The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-08-23

he never heard him make use of tha
nor any other profane language. HI
was plain man, outspoken, anG
sometimes rather rough; but he haG
ia warm heart, and it is to be hoped
he died truly Christian man. Ht
died in l845.
Speech Of Geo. Il. Pendleton
l propose to show you that the Re
publican party, by reason both of it:
principles and practice, deserves YOU
Ireprobation. Ten years ago you
conhded to it the control of the Fed
eral Government. In both its power
has been unlimited. The day Of its
trial has come. You are 70 Judge
whether its wisdom and purity have
been equal to its opportunities.
deny it. / maintain that in ex-
penditure it has been reckless and
lprodigal. In taxation it has been
unequal, unjust and oppressive; il
obedience to the Constitution it has
been constantly and boastingly def
cient; in the maintenance of person.
al liberty it has been utterly unfaith.
full; to the preservation of our con.
federated system it has been actively
opposed 4; in the discharge of every
duty it has been inefficient in the
exasperation and qualification of ey-
cry passion it has been Jealous and
unwearied; in the perpetuation of its
own power it has found the sole rule
/ of right.
Taking possession of the govern.
ments, both Stale and Federal, in
time of profound peace, when taxes
were low, the public debt light; wher
harmony existed, both in the systems
OF government and in the hearts o.
the people, except so far as it was
disturbed by its struggles for power,
it holds them to-day, in the midst oil
passions ten fold more agitated than
during the war, bowed down under
the most oppressive burthens, laden
with an enormous debt, with ter
States blotted out of existence, and
Il in their territory every vestige oi
civil government destroyed, and ev-
cry guard and guarantee of liberty
broken down. The system of gov
ernment which they have inuugu-at-
ed is enormously expensive the
methods Of administration are, be.
yond precedent. extravagant; the
morals of its agents are utterly cor,
rupt; violence has usurped the place
of law; passion has become the rule
of action force has displaced au
thority; military governments have
been made common; arbitrary and
despotic measures have been COM
mended to the passions of the people.
Their Jealous care and just apprecia-
ton of liberty have been diminished.
Corruption revels in high places.
The Republican party is response
BILE for these evils.
shall not depart from my invari-
able rule in political discussions-I
take parties and politics and meas
ures as | find them. accord to ev-
cry man sincerity and PATRIOTISM. I
will not impute bad motives nor use
harsh terms. l Will not enter the
arena of personal controversy. 1
prefer to consider the effect Of great
policies on on public interests, rath-
er than TO discuss the influence Of
personal character on the administra-
ton of Office. And if, in delineating
the tendency and sequence of meas
lures, / must scan the motives and
advert TO the mental and moral de-
Ivelopment of those who originate and
apply them, L shall deal with them
in their collective character as par
ties, and avoid the ground allotted to
p ersonal susceptibility.
If our system of government had
been maintained, if its integrity were
unimpaired, the subjects on which l
would address you to-day would he
few and simple. They would relate
entirely to our State affairs; they
would touch only the making and ex-
ecuting law. The election is only for
State and county officers; it refers only
to State and county affairs. In its
results it touches Federal politics on
ly IN the election of Senator and
the adoption of the amendments to
the Constitution which may possibly
be proposed. To the State have
been confided your dearest interests.
.Loak about you. What do you not
hold under the agis of its protection?
Your life, your liberty, the enforce
ment of your contracts, the enjoy
ment of the fruits of your labor, the
title to your property, the peace of
society, the sanctity Of your homes,
the protection of your good name
from aspersion, your family circle
from pollution, of your parental au-
thority from contempt, depend alone
upon your State Government. The
Federal Government was organized
to represent the States in the family
of nations, and adjudicate questions
of trade between the States. 1t has
not the constitutional power to pun
ish a murder in your streets, or a
burglary in your houses, or riot in
your CITY. 1t has not the constitu-
tional power to protect free speech
st this meeting, or to render judg-
ment upon and collect by execution
a promissory note for one hundred
dollars given by one of your citizens
to another. Our system was Gre
public of republics" Its crowning
glory was that it confided the fewest
possible subjects to the Federal Gov
ernment, and reserved the greatest
possible number to the States; that
it called around the States the affec-
tions and interests of the people by
leaving with them the legislation af
fecting their daily lives. and confided
to the Federal Government more re-
mote, and therefore less susceptible
to their influence, the fewer subjects
of international and inter State con-
Germs.
And yet so great have been the
usurpations of Federal power, so far
has it overstepped the limits both of
subjects and powers, that by its sys-
TENS of taxation, of banking. OF tar
ifs of civil rights bills. of conquered
provinces, of military gosernmets, of
martisl law, its measures ARE really
of vital importance, and do in fact,
though wrongfully, dwarf into insig-
nificance, even in STATE elections, all
questions of State policy and State
law