The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-07-19


the very system which oppresses
it for this money, when paid, flows
also to Washington, to be wasted
or turned mischief and corruption;
as before. Federal patronage over
flows the land. Who can wonder
now that at every political assem-
bly,, some one, somehow fattened
on Federal diet, with that sublime
loyalty which men commonly ex-
hibit toward the party whose pay
they receive, in that vivid style of
oratory which all over the world
the pensioned patriot most affects,
denounces all dissent, all remon-
STRANGE, all opposition to the pow
ers that be as reasonable, seditious
and disloyal9 With such com
l-mand of money, and with such a
hungry horde of loyal adherents to
receive it, and fight on their side,
can you wonder that the five or six
energetic and unscrupulous men
who rule the committee at Wash
ington which now caricatures the
Congress Of the United States, grow
more daring and more reckless,
more secret and sudden in their ac-
ton, more secure Of the continu-
anee of their power? See how
gadually, silently, surely, the inAu-
ence of this political aristocracy,
like the serpent gathering fold up
on fold, encompasses the Republic
about and chokes it in its tighten
ing embrace. To think, speak, act
as this oligarchy ordain, is to be
loyal. To be loyal is to share in
the patronage they can bestow.
Who would not be loyal when to
be loyal is to be rich9 Thus you
see howpower-the power of the
purse as well as of the sword--a
power that appeals to all mems
hopes and all mems fears-concen-
trates in Washington and gathers
to a head. Thus the fatal conspir-
acy ofthe few against the many
grows and strengthens apace cor
rupting, debauching the minds of
our people. Under its baleful in
fluenee the rich grow richer, and
the poor grow poorer, and the fatal
guarrelIbetween capital and labor,
which inJOlder countries from time
shakes all society, hero begins to
mutter and to threaten. Why
should the peasant of Ohio or the
THE artisan ofNew York grow poor
that the manufacturers and specu-
lators of New England Pennsylva-
MIA should grow rich? Is this your
idea of a Republic? It's not mine.
/ have spoken of the mischievous
change in the theory and practice
of our Government here in the
States which have been victorious
in the late civil war. See how il
works among that portion of the
people on. whom fell the weight of
defeat 1t is more than year
since the war ended-more than a
year since all resistance to the Fed
eral arms ceased-more than a
year since the defeated people re-
cognized and accepted the conclu-
sions to which they had been forced
that no State could of right, or
did in fact, cease to be in the Uni
on. Yet these eleven States, which
are now in the Union, were always
in the Union, could not take them
selves out of the Union, have been
for more than twelve months deni,
ed by this oligarchy all the Consti-
tutional rights of States to be heard
by their Representatives in the
great council of the Republic. All
obligations to the Union they are
held liable to perform. They must
obey the Federal Constitution and
laws, and pay the Federal taxes,
yet the rights Of Representation in
the Federal Council, which the
Constitution secures to all, are de-
MED to them. They are treated,
not as States of the Union, but as
a foreign conquered people, whose
lives, liberties, laws and property
are held at the will Of the conquer
er. Is this Constitutional? Is it
lawful? 1sft just? Is it expedi-
ent? Is-it in accordance with the
will of the American people? Re-
member the grievances against
which the old colonists protested
as sufficient ground for their revolt
taxation without representation
This was the chief ground the
most flagrant. violation Of the prin-
ciples of British law and eternal
Justice. They laid it down that a