The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-05-30
silent from POliCy-The Drift Of
In Republican Party To a
Str org Government.

Some two weeks ago we published a re-
port Of a speech delivered by James
Hughes, one Of the leading and controlling
spirits of the Republican party Of Indiana:
at Bloomington. in which he took strong
and decided ground in favor of restricting
the right Of suffrage and FOR a strong aud
stable governmental moDarchical govern
ment like that of Great Britain. So far as
the old government was concerned, he pro-
nounced it superseded BY a new order of
affairs in the declaration that 'the consti-
tuition was not worth the paper on which it
was written" In regard to suffrage he
said The right of suffrage has already
been too much crtcnded and cheapeacd in
this country. While | am opposed to ex-
tending the right of suffrage to the ne
groes, | am in favor Of dtsfranchising one
hoif Of tie uhitc people IN tie country"
Although it mas bad ample time, the
Journal, occupying the position of the CEN
trail organ Of the Republican party in In
diana, has not said one word in condemna-
ton Of the sentiments expressed by
Hughes. If it was opposed to the doc
trinss enunciated by that individual, it
certainly should have pronounced against
them promptly upon their utterance. As
it has not done SO, the people have the
right to infer that it comedies with the
views expressed by Hughes, and that such
is the platform of the party organization
which it represents. Hughes says-we
quote:
"All history proves that there is but one
interest that is conservative, and that can
safely be intrusted with the governing
power. and that is the property interest"
This sentiment was not uttered ia the
heat OF debate or political excitement, but
was calmly and deliberately expressed.
And no doubt the opinion entertained by
Hughes are those of the leading men OF
the Republican party. And the policy
which the Journal has advocated under its
present direction s~ustains the position ia
ken and put forth by Hughes. The idea
of the Journal all through has been to ia
vor and protect the property interest-es-
pecially the BODYBUILDING aristocracy, and
we suppose for the reason given by
Hughes, "that it is conservative and can
safely be intrustcd with the governing
power" 1t favors the exemption Of the
wealth represented by that class from taxa
ton, and necessarily the transfer of the
burden to the laboring or producing inter
ests.
The people can see from the positions
boldly and unequivocally assumed by
Hughes, the drift Of the Republican par
to a "strong and stable government" The
policy of the Republican leaders is the
Capitalization of power in the general gov
ernment and the overriding State authori-
ty. The war aided these designs, and the
assumption Of authority by the general
government, under the plea of military ne
cessity, completely set aside the Constitu-
it, as Hughes expresses it, "not
worth the paper on which it is written."--
As startling as the enunciations of Hughes
appear, they only state a condition of po-
litical affairs which really exist, for the
governing power of the country is in fact
the property interest. In name our gov.
eminent is Democratic or Republican, but
in fact, it is what may be represented by the
term Of "strong government" and it is as
arbitrary an6 desrot.c as the British gov