Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-08-11

out violating his oath and tho Constitution.
have not violated the law, nor have
urged o hers to do it. The money which
was contributed to me belonged to the
parties, and they had right to bestow it
as they saw proper; but the money which
MIR. Jones paid on. was in violation of the
Constitution. and herein lies the broad
distinction bctween Nr. McDonali's action
anl mine. ...
In view OF this remarkable record, Mr..
McDonsld's charge against me would he
regarded a. unmitigated presumption if it
did not degenerate into broad farce. For
one in his position to assail me on such
pre'epce. can only he considered joke.
which becomes really funny in view Of
another fact which will mention.
Shortly after the adjournment Of the
Legislature. | was notifiel by Mr. Rngc.
tho Superintendent OF Public Instruction,
that he could not carry on his office and
perform its duties without | advanced the
money to pay expenses. there being no
appropriation. Being unwilling To have
the functions of such an important office
suspcnded, advanced the money required,
which hs very sen-ihly a-cepted.
Now. Dir. Rngg is State officer. like
myself. .worn like myself to support tie
Constitution and obey the laws, and if it
was unconstitutional and illeya! for me to
offer the money it was eqoally so for him
to accept it, and he must be regarded in
every way as pa,tieeps eriminis. and yet
tho same Convention which nominated
Mr.. Mcdonald renominated Mr.. Rugg,
and he stands by the side Of VI Donald on
the ticket. Ny honorable com petitor is
in the unfortunate position Of being unable
to hit me withont him self and his friends
being knocked down by the recoi Of his
own blow. so bid him LAY on McDail."
muSt not omit 20 state mat an attempt
has been mado to break The force OF
McDonald's. jones' aud WiliarIs action.
by alleging that mt that time there was no
enbczzlement bill. os in other words, no
law attaching a penalty for paving N oney
from the Treasury without an appropria.
ton. and iu violation Of the Constitution.
Now this is going from bai to worse. 1t
assumes that the constitutional obligation
is not to he regarded. unless penalty for
its violation has heen prescribed by law;
that ii j. the fear of punishment. and not
the constitutional obligations-the peHi.
tentiary. and not the oath OF office, which
shoult control political action. The mere
statement of this defense viii secure it uni
versal deri.ion. and leave it to the tender
mercies OF an appreciating public.
Right here wish i. distinctly under
stood that do not CONSIDER. my position
justified or strengthened from the precc lent
have cited in the rccorl of Mcdonald,
Willard anl the endorsement of The DEM
ocra,ic party; bat whea my competitor
assails me ii is legitimate 10 present in an
swer his own history ai,l that of his
friends. aud the party he represents. AMI to
say TO him that after he has plucked the
beam from his own eye he can see more
clearly whether there is anything in mine
Bat Nr. McDonali grsvely denounces
the action Of the Union members Of the
House in the late Legislature in withdraw
ing from that holy anl leaving it without
y quorum. AMI upon this subject he be-
comes eloquent anil severe. | will agree
with him that il an extreme measure.
anil one that should not be resorted TO
lightly, anil only il cases where it may
avert gross violations of tho Constitution
or danger to the public peace. Bnt here,
again. the gentleman is confronted by his
own history ami that Of his party. The
history Of boiling is chiefly the history of
Democratic politicians. and. as a promi.
nrnt lcaler anil adviser of his party Tor
many years, he must bear witness with me
,ha, his political friends have never failed
to break the quorum in any case where
their interests could, in the smallest degree,
be subservol. \ few modern instances to
which have time to refer. will answer my
purpose. In 1855. his political friends
being in the minority i'll the lower House,
repeatedly broke the quorum to prevent
the passage of measures which were ohnox-
ious to them as party. In 1857. his
friends being in the minority in the Sem
: ate. broke the quorum. and continued to
do so until the end of the session. to pre-
veat the rejection of Hugh Miller from
seat to which he was not entitled. and tho
induction of Kline &. Shryock. who was
. cleahy entitled. thus preventing the pas
sage OF the appropriation bill before re.
ferrei to. This is one of the most ontra.
geous cases in legislative history-where
the wheels Of legislation were kept locked
until the emf Of the session. appropriations
defeated. AMI the public business of the
State greatly deranged. for no other pur.
pose than to keep a partisan friend in an
4, official position to which he hal not a
shallow Of title. Again, in 1861, his
frien Is being in a minority in both
branches OF the Legislature. broke the
quorum to preven. rhe passage of mil;ia
bill which was MT Objectionable. other.
wise than as it gave ihc Governor the
power TO organize the militia FOR the defense
oil the State against rebellion from within
or without. Again, during the same
session they broke the quorum to prevent
the passage Of the Congressional and Log
isla,ive apportionment bills. This time
they retired from the capitol-not to
Madison. but to the Bates House, where
they dispatched messengers back to tho
majority saying that they would not return
during the session unless the obnoxious
bills were abandoned. In these proceed.
ings my honorable competitor was one of
the chief advisers. npon whose counsel his
friends greatly relied. and when he comes
before tho country. the representative and