The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-08-05
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL
ADDRESS.
STATEMENT OF THU POLITICAL ISSUES ol
TIM DAY.

STATEMENT OF THU POLITICAL ISSUES oF
TEB DAY.
As members Of the Thirty Eighth Cons
gress, politically opposed TO the present
Federal administration, and representing
the opposition Union sentiment of the
country, we address ourselves to the peo-
pie Of the United States /; and our object
will be TO show las far as may be done
within the limits of an address,, that there
is good reason for changing the admins
istrslion and policy of this general govern
ment through the fundamentally of SUIT
frage in the elections Of the present year.
1t is settled conviction that men DOW
in public station, who control the policy OF
the government. cannot or will Lot per
form those which are necessary to save
the country and perpetuate its liberties
Many OF them are engrossed by political
and personal objects which do not com
port with the public welfare, and will not
snbserve it; Others have false or perverted
views of our system Of free government, or
are inspired by passions which continually
mislead them aud the opposition in Con
gress are powe'less to check the majority,
and are unable even to secure such inves-
tigaton of the executive'departments and
of the conduct Of government officials as
will prevent abuse and secure honesty,
economy and efficiency in the public SER
vice.
Profoundly, painfully impressed by pass
,no,enunrts from, tho t)rncjIanf nj
the United States and from the majority
in Congress, upon whom all rem onstrance
against government would DE wasted, to
address ourselves to our fellow country
men at large; and we appeal TO them to
interpose in public affairs, and by prop
er exettion Of their sovereign electoral
power, 10 decree that these United States
shall be Justly governed, reunited, tran,
quilizedsand saved !.
ENDORSEMENT OF POWER.
What we propose to notice in the first
place, as introductory TO our examination
Of public affairs, is the consolidation Of all
power in the government of the Uni'ei
States into the hands of single political
interest. The party of the administration
has DO: been subjected to any efficient
check upon is action from an opposing
interest or party, since its attainment ,f
power in 1861 Carrying all the North
ern, Western and Pacific States, with a
single exception, at the Presidential cleo
ton of 1850, and being relieved from al
Southern opposition in Congress by the
Withdrawal Of the atates of that section, it
was able to do its will and pleasure with>
out check or hlndrance in the goyesnment
ofsthe United States. All public patron
age was subsidized to its uses; all govern
ment OUTLAWS land rhey were enormous ia
amounD were disbursed by It's officials !;
all public power was welded by its arm !;
and this condition Of things has continued
to the present ;iIe. 1t has reveed in
power, and Of inevitable necessity, from its
very nature and from the opportunities
presented il, it has abused its powers it
has forgotten or despised, or tranpled un-
der foot the duties imposed upon it BIZ the
people, and the objects announced by it in
the outset have been supplanted by others,
which now inspire its action and occupy
its hopes.