neither harsh nor unjust to remit those who are responsible for those conditions to their self-invited fate, until their interest, if no better motive, prompts them to an earnest and active discharge of the duties of good citizenship.

His Appeal to Legislators.

The following is an extract from said address:

Their Exposition of the Case.

As there is no destructive issue upon public policy presented for the consideration of the country, the character of the candidates becomes of the highest importance with all citizens who do not hold that party victory should be secured at any cost. While the Republican nomination presents a candidate whom we cannot support, the Democratic party presents one whose name is the synonym of political courage and honesty and of administrative reform. He has discharged every official trust with sole regard to the public welfare and with just disregard of mere partisan and personal advantage, which with the appearance and confidence of both parties have raised him from the chief executive administration of a great city to that of a great State. His unreLet us enter upon the discharge of our served, intelligent and sincere support of duties, fully appreciating our relations to reform in the civil service has firmly es the people, and determined to serve them tablished that reform in the State and faithfully and well. This involves a cities of New York, and his personal conjealous watch of the public funds, and a victions, proved by his official acts more refusal to sanction their appropriation, decisive than any possible platform deexcept for public needs. To this end, all claration, are the guarantee that in its unnecessary offices should be abolished, spirit and in its letter the reform would be and all employment of doubtful benefit enforced in the national administration discontinued. If to this we add the enact- His high sense of duty, his absolute and ment of such wise and well-considered unchallenged official integrity, his inflexilaws as will meet the varied wants of our ble courage in resisting party pressure and fellow-citizens and increase their pros- public outcry, his great experience in the perity, we shall merit and receive the ap- details of administration and his commandproval of those whese representatives they ing executive ability and independence are, and with the conscientiousness of are precisely the qualities which the politduty well performed, shall leave our im-ical situation demands in the chief execupression for good on the Legislation of the tive officer of the Government to resist State. corporate monopoly on the one hand and

demagogue commission on the other, and pendent voters who for any reason cannot at home and abroad, without menace or sustain the Republican nomination desire fear, to protect every right of American to take the course which, under the citizens and to respect every right of necessary conditions and constitutional friendly states by making political moralty and private honesty the basis of constitutional administration.

methods of a Presidential election, will most readily and surely secure the result at which they aim, respectfully recomHe is a Democrat who is, happily free mends to all such citizens to support the from all association with the fierce party electors who will vote for Grover Clevedifferences of the slavery contest, and land in order most effectually to enforce whose financial views are in harmony their conviction that nothing could more with those of the best men in both parties; deeply stain the American name and and coming into public prominence at a prove more disastrous to the public time when official purity, courage and character are of chief importance, he presents the qualities and the promise which independent voters desire and when a great body of Republicans, believing those qualities to be absolutely indispensable in the administration of the Government at this time, do not find in the candidate of their own party

welfare than the deliberate indifference of the people of the United States to increasing public corruption and to the want of official integrity in the highest trusts of the Government.

What They Say Abroad.

From the Pall Mall Gazette.] Unless all observers are mistaken and all the signs misleading, Governor Cleveland, who was nominated as the Democratic candidate by the party convention at Chicago, will be elected President of

To those who may imagine that because Governor Cleveland's public life has been Such independent voters do not propose entirely confined to his native State, he to ally themselves inextricably with any is unknown to the people generally outparty Such Republicans do not propose side of that Commonwealth, we publish to abandon the Republican party, nor to the following extracts showing that his merge themselves in any other party, but good name and reputation not only are they do propose to aid in defeating a Re-as broad as his native land, but extend to publican nomination which, not for rea- other nations, where he is regarded as sons of expediency only, but for high one possessing wonderful executive abilimoral and patriotic considerations with a ties, and is, in the true sense of the word, due regard for the Republican name and a Reformer. for the American character, was unfit to be made. They desire not to evade the proper responsibility of American citizens by declining to vote, and they desire also to make their votes as effective as possible for honest and pure and wise administration. How can such voters who at this election the American Republic in November. cannot conscientiously support the Republican candidate, promote the objects which they desire to accomplish more surely than by supporting the candidate who represents the qualities, the spirit and the purpose which they all agree in the great American Jingo, has been so believing to be of controlling importance barefaced as to provoke a reaction. The in the election? No citizen can rightfully Americans do not want to have a Presiavoid the issue or refuse to cast his vote. dent sent to Washington by the men who The ballot is a trust. Every voter is a send dynamite to London. It may be trustee for good government, bound to noted, however, for the confusion of those answer to his private conscience for his who are constantly assuring us that an public acts. This Conference, therefore, industrial democracy is free from all craassuming that Republicans and Inde-ving for territorial extension, that the

The Republicans have split their party by selecting Mr Blaine, and the attempt to curry favor with the Irish by printing as Republican campaign documents every expression of English opinion adverse to

policy of contraction is energetically repu- | watched his public career in distant lands diated by both the great American parties. are convinced that in whatever position be Mr. Blaine is the Beaconsfield of the States, and as for Governor Cleveland, this is what the platform of his party has to say about the foreign policy of the Democrats:

As the result of this policy we recall the acquisition of Louisiana, Florida, California, and of the adjacent Mexican territory by purchase alone. Contrast these grand acquisitions of Democratic statesmanship with the purchase of Alaska, the sole fruit of a Republican administration of nearly a quarter of a century

may be placed, he will be an avowed enemy to public plunder and corruption both within and outside of his party.

Still Another Tribute.

From the London Standard].

The Chicago Democratic Convention have ended their task by nominating Governor Cleveland as their candidate for the Presidency A more satisfactory result could hardly have been desired. Mr. Cleveland is little known out of his own State, but he bears the character of being And yet, in face of this eager competi- a man of ability, and his "record" is untion of American parties on the eye of a stained. The fight will, in reality, be one Presidential election as to which has an-between "clean" and "unclean"-that is nexed the most territory, there are those to say, old-fashioned politics. The last who imagine that the English democracy eight years of Republican rule have not when once it is fully enfranchised will been popular Indian frauds, sutler

be enthusiastic for the contraction of frauds, mail frauds, whiskey frauds, have England!

Another Tribute.

The London Globe, one of the leading British papers, whose criticisms of American matters are always read with interest on this side of the ocean, in commenting on the nomination of Governor Cleveland says:

[ocr errors]

been prominent, the whole being crowned with a Presidential election fraud, which was the worst of all. The struggle, however, as it was in 1828, lies between men, rather than between parties, and if the country prefers Mr Blaine, with his unpleasant record and evil possibilities, to Mr. Cleveland, with his unblemished The Democrats may be congratulated reputation, it will be because they fear on having made a wise choice, and there that a party which for twenty-four years seems every probability at present of their has been out of office will be too greedy carrying the Presidency. From an out- for "the spoils" to practice within the side point of view, Governor Cleveland is | White House the virtues they profess. somewhat to be preferred to Mr Blaine. The above paragraph shows very The latter has Irish and filibustering lean-clearly that England has little or no inings, and is a much stronger Protectionist terest in the platforms or principles of the than his rival. It is also possible that different political parties, and that she does Governor Cleveland will, if elected, really not expect to be benefited as a nation by set his hand in earnest to civil service re- the success of a particular party So far form—a crusade not to be expected of Mr. as industries are at stake, our British Blaine. The latter, indeed, now stands cousins simply attend to their own interas the champion of vested interests in cor- ests and do not expect other nations to ruption, while Governor Cleveland has assist them. Hence the idea that either been forced by circumstances to place de- free trade or protection in this country is pendence on the purity ticket." of momentous importance to them is The reader will note that his reputation simply "a wind of words." The Standard as a reformer has reached beyond his own compares the men as men fitted for the country, and those who have carefully | position.

THOMAS ANDREWS HENDRICKS.

By constitutional provision, upon the death or disqualification of the President, the Vice-President assumes the office, vested with all the powers as though he had been directly chosen for that position. Four times in the history of the nation has this officer become the Chief Executive, and four times have the people been taught the necessity of nominating a man for the second place competent to fill the first. Could the future have been known with its results, it is doubtful if either of the men selected as candidates for the Vice-Presidency would have received the nomination.

that could not be demonstrated. Always true to his party allegiance, at the same time his broad and progressive ideas made him a national statesman. In the halls of legislation he served his constituents with unwavering devotion, and watched their interests with unceasing vigilance. Yet at the same time on all questions of national import he was for his country as a whole. Representing a government of the people, he stood closely by the people in defence of their legal rights and for such measures as enlarged their freedom, elevated their manhood, and promoted their general welfare. As a Senator, he made for himself a national reputation which will endure for all time.

The Democratic Party, by its action in the National Convention at Chicago, appears to have been impressed with the He was ever active and aggressive. and importance of the second place on the his career was characterized by frankness ucket, and governed its actions accord- and boldness. He was active in opposiingly in the selection of one eminently tion to the measures overturning the old fitted by devotion to party and country, State Governments, the imposition of test by broad statesmanship, ripe experience oaths, the Civil Rights bill, the Freedman's as a legislator, and thoroughly conversant Bureau bill and kindred legislation. He with the affairs of state. A life-long ex-shaped his political conduct upon the perience with governmental affairs, a tho- theory that the prosperity of the white rough knowledge of our government, its people of the South, even though they needs and its aspirations, a legislative ca- had been rebels, was a matter of more reer reaching over thirty years, a portion importance than the prosperity of the of which is the most eventful in our his- negroes. If either race was to go to tory and an extended acquaintance with public men, make him eminently fitted for the highest honors that can be bestowed by our countrymen.

He is Well Known.

the wall he thought it should be the black race, but he held that the natural supremacy of the white race was a guarantee for all. His arguments on the great questions of the day have been adopted as the authoritative statement of DemoThomas A. Hendricks is well known to cratic opinion in the summaries of Conall men and to all parties, as his partici-gressional debate. For many years he pation in public affairs and his opinions has been the leader of his party in his on all important questions of public policy form a part of our historic records. In private as well as in public life he has been a man of strong convictions, never entertaining an idea that he could not defend, and never accepting a proposition lowing than Mr. Hendricks, or whose

42

state, and his fellow citizens have shown their appreciation of his valuable services by giving him repeated positions of trust and honor. There is probably no man in Indiana who has a stronger personal fol

« PreviousContinue »